Inweeky August 4 2022 Issue

A Special Feature Showcasing Words & Images by Inweekly Readers

Independent News | August 4, 2022 | Volume 23 | Number 31 | "Take The Leap" By Devin Bonner

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winners & losers

outtakes

4

5

news 6, 7

I love smiling.

feature story

buzz 8

22

11

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Bethany Stewart

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Gina Castro, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Jeremy Morrison, Sydney Robinson, C.S. Satterwhite, Tom St. Myer

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. © 2022 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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August 4, 2022

3

winners & losers

Tracie Hodson / Photo Courtesy of FavorHouse of Northwest Florida

winners

TRACIE HODSON The FavorHouse of Northwest Florida Board of Directors has appointed Hodson as the organization's new executive director. FavorHouse provides comprehensive services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. As executive director, Hodson manages all day-to-day operations for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties' only certified domestic violence center.

OLIVIA JULIANNA The Texas teenager has raised more than $1.5 million for abortion rights funds in a matter of few days after being body shamed online by Congressman Matt Gaetz.

The representative mocked abortion rights activists, calling them "disgusting" and overweight at the conservative Turning Point USA Student Action Summit. Julianna criticized Gaetz's comments online, which prompted him to retaliate. The response was impressive when she announced a fundraiser on behalf of Gen-Z for Change. Gaetz lost the Twitter battle.

FRED CRENSHAW The city of Pensacola named

Crenshaw its new Sanitation Services and Fleet Management director, responsible for overseeing Code Enforcement, Fleet Management and Sanitation Services for the city. Crenshaw has worked in the department for over 20 years, starting his career in December 2001 as a sanitation equipment operator. He has served as the interim sanitation director since February.

GREG TOMSO The University of West Florida has named Dr. Tomso its vice president for academic engagement and student affairs. Tomso previously served as interim vice president for the division since January 2022, as well as chief diversity officer. In this role, he will oversee all aspects of the division, including Career Development and Community Engagement, the Dean of Students Office, Housing and Residence Life, International Affairs, the Kugelman Honors Program, Equity and Inclusion, Student Health Services, Recreation and Wellness, Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Center for Academic Success.

Tomso has been at UWF for nearly 20 years, having served as a faculty member and chair of the English Department.

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losers

FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT The Miami Herald

uncovered that the right-wing Florida "news" site, The Capitolist, was secretly paid to push the political agenda and attack the critics of the state's largest utility. The website that attacked newspapers for being fake news turned out to be fake news. Through intermediaries and shell companies, documents show that FPL bankrolled the website started in 2016 by Brian Burgess, a former spokesperson for Gov. Rick Scott. They also showed FPL CEO Eric Silagy suggesting stories and strategies that later appeared as headline news on the website. Why hasn't Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced an investigation into the public utility's dirty politics and how they may have impacted its customers' rates?

JACK LATVALA Nearly five years after his resignation, the Florida Commission on Ethics scrapped a proposed settlement against the former state senator concerning allegations of sexual misconduct with a lobbyist. The proposed settlement included a public censure and reprimand but would have led to dropping other allegations related to a former Senate staff member. The commission voted down the proposal and found "probable cause" on three allegations that Latvala had violated ethics laws. An administrative law judge will now hold a public hearing on the allegations. Latvala told the commission that the "biggest mistake I made was not standing and fighting" in 2017. He added, "My not fighting stops today. I didn't do what she accused me of doing."

FLORIDA'S PUBLIC EDUCATION The Flori-

da Education Association estimates that 450,000 Florida students started the school year last August without full-time, certified teachers in their classrooms, and the numbers kept getting worse as the year progressed. Parents need to check the qualifications of their children's teachers.

PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL Not printing

their newspaper locally led to another embarrassing moment for the once-daily newspaper when the News Journal's Friday, July 29, edition's front page touted a kidnapping of a child without mentioning the Amber Alert had been canceled at 3:49 p.m. on the previous day. Oops. inweekly.net

Practicing Since 1974 INJURED? outtakes

By Rick Outzen

(ALL TYPES OF ACCIDENTS)

ARRESTED? (ALL FEDERAL & STATE COURTS)

THE LUMON MAY MODEL Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he was giving Polk State College, Broward College and Florida State College at Jacksonville $6.5 million to launch his Career Pathways for Public Service Initiative.

He has tasked the colleges with developing what he hopes will be a national model for preparing students for public service and careers in local or state government. The money will fund the creation of Civics Academies for ninth-grade students to prepare them for meaningful careers "while learning about the importance of public trust, government efficiency, and the values of our state and nation."

The academies and college models are part of DeSantis' larger Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative to develop a civics curriculum that would teach his revised civics and government standards in K-12 public schools. At his press conference, the governor expressed his ambitions for his civics academies. "This first-of-its-kind program will teach our future leaders foundational American values as they prepare for careers in public service."

Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., a charter school administrator before taking over the state's public education system, echoed his boss's sentiments. "By providing a pathway for students to pursue careers in the public sector, Florida is ensuring a smarter, more efficient state and local government for years to come."

Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May has taken a more hands-on approach to providing a means for local high school and college students to pursue careers in the public sector. His Summer Youth Employment Program has grown from 17 students six years ago to more than 160, and over two dozen now work in local government.

"The Youth Employment Program gives 16-to24-year-olds the opportunity to get paid work experience in various county departments, the Escambia County School District and the offices of Supervisor of Elections and Tax Collector," Commissioner May shared. "They're learning civic responsibility. This year, we expanded the program with the help of CareerSource

Escarosa, CVS Pharmacies and other private sector partners. In my opinion, Rick, this is real economic development."

An hour's drive to the west, the city of Mobile has a similar program—the Youth Empowered for Success Initiative. During the summer, the city offers positions across its various department to high school and college students. Its Y.E.S. Fall Jobs program offers incentives for local businesses to hire college juniors and seniors as interns.

They have expanded the initiative to include Y.E.S. Hospitality for the restaurant and lodging industry and Y.E.S. Job Skills Training to help prepare the kids for their job assignments.

I asked Mobile's Community Affairs manager Katelynn Machado why the city would take on such an ambitious program.

"My professional response would be, 'Whose job is it then?' I definitely think it's a job for anyone in the service community, and that's what government's here to do," she said. "We're here to be the hands and feet, to listen, and to respond to the community's needs. So I definitely think it is a need for us."

Machado added, "From a personal standpoint, Jesus came to this earth not to be served, but to serve. So it is just a mantra of mine to serve in any way that we can and to reach out and help the needs of the community."

Both May and Machado see their programs as ways to fill vacancies in local government.

May said, "We spend thousands advertising and recruiting for positions. Why not grow our own future employees?"

So what if Gov. DeSantis took the $6.5 million he gave a trio of state colleges to design his civics academies and set it up as a fund to encourage local governments to create summer youth employment programs? The funds can be used to match the local budget.

Unfortunately, the hands-on learning—the Lumon May model—is not as splashy for a governor with presidential ambitions. However, the summer youth employment program will be the one with the most significant impact on public service careers. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Both May and Machado see their programs as ways to fill vacancies in local government.

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DEALING WITH MONKEYPOX STIGMA

By Tom St. Myer The Florida Department of Health data indicates monkeypox has yet to take root in Northwest Florida. A probable case in Santa Rosa accounted for the only reported case through late July.

But that data is misleading, according to Kurt Goodman, executive director of the HIV testing and resource center OASIS Florida. Goodman said monkeypox is "spreading quickly," and he is aware of active cases in the Panhandle. He said the infected individuals refuse to seek treatment out of fear of being stigmatized and thus are not included as cases by the department.

"There's a stigma with it being only gay men, which isn't true," Goodman said. "People are really afraid to come forward. We see that with HIV, AIDS and all STDs, and we saw that early on with COVID." About 99% of cases in the U.S. are linked to male-to-male sexual contact, according to the World Health Organization, and that trend is holding true for Florida.

"The current outbreak clusters in Florida are occurring primarily among gay, bisexual and other men having sex with men," said Dana Grissom, public information officer for the Santa Rosa County Department of Health. "No group or gender is more susceptible to monkeypox, but individuals in this group may be at higher risk of exposure to the current outbreak."

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus rooted in central and western Africa that is spreading globally. The disease usually be66

gins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes and progresses to a rash on the face and body, according to the Florida Department of Health. Where the sores or rashes surface significantly impacts the level of pain for anyone infected. Goodman said they tend to be less painful on the face but extremely painful in sensitive areas, including the groin and anal cavity.

The duration of the illness is usually twofour weeks, with an incubation period of 21 days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 99% of those infected will survive.

"Monkeypox is a virus that is very similar to the virus that causes smallpox," said Dr. Wesley Farr, a lecturer in the Department of Public Health at the University of West Florida and a physician with specialties in infectious diseases, tropical medicine, internal medicine and aerospace medicine. "It's a similar but much less serious disease.

It can be a fatal disease for people who are immunocompromised, elderly or very young."

Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox is not transmittable through casual contact. The virus is transmittable to humans from animals, including African rodents and monkeys. Monkeypox can then be transmitted to anyone who has close contact with an infected individual. Human-to-human transmission generally requires prolonged, face-to-face contact, direct contact with someone who has a lesion or indirect contact with an active rash through contaminated items, including bedding, towels and shirts.

Other forms of transmission include direct contact with infected materials and breathing in or other exposure to large respiratory droplets

with an infected person for three-plus hours without appropriate respiratory protection. Symptoms of monkeypox usually take between five-21 days to show after infection.

The monkeypox virus has existed for nearly 65 years, but this marks the first time it has spread to this level. The virus was first discovered in a monkey, and the first human infection was a child in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The disease stayed primarily in western and central Africa until this outbreak. On July 23, the World Health Organization labeled monkeypox as a public health emergency of international concern. More than 75 countries and territories reported nearly 20,000 monkeypox cases worldwide through late July.

"Monkeypox was rarely seen in the United States. We had a small outbreak in 2003 related to imported animals," Farr said. "The outbreaks in Africa were few and far between. But apparently, there were outbreaks in Africa, and then it spread to international travelers, especially the population of men who had sex with men."

The Florida Department of Health recommends people contact their health care providers if they become infected, are exposed to others diagnosed with monkeypox or have jobs that put them at risk for monkeypox. If infected, a person should avoid contact with other people and pets and stay as isolated as possible.

"The threat to the general population remains low," Grissom said. "Each new case of monkeypox is investigated by epidemiological staff at local health departments to determine any additional exposures and offer potential vaccination, as needed."

Two monkeypox vaccinations are available in the U.S. The first is the smallpox vaccine. The other option is JYNNEOS, a vaccine for preventing smallpox and monkeypox disease in adults 18 years of age and older determined to be at high risk for infection. The CDC reports that both vaccines are at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.

The Florida Department of Health recommends vaccinations for anyone within 14 days of exposure to a person infected with monkeypox or people with certain job-related risks, such as public health laboratory staff.

Vaccination doses are in extremely limited supply, however. Goodman said he was told Escambia County only had 20 doses of the vaccine in late July, and a contact at the health department told him to expect a shortage of vaccine doses until at least the fall. The plan, for now, is to prioritize vaccinating people with confirmed exposures.

"How many times do we have to see that policy fail before we realize it doesn't work?"

Goodman said.

Stigma is perhaps the No. 1 cause, but the shortage of vaccine doses is potentially another reason infected people are in no rush to seek treatment.

"At this point, you just have to let the five or six weeks take their course," Goodman said.

Community Health Northwest Florida is one of the health care providers preparing for a potential monkeypox outbreak by updating testing protocols and staying in contact with the Epidemiology Department at Escambia County.

Community Health operates 17 clinics in Northwest Florida and treated nearly 55,000 patients last year.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and, as with any health concern, we encourage you to make an appointment with one of our providers should you have any questions," Community Health CEO Chandra Smiley said.

Goodman voiced his frustrations about the limited number of vaccine doses available and its impact on the Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) community on his Facebook page.

"As a community, we need to demand better from our public health officials," Goodman posted. "As MSMs, we should be demanding a better response from the Department of Health, and we should have access to vaccinations. Call your health department! One thing we learned through the HIV/AIDS crisis is that nothing happens until our community fights for it. It's a shame it's that way, but that is our reality."

Goodman agrees with the CDC recommendations to limit potential exposure by avoiding sexual contact in theaters, raves, parties and other events where anonymous or group sexual contact may occur. He said wearing a condom does not help prevent monkeypox; only abstinence does.

"As adults, we need to be cautious by having good sexual health conversations," he said. "It's critically important we keep this in check." {in} inweekly.net

JUSTICE FOR GIRLS

Dr. Vicky Basra / Courtesy Photo

By Rick Outzen Girls in Florida are experiencing sexual victimization, interpersonal violence, unaddressed mental health issues, homelessness and involvement in the juvenile justice system at alarming rates, according to a report recently released by the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center.

Girls comprise one in four youth referred to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Generally, girls commit less severe offenses yet receive harsher sanctions than boys. In 2021, two in three girls were arrested for non-felony offenses, compared to 38% for boys.

In 2020–2021, girls were locked up for misdemeanors and non-law violations of probation (38% and 16%, respectively) as their most serious offenses. In contrast, the majority of locked-up boys are charged with felony offenses (82%).

Black girls are at extreme risk and are overrepresented at all points along Florida's justice continuum. Statewide, Black girls make up only 21% of girls ages 10–17, but they represent 45% of the girls who were arrested, 52% of girls on

probation caseloads, 47% of the girls incarcerated and 52% of the girls transferred into the adult criminal justice system.

It's worse in Escambia County. Black girls are 35% of girls ages 10-17 but represent 72% of the girls who were arrested and 63% of the girls incarcerated, according to the policy center's "Justice for Girls Blueprint: The Way Forward for Florida" report.

Dr. Vicky Basra, the policy center's CEO, said, "We really want to look at what is causing Black girls to end up going deeper into the juvenile justice system. Even though they're a smaller general population, they seem to be a higher population in the juvenile justice system. As you go deeper in the juvenile justice population, they become a higher and higher representation."

The Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center was founded in 2013 in Jacksonville when local leaders discovered more girls were being arrested in Duval County than in Miami-Dade, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa combined. Basra said, "We felt like if we could change the numbers in our county and drop the numbers in our county, we could do that in any county. And so we started looking at the policies and practices in Duval County around what was happening and why were we arresting so many girls and started changing policies, practices and state laws."

She continued, "The focus of the policy center is really to look at policies and practices based on research, based on direct services, based on advocacy, and understand what's happening, and then going after laws, going after practices and changing those practices and laws."

The Justice for Girls Blueprint for Action and Report Card are issued every five years and are fully funded in perpetuity by the Joan A. Van Vleck Justice for Girls Endowment. Joan Van Vleck was a passionate advocate for the center and Philanthropist of the Year for Jacksonville in 2019.

Dr. Basra told Inweekly that the numbers haven't improved over the last five years. She said, "COVID has increased our numbers and has impacted our girls more negatively. We actually saw an increase in depression and the disconnect for many of the girls that were already feeling isolated."

The policy center found that girls of color, girls from rural areas and girls who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or unsure of their sexual identity (LGBU) are at the greatest risk for trauma, mental health challenges, exploitation and system involvement compared to their peers.

More safeguards are needed to keep sex trafficking victims, girls with differing abilities and girls experiencing family conflict or violence out of the justice system.

While different practices and more case management are needed for these at-risk girls, community-based interventions and services are nonexistent or inadequate statewide, and staff across systems report that they are ill-prepared to address the complex needs of justice-involved girls.

Once they encounter the justice system, the system re-traumatizes and re-victimizes the most vulnerable girls.

The Justice for Girls Blueprint recommends adopting several strategies for the state and counties.

"Our first strategy is about let's stop girls entering the juvenile justice system in the first place," said Dr. Basra. "And we can do that by increasing the age of incarceration. Before 2021, there was no age. We were seeing children as young as 6 years old being incarcerated in our state."

The policy got state lawmakers set age 7 as the minimum age in 2021 after the public outrage over seeing 6-year-old Kaia Rolle led away from her school, crying and begging, with her hands restrained behind her in zip ties by two Orlando Police Department officers. Basra wants the age limit raised higher.

"The United Nations recommends age 14," she said. "We would love to see, based on behavioral health recommendations, based on what we know is recommended across the country, our state move to a minimum age of 12 for arrests.

Of course, if it's a major felony, there's always an open conversation at that point, but for minor infractions, we are not arrested under the age of 12."

The Blueprint also recommends a ban on arresting girls for family disturbances and helping them through child welfare and community services instead of law enforcement interventions.

"We also would love to stop the institutional traumatization of girls and look at an overhaul of conditions of confinement," Basra said. "Civil citation is an easy way for us to start shifting how many children we're arresting. We don't use it often enough."

Each county has the option to use civil citations in the way they want to use them. Basra said, "We would love to see the standardization of civil citations in every county, so every county uses it in the same way and has to utilize it for the same offenses. Some counties are using it more than others. And so, depending on what county you're in, you may get a civil citation for an offense, and in another county, you may not get a civil citation.

We'd love to see it equally used in all counties for the same offenses."

More research and data monitoring are also recommended. She said, "Let's use our data. Research tells us what's going on. It monitors and allows us to see how we're doing. And so it allows us to build community accountability and continue to pay attention to the needs of girls and continuously monitor data trends."

The Blueprint would like more training in girlcentered standards for stakeholders and funding for girl-centered services.

"We found in Duval County that by implementing girl-centered services, we were able to reduce girls' incarceration by 77%," said Basra. "We were able to reduce the suspension rates of girls by over 70%-80%, to even 90% in some schools. And so we truly believe if we can have a statewide mandate of implementing girl-centered services, we can see a reduction of trauma-based and trauma-continued impact on girls."

She added, "And that's another piece that you see within our Blueprint is something we recommend that the state provide that every child involved in any system have an advocate and that the system, that our state system has an ombudsperson that is advocating for children's rights on an ongoing basis."

Dr. Basra said the full report could be found on the center's website, seethegirl.org. She added, "We got the name for the website from one of our girls who said, 'See me for who I am and not my behaviors.'' {in}

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Councilwoman Teniadé Broughton speaks at Bruce Beach groundbreaking / Phot0 Courtesy of City of Pensacola

A SACRED PLACE Bruce Beach has a rich histo-

ry. Last week, Pensacola officials dug into its notable future with gold-colored shovels, breaking ground on a multi-million-dollar municipal improvement project years in the making.

"We are in, what I would consider, a sacred place," said Teniadé Broughton, District 5 Pensacola City Councilwoman and chair of the Community Redevelopment Area, during the groundbreaking ceremony in the field overlooking the city's only downtown beach.

Though Bruce Beach became overgrown over the years, the area has served varied purposes. The waterfront was once an industrial port and later served as a segregated swimming area.

Councilwoman Broughton noted, "I hear stories from a family who will talk about coming to swim here in the early days."

The councilwoman continued, explaining that the segregated pool was installed because of the high number of drownings off the beach, where the drop-off of the former port was significant, and the resulting outcry from the city's Black community.

"It was that community who stood and said, 'We are already treated less than in the fact that we have these troubled waters and would like a place to play,'" Broughton said. "Now, how is it that people had to fight for their right to play? What does it say about our society when people have to protest against playing because they're tired of their children drowning? This is what makes this place so sacred."

As the city begins work on this revitalization project, the councilwoman said people should keep in mind Bruce Beach's history. "We know that we want it to be a beautiful space for kayaking and the only city beach we will have to enjoy, but consider, please, the story that we're standing on and the new story that will come from it."

Reflecting on Bruce Beach's past will be more convenient because the city's $8.5 million improvement project has a historical education component. Other components include an entry plaza, scenic overlook, play features, trails and a kayak launch.

88

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Pensacola City Council President Ann Hill recalled how the Bruce Beach site sat inaccessible just a few years ago. When the waterfront was assessed in 2018, a locked gate led to the beach. She said, "We found out that the gates were locked, and the weeds were 20 feet high, and it just seemed like such a disappointment."

Since that time, the area around Bruce Beach has been cleaned up and made accessible. The plans for the site's revitalization plans were arrived at through a series of public workshops; the project was ultimately designed by engineering firm HDR, with involvement from SCAPE, an urban planning firm from New York that is plugged into other related municipal projects.

Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said he thought the work at Bruce Beach represented an overall effort to reconnect to a neglected waterfront.

"In a sense, we had lost the waterfront in so many ways, through disuse and disrepair," Robinson said. "But in many ways, we've begun to reclaim it, but in a different way—not in an industrial way, but a way for people, and a way that people can enjoy things and enjoy parks."

So after a long lead-up to this project due to COVID-related delays, the Bruce Beach improvement project. The work is expected to take about a year, with the site closed to the public until completion.

And while these improvements to Bruce Beach are exciting, they will be occurring within the context of environmental concerns at the site.

Recently, officials were alerted to an issue with wastewater infiltrating the stormwater system and ultimately making its way to the waters off of Bruce Beach.

The city of Pensacola and Emerald Coast Utility Authority are working to determine the infiltration sites and sources and remedy the issue.

Council President Hill noted how the effort was paramount to the overall success of the project.

She said, "Unless we can have healthy water, this park will not be complete."

BOYCOTT OF DIB The arrest of a Pensacola homeless advocate triggered by an organization representing downtown businesses has led to a boycott of those same businesses. Specifically, the boycott takes aim at downtown businesses associated with the Downtown Improvement Board's board of directors.

According to a release issued by the so-called Downtown Deterioration Board, the boycott is the result of the DIB's decision to press charges against Michael Kimberl, a leading homeless advocate in the community, for allegedly breaking the lock off a portable restroom so that a homeless woman could use the facility.

The DIB is a quasi-taxing organization that represents downtown businesses. The organization, governed by a board of directors, operates a portable toilet during the weekend for Palafox Market, locking the facility during other times.

Kimberl declined to speak with the press, following the advice of his attorney. Representatives from the local chapter of Food Not Bombs also declined to talk to Inweekly for this story.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist with Kimberl's legal fees, but the homeless advocate has redirected any contributions to a separate legal defense fund to assist Demon Blackmon, a local homeless man recently accused of lighting a police vehicle on fire.

While Food Not Bombs declined to comment for this article, the group's statement attached to the Michael Kimberl's Solidarity Legal Defense For Demon Blackmon GoFundMe campaign pretty much lays out a philosophical opposition to the DIB: "The DIB's mission statement claims they aim to improve the district's quality of life and economic success, and create safer, cleaner areas, yet their actions say otherwise. We are left to assume their mission is not meant for the general public, or they have significantly failed their mission."

One local activist, Ashley Faulkner, supports the DIB boycott. "The DIB ought to be ashamed of itself. They are using the actions of a few against not only the rest of the homeless in this town but, by ripple effect, the elderly and disabled, too. By that logic, we should hold all police officers responsible for the actions of the bad few, right?"

She continued, "Furthermore, the DIB got themselves and, by proxy, those business owners into this mess right now due to pressing charges against Mike Kimberl, a beloved public figure in this town. This is bad business."

Faulkner believes that DIB Executive Director Walker Wilson should have called Kimberl instead of the police. "He could have saved them all this headache. He clearly missed out on what could have been the start of a great opportunity to work with Mike and our unhoused neighbors in a positive way—but when you simply don't care for the less fortunate, that is not how your mind works, I suppose."

She added, "At the end of the day, the DIB can wax on about how much they supposedly do for downtown, but they do not get to decide who is

worthy of being there and who is not based on the size of bank accounts."

Among the list of requests attached to the boycott of the DIB are that the charges against any activist assisting the homeless be dropped, that a free ADA-accessible public restroom facility be provided downtown, that the city of Pensacola return benches to MLK Plaza, that Escambia County return tables and benches to the downtown public library, and that the "community policing" of the downtown homeless community and any effort to criminalize panhandling are stopped.

TURNAROUND NIGHTMARE It took several weeks, but Inweekly finally received the demographic data on Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers' staff. We got the payroll information on her 160 employees, but the clerk did not provide forms that had race and gender information for 11 of them. Three were missing hire dates.

The numbers did show Childers has had significant turnover over the past six years. According to the data, 89 of her employees (55.6%) have been hired since February 2017. One of four has been brought on since Childers' re-election in 2020.

Of her 160 employees, 33 listed their race as Asian, Hispanic or Latino, Black, or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. However, 15 of those minority employees have been hired in the last 18 months.

The three highest-paid minority employees that Childers has hired are an Accountant II earning $26.37/hour who was hired in August 2021, an Accountant I earning $25.48/hour who was hired last month and an Office Assistant IV earning $20.54/hour who has worked for Childers since August 2017. There are no other minorities hired since Childers took office in 2008 making more than $20/ hour. Childers has 29 white employees that she has hired who are earning $20 or more per hour.

RECYCLING REOPENING DELAYED ECUA

received an update from the supplier providing the two conveyor belts needed to operate the processing lines. The revised shipping date is Aug. 22, approximately two weeks later than originally scheduled. Allowing for shipping and installation time, the new re-opening date is Sept. 9.

The ECUA Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) was closed following the failure of an essential piece of equipment on June 16. This equipment, the second of two aging conveyor belts, was slated for replacement in this fiscal year. The ECUA Board approved the $82,000 purchase of two new replacement belts at its February 2022 meeting. Unfortunately, the existing equipment did not outlast the supply chain delays.

ECUA is continuing normal recycling collection, and recyclables will, unfortunately, be landfilled. The recycling program is a free opt-in service for residential sanitation accounts, and ECUA urges its customers to keep in a positive recycling habit during this interruption in the recycling program.

988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE On Saturday, July 16, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was offiinweekly.net

cially launched as a service for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Those in need of the service can call or text 988 to be connected with a trained mental health professional.

Modeled after 911, the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a quick and memorable number designed to connect those who are suicidal or experiencing any form of a mental health crisis to a trained mental health professional. The 988 number will connect callers to an existing network of over 200 local mental health crisis centers throughout the country. If a local crisis center is unable to take your call, the call will automatically be forwarded to one of 16 backup crisis centers.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available by calling 1-800-273-8255, will remain active, but calls placed to the NSPL will be forwarded to 988. To learn more, visit 988lifeline.org.

TWO NEW JUDGES On Friday, July 22, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Randall "Todd" Harris of Cantonment as a First Circuit Court judge and Kristina "Tina" Lightel of Pensacola to the county court.

Harris is a partner at Fleming, Harris, Bond, Bush & Associates, PLLC. Previously, he worked at McDonald Fleming, LLP for nine years. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of West Florida and his law degree from Florida State University. Harris fills the judicial vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Michael A. Flowers.

Lightel is an assistant regional counsel in the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel. Previously, she worked as an attorney for the Department of Children and Families and as an assistant state attorney in the First Judicial Circuit. She received her bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Alabama. Lightel fills the judicial vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Amy Brodersen.

SPARK BOARD The Junior League of Pensacola (JULEP) has opened applications for their fourth annual Spark Board. Applicants must be in the 11th or 12th grade during the 2022-2023 school year and attend a school in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties or be home-schooled as an Escambia or Santa Rosa resident. A full list of requirements and instructions on applying are available on the Junior League of Pensacola website at pensacola.jl.org/spark. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 31.

The Spark Board provides a foundation of volunteerism and offers the opportunity for Spark Board members to understand the impact JULEP has on the Pensacola community, with the opportunity to apply for a $1,000 JULEP Scholarship. As a Spark Board member, young women will learn what it takes to become a leader in our community and work directly with Junior League of Pensacola members and community leaders. For more information, email info@juniorleagueofpensacola.org.

2022 ELECTION INFO As the Aug. 23 primary election nears, here are some deadlines and events to keep in mind.

August 4, 2022

•Registration: The voter registration deadline for the Aug. 23 primary election passed. To check your status, visit escambiavotes.com.

•Vote By Mail: All qualified voters can vote using a vote-by-mail ballot under Florida law.

A voter, or someone designated by the voter, may request a vote-by-mail ballot from the Supervisor of Elections in person, by mail, by email or by telephone. One request can cover all elections through the next General Election. For the information required to request a ballot and other laws regarding voting, visit escambiavotes.com.

The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. All ballots must be received in the Supervisor of Elections' office no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

•Candidate Surveys: The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce has released the responses to its 2022 Candidate Questionnaires from the candidates for Pensacola Mayor, Pensacola City Council and Escambia County Commission. Responses can be found at bit.ly/3O8VknK. •Other Resources: The League of Women Voters of Pensacola Bay Area has launched a nonpartisan election resource, vote411.org. This one-stop shop for election information provides simple, easy tools to help Florida voters navigate the voting process. Voters can enter their addresses to find information about the candidates appearing on their ballot.

•Financial Reports: The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections has the campaign finance reports of all candidates at bit.ly/3z5PaiG. For Santa Rosa County candidates, visit bit.ly/3BhiJ3w. Reports for candidates of state and multi-county offices can be found at bit.ly/3PBxSRx. The financial reports for federal candidates (U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives) can be found at fec.gov/data.

•Political Forums: The Gulf Breeze News is hosting a candidate forum for Santa Rosa County school board and county commission races, starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4, at the Gulf Breeze Community Center, 800 Shoreline Drive.

The Pensacola Beach Advocates is hosting a candidate forum for the SRIA board race, Escambia County District 4 Commissioner, Florida Senate, Florida House and Congress. The forum begins at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 8, at The Beach Church, 920 Panferio Drive.

The Greater Pensacola Chamber and Pensacola Young Professionals have partnered to host forums on the Pensacola Mayor's race on Wednesday, Aug 10. The forum starts at 5:30 p.m. at Bayview Community Center, 2000 E. Lloyd St. For more details, visit pensacolachamber.com.

If any other groups are hosting political forums that are open to the public, please email the details to info@inweekly.net.

•Podcasts Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen is interviewing all candidates on the primary ballot weekday mornings from 7-8:30 a.m. on WCOA 1370AM/104.9FM. Podcasts are available at bit. ly/3yZyp9R. {in} 9

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inweekly.net

Photo By Geoff Peck

A Special Feature Showcasing Words & Images by Inweekly Readers

August 4, 2022

When we started the By You issue in the summer of 2020, we weren't sure what to expect or if we'd ever do it again. But, of course, Inweekly readers are a cool and creative bunch, and we loved seeing and reading your work, so we had to keep it going.

For this third installment, most of the submissions we received were poetry, so you'll see a lot of that on the next few pages, plus some really cool photography and art. Most of these pieces are so different from anything we normally write or publish here at Inweekly that working on this issue is always a little mental vacation for us. We hope that feeling translates for you, too, and maybe even inspires you to do something creative yourself. {in}

11

My Goodbye to Pensacola

By Charles Mccaskill What is the opposite of scorched earth tactics?

Is it carefully reeling in my roots from the dirt that birthed me?

So that something can grow here again?

So that my roots can reach solid soil in a different garden?

My hands are large and not deft.

They fumble with prunings and farewells.

Restless fingers wanting to write strange stories I've yet to imagine.

I've followed the coast line of our state down like the hands caressing a lover who is equal parts bitter and sweet.

The world is a large place and has never been more accessible than it is now.

With the nomad at my side and no seeds tying us to any land.

But I am a product of the gulf.

The smell of salt water on the air is every bit of who I am in my bones.

I have built my body with the sands of broken shells.

I have loved and have been loved by the gods of hurricanes and the lived-in-silence of power outages and road closures.

I have gained and lost and regained friends over the sweet sticky of rum and mistakes and poetry.

Race to Revolution

By LaChelle McCormick Johns

3D Printed Ceramics

By Caroline Erb

I was a frightened boy who became familiar with doubt and the statement of alone.

And I found love.

My God, I found love.

Here there is joy and a shining face in the middle of a community.

Here there is a voice that does not shake or doubt its timbre or rage.

Here there is a newfound bliss that makes me ache because that boy never thought he would have that.

Here there is light and sunshine and laughter and words.

Here my family became too many to count.

Here my victories were accidental and joyous.

But I'm not "here" anymore.

I'm not there.

What is a word for goodbye to a place that made you?

What is the opposite of scorched earth tactics?

This feeling.

Illustrated Collector Cups

By Glass Artist Joe Hobbs

Northwest Florida Summer A Haiku By A.S. Miller Hot. Humid. Summer.

Rain falls. Cool. Welcome respite.

Clouds part. Sun shines. Again.

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What happened to the celebration of rainbows Of the personification of diversity of self Diverging cultures seen as the tools of prosperity of human reflection Within this resolution We find Revolution Of equity of laws and man and woah man As he and she and they We return To rejoice The flow of divergence we rediscover The beauty in the journey To drive toward Balance of harmony Within the democracy And process, we build We emerge on the flip side Together Stepping with Black Panther precision Shared knowledge uncloaked from the structural guise of "tolerance" We don't celebrate tolerance We evolve to equity No less Back me up…

The structure a disguise We rise To open third eyes So one can worship the sun We look to it's core Locating power centers Where you'll find us Planting seeds for the people she says I see them in the senses Done squinting Ready to find my place without losing Revolution of spirit Propping each other's fists when heavy Public enemies no more Strength in voices while we meld to raise speech We embody Revolution They've had it up to here As one we boost them on shoulders So they can peep the path The choice The singular thing we leave them Get up Get on Or get out We are the base AND the pinnacle Success we celebrate in the shedding of theory Of DNA training we identify and release The crabs in the bucket thought that through Buckets tip on their side with the weight of uplifting One another Top heavy we overstand We race To freedom To prosperity To Revolution

inweekly.net

I wonder what you'll be like

By Ryan Eaton I hope you get more of the best of us than the worst of us I hope you're happy I hope you learn to manage sadness I hope you're excited I hope you don't let anxiety win I hope you're always ready for adventure I hope you learn how to get yourself out of a jam I hope you're kind When you can't be I hope you figure out why I hope you find love I hope you learn from heartache I hope we do enough to get you ready I love you already and I can't wait to meet you.

Common Unsurety Lifts

Photo By Hunter Morrison

By Ofelia Tess Doubt of worth somedays snakes it's grass Coils me dormant, lungless while it grounds sprouting seed Your hands uproot the soil Halting leaves of walled trees Prying scales from waist and cheek I see Your eyes surround me Finding focus within loving me Oh, more than enough to remind A life to smirk back at hard times I fall into your arms As you fall in to mine

Tongue and Groove

By Pat Meusel I touch up the blue of This shotgun house The tongue and groove of Solid heart pine

Surrounder / Photo By Talera Bain

A nail bent over Hammered flat into a Gouge of a crack Filled with a Century of paint And these planks down below me Where a blacksmith probably Plodded to bed And a boat captain mighta Fallen down drunk But most definitely where Lola Miller danced After kissing her groom In 1919 Their stories discovered in Yellowed directories Newspapers clipped Tall tales from neighbors And old charred floors The tongue and groove of These walls and this roof A long list of regulars Leaving their clues "Waiting Room"/ Digital Art By Talbur August 4, 2022

13

Seeing Red

By Dakota Parks

Print Design By Isaiah Waters

The Covenant of Night and Day

By Sarah Jane Brock it lies between the blaze of day and the chill of night where twilight washes in and fills the middle distance heralding the spirits to inspire flora and fauna alike to flight and the great chain of being dances to the hunt for existence space and time come into a state of flux as the veil before us thins and opportunity arrives as a shining beacon of hope creeping above the sea sol finds rest while luna rises, where balance is found through losses and wins where our human sins and triumphs lay bare as a fallen tree twilight embraces every living being as Spirit knocks and enters humbled to our knees, and delivered through our cries in this swelling of crescendo lives a whisper from our ancestors where undying love is promised and our tears are yet again mercifully dried

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Her face is crimson, spaghetti sauce and strawberry purée Pollocked across both cheeks highchair smeared with baby handprints like a talcum-covered car bumper pushed in neutral by tiny phantom hands across Crybaby Bridge.

The Texas newscaster steels her jaw, ruby red lips parsed, as she reports an 11-year-old survived by smearing her dead friend's blood across her face playing dead like a opossum while police twiddled thumbs and children smudged their final bloody palms against the linoleum floors crying out for their mothers My god, how I fear for her future— In Walmart, wire hangers are on clearance discarding corporate culpability formula aisles are still empty condoms and Plan B under lock and key, pharmacists deny birth control refills as women's bodies are dissected like a game of Operation Red states electrifying the scarlet nose of Cavity Sam as men poke and prod plucking those surgical tweezers between our organs stripping back the flesh of sovereignty— Less autonomy than a corpse consenting to organ donation.

America slips into recession while less than 20 percent of women have access to paid maternity leave.

64 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck— Only 53 percent of Americans can handle a $500 emergency without worry.

The average cost of an abortion is $500 before travel.

In Ohio, legislators denied an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim, a child forced to carry a child before the blood of her first period a child forced to cross state lines for an abortion a child Uncle Sam, your hands are soiled Blood stained That accusatory finger pointed deflecting moral responsibility Our babies born addicted to fear of babies* America, when will our children be children again? *A line from Kaveh Akbar's poem, "The Palace."

Supercut Summer

By William Mettlach

Drove into the slow motion summer Timeless and pure I took a snapshot Mismatched polaroids faded into winter Shall I catch you when you fall Our noses coddled from spring As I fly to the summer I promise To leave you the supercut inweekly.net

WEEK OF AUGUST 4-10

Arts & Entertainment art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...

Tale of a Free Man

By Savannah Evanoff

Phil J. / Photo By Meagan McNair

Phil J. compares his music to Russian roulette.

So don't expect a certain style of music. And while there are no lethal consequences, "you never know what you're gonna get," said the Mobile, Ala., musician.

What you can always expect, though, is to smile.

"Joy" was the name of Phil J.'s 2021 album and

August 4, 2022

is a word that sums up his entire approach to life and music. He started as a rapper and singer in Christian hip-hop but within the past couple of years has decided to pivot into other genres.

"That's what my whole thing is, I smile a lot," Phil J. said. "I love smiling. I love showing the pearly whites.

It gives joy to people. I want to use my music to give that to a much larger audience."

Bringing joy comes naturally to Phil J., though he's certainly had his share of hardship. His life came to a halt in February of 2021, when his younger brother, Marcus Baggins, died tragically.

The two grew up in Mobile, creating music together—though he remembers Marcus was always visiting Pensacola. Phil J. branched off in late 2013 to pursue writing, producing, mixing and mastering his own music.

"Every show I had, he was right there playing keys for me; he was my hype man," Phil J. said.

"Every milestone that I ever achieved, he was right there beside me. He was literally my best

friend. I wouldn't be Phil J. if it wasn't for my brother Marcus. It took me some time to figure out who is Phillip Baggins."

Finding that person was how his latest EP, "Tale of a Free Man," was birthed.

Phil J. produced 100% of it. He tends to do a lot of things by himself—an aspect of life he's trying to get better in.

"When I officially decided to make this pivot in my career, as far as what kind of music I was creating, I wanted to create something that was completely different from all my previous projects, something that was really authentically me," Phil J. said. "I felt like in the past, I didn't really put 100% of myself into everything I was doing. This was the first project that I was able to be 100% myself. I produced the whole record. I wrote all of it. It was beautiful seeing it come together because it was a complete different vibe from everything I did in the past."

The single "Slave" was the first song he wrote for the EP. "At the time that I wrote it, I felt like I was in this creative funk," Phil J. said. "Also just felt like I was stagnant in a lot of areas in my life. I was tired of living this stagnant lifestyle, and that's what inspired me to write 'Slave.'"

Phil J. filmed the corresponding music video at The Steeple.

"The location that looks like a church—that place holds a dear memory," Phil J. said. "That was one of the places I had a chance to perform for my brother. It was cool having that place in the video and also his keyboard. That's how that video came together."

"There are things in the majority of everyone's life that we feel like we're enslaved to,"

Phil J. sings in "Slave." "Whether it be tangible or not, being a slave to something is never pleasing. But there's always the choice, the option, to choose freedom. And when we realize that, freedom isn't too far behind."

The EP has a message.

"I just want people to feel like they can be themselves—also just to encourage people. It's a crazy world we're living in right now, and people need some encouragement, a little light." Phil J. "With this particular project, I wanted people to feel like they could truly be themselves, regardless of which belief," Phil J. said. "I just want people to feel like they can be themselves—also just to encourage people. It's a crazy world we're living in right now, and people need some encouragement, a little light."

A music video for another track from the EP, "Cheers," will drop in late August. Phil J. was surprised it was the most streamed song on the EP, but it makes sense when he guesses why.

"My manager and all of my close friends that heard it were like, 'This is completely different from anything (you've) done,'" Phil J. said. "Always prepare to be surprised every time you hear something new from me." {in} PHIL J. philjmusic.com @iamphilj

15

a&e happenings FIRST TIME HOME BUYER SPECIALIST

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

Voted Best Real Estate Agent

CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTIONS Animal Allies will be at Pet Supermarket, 6857 N. Ninth Ave., from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturdays, Aug. 6 and 20. Everett Animal Welfare Group will be at PetSmart on North Davis Highway from noon-4 p.m. If you can't adopt, you can talk about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up to date on shots, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip.

ANIMAL ALLIES BINGO Animal Allies Florida

SIMONE SANDS, Realtor © cell 850-293-2292 office 850-434-2244

FREE CONCERT SERIES TUESDAYS 7  9 PM | GULFSIDE PAVILION

ARTS & CULTURE

2022

BALLET PENSACOLA SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE Season subscriptions for

SM 2014

Tyler Mac | August 9 Blues Guitar

SPONSORED BY STEP ONE AUTOMOTIVE

Sandy Roots | August 16 Rock, Reggae and Funk

is hosting Bingo at Scenic Hills Country Club, located at 8891 Burning Tree Road, twice a month.

Dates are Aug. 9 and 23, Sept. 6 and 20, Oct. 4 and 18, Nov. 8 and 22, and Dec. 6 and 20. Proceeds go to help local animals. The fun starts at 7 p.m. $10 gets you 30 cards. Winners share the pot.

Food and drink will be available for purchase. You must be 18 years old to play.

Ballet Pensacola's 2022-2023 season are on sale now. Don't miss your chance to see the fantastic lineup of performances, including "The Phantom of the Opera," Oct. 7-9 and 14-16; "The Nutcracker," Dec. 16-18; A Military Appreciation Gala, Feb. 10-12; and "A Midsummer Night's Dream," April 21-23 and 28-30. Visit balletpensacola.com or email officemanager@balletpensacola.org for more information.

PENSACOLA OPERA 40TH SEASON Pensacola Opera's 40th season will include a onenight-only concert, Forty Forward: Celebrating Four Decades of Opera, Puccini's "La Bohème" and Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel." In addition, this season will mark the 20th anniversary of the Artists in Residence program. Newly named the Jan Miller Studio Artist program, special events will be reimagined and rebranded, and a new leadership team will be set in place. Single tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Purchase online at pensacolaopera.com, in person at 75 Tarragona St. or by phone at (850) 433-6737.

MOVIES IN THE PARK The last movie in the park is "Encanto" on Friday, Aug. 5. Movies are free and open to the public. Pre-show activities begin at 6 p.m., and shows will begin at sunset.

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to spread out on the lawn to watch a family-friendly movie underneath the stars. Concessions from local food truck vendors will be available for purchase, and outside food is also welcome. Pets and glass bottles are prohibited at the event. Visit playpensacola.com for details.

JOURNEY TO THE DESOTO CANYON ZOOM PRESENTATION Learn how the up-

welling of nutrient-rich water feeds a high productivity that makes this a rich area for marine life and a favorite fishing spot for bluewater anglers with this online discussion, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 9, on Zoom. Florida State University oceanographer Dr. Ian MacDonald will also share how the 2010 BP oil disaster affected the area and will discuss whether additional steps are needed to help protect this special place from offshore drilling and other threats.

616 1

Registration for this free online event is available at healthygulf.org/event/journey-to-desoto-canyon.

SAENGER BRINGS SUMMER MOVIES SERIES BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN The Grand

Dame of Palafox will once again open her doors to the community with a selection of seven films this summer. Tickets for the Saenger Classic Movie Series will go sale on the night of each movie beginning at 6 p.m. Prices for admission remain at $5 per person for general admission seating. Tickets are only available for purchase at the Saenger Theatre Box Office. The next date is Aug. 13 with "Saturday Night Fever."

CINDERELLA Enjoy a retelling of the classic fai-

rytale with Pensacola Little Theatre. 7:30 p.m. showtimes are Friday, Aug. 5; Saturday, Aug. 6, Wednesday, Aug. 10, Thursday, Aug. 11; Friday, Aug. 12; and Saturday, Aug. 13. 2:30 p.m. showtimes are Sundays, July 31, Aug. 7 and Aug. 14.

Tickets range from $33-9. $2 discounts for seniors, students and military and half-price for Wednesday and Thursday tickets. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

CRAFT & VINTAGE END OF SUMMER MARKET Visit Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox,

for their End of Summer Market, Sunday, Aug. 7, from noon-5 p.m. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details and a vendor application.

INFERNO BURLESQUE AT VINYL MUSIC HALL Inferno Burlesque features burlesque, va-

riety and drag acts from all over the country. Performance is 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Event is for ages 18 and up.

Visit vinylmusichall.com for details.

TERRARIUM SUCCULENT WORKSHOP WITH JADE TREE SUCCULENTS Visit Odd

Colony Brewing Co., 260 N. Palafox, on Sunday, Aug. 14, from 4-5:30 p.m., with Jade Tree Succulents and learn to build your own succulent terrarium to take home. Tickets are $55 and include all materials. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for tickets.

more. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket.

EASY GOING GALLERY ART MARKET Every Sunday, Easy Going Gallery and Carter J Studios present a weekly art market Sundays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Easy Going Gallery, located at 701 N. V St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Vendors can participate for a $20 fee. For more information, contact easygoinggalleryart@gmail.com.

IN BETWEEN: OPEN STUDIO AND RESIDENCY EXHIBITION BY MARZIA RANSOM The Art Gallery at the University of West Florida presents "In Between," an open studio residency and exhibition by Marzia Ransom. The public is also invited to visit her open studio hours on Fridays throughout the summer from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at TAG, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. The residency culminates in an exhibition of her finished work on view Aug. 4, with a reception from 5-7 p.m. A gallery talk will take place on Thursday, Sept. 15, from 5-8 p.m., with live music and refreshments. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Cat Gambel, Gallery Director, TAG, at cgambel@uwf. edu or TAG at artgallery@uwf.edu.

FOOD + DRINKS

ABC BEVERAGE CLASS The next Atlas Bev-

erage Class is Thursday, Aug. 4, with fruit-focused brews—Oyster City Fermentus Interruptus, Magners Hard Pear Cider, Golden Road Mango Cart and Pensacola Bay Brewery Desoto Raspberry. Classes are 5 and 7 p.m. at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. Cost is $25. Reservations are required, make yours by emailing taylor@goodgrits.com or calling (850) 287-0200.

GREAT SOUTHERN SUMMER RESTAURANT WEEK Visit Great Southern Restau-

rants—The Fish House, Jackson's Steakhouse, 5 Sisters Blues Café and Angelena's—through Sunday, Aug. 7, and enjoy three courses for $33 at 5 p.m. nightly. Visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com for more information.

EASY GOING GALLERY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY Celebrate Easy Going Gallery's first

VINO MAGNIFICO The next Vino Magnif-

MOVIE NIGHT AT ALGA BEER CO. Visit Alga Beer Co., 2435 N. 12th Ave., every Monday at 7 p.m. for movie night. Follow @movie_night_at_ alga_ on Instagram to find out which movies will be featured each week.

SAINTS SUNDAYS Deck out in your game day gear and watch your team on the big screen at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Get 15% off your tab when dressed in Saint's game day gear. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.

anniversary with live DJs, a night market and more 6 p.m.-midnight, Friday, Aug. 19, at 701 N. V St. Visit facebook.com/easygoinggallery for details.

LIFE DRAWING GROUP AT ARTEL Artel's life

drawing group meets every Monday, except holidays, from 6-9 p.m. in Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox.

For more information, contact Melvin at (850) 549-8783 or visit artelgallery.org.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Enjoy shop-

ping for a variety of handcrafted wares at Pensacola Arts Market Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 1401 W. Intendencia St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and

ico is Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 5:30 p.m. Sample five wines and enjoy an appetizer for $12 per person at V. Paul's, 29 S. Palafox. Seats are limited.

RSVP at vpauls.com.

FINE WINE FRIDAY Visit The Nest General

Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, on the first Friday of every month for a wine tasting from 6-8 p.m. It's $35 a person and includes charcuterie and the opportunity to try their monthly wine club offerings in house. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information.

MONTHLY WINE TASTING IN AGAPI GARDEN Visit Agapi Garden, at 555 Scenic Highway, inweekly.net

a&e happenings from 5-7 p.m., to sample five wines for $10. For more information, call (850) 813-5683.

SUNDAY FUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE WELL

The Well, located at 42 E. Garden St., has expanded its offerings with a Sunday Funday Brunch cocktail menu including items such as Spicy Paloma made with Mezcal, a cold brew cocktail with Irish whiskey, a cucumber-infused spritz and a Bloody Mary spiced with housemade hot sauce and garnished with fresh pickled vegetables. Price range is $9-$12. Brunch hours are Sundays from noon-4 p.m. Other small plate offerings are available Thursday-Saturday from 4 p.m.-one hour before closing. For more information, visit facebook.com/thewellpensacola.

BAYOU BUZZ COFFEE TASTING TOUR Seville Savories Food Tour will host a coffee tour of downtown Pensacola Tuesdays-Fridays from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tickets are available online at sevillesavoriesfoodtour.com.

BURGERS AND BORDEAUX AT UNION PUBLIC HOUSE Every Tuesday night, enjoy a

specialty burger and a glass of Bordeaux at Union Public House, located at 309 S. Reus St. For more information, visit facebook.com/unionpensacola.

WINE WEDNESDAY Visit The Nest Gener-

al Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, every Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. for a wine happy hour. Deals include $1 off listed by-the-glass wines, a waived corking fee, charcuterie plates and a $15 'wine flight' option. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information.

WEEKNIGHT HAPPY HOUR Every weeknight

before 6 p.m. at The 5 Barrel, get $1 off all The 5 Barrel pints, $2 wine by the glass and half off hummus plates when you buy a pint of beer. Visit the5barrel.com for more information.

TABLETOP TUESDAYS AT THE 5 BARREL

Join The 5 Barrel for a special Tabletop Tuesday event at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in March. A wide variety of games ranging from the classic chess to the crowd favorite Catan will be available. Players are welcome to bring their own games.

ARAGON WINE TASTINGS Wine tastings at

Aragon Wine Market are back every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. in store at 27 S. Ninth Ave. For more information, visit aragonwinemarket.com.

THURSDAY TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE 5 BARREL Gather a group for a weekly Thursday Triv-

tasting from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person and includes charcuterie and the opportunity to try our monthly Wine Club offerings in house. Visit thenestgeneralstore.com/events for more information.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is back at its regular location in MLK Jr. Plaza. In a carefully planned, phased reopening, Palafox Market has launched with about half its regular vendors, showcasing food, farm produce and products geared toward safety and sanitation such as handmade soaps and face masks. For more information, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.

EVER'MARKET AT NINE MILE ROAD Visit Ever'Man at 1000 E. Nine Mile Road on the fourth Saturday of each month for the Ever'Market with food, music, giveaways, activities and more. Visit everman.org for more information.

200 SOUTH SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Every first Saturday of the month, the businesses at 200 South will host Small Business Saturday to show support for local businesses. Bring a receipt from a purchase from any other downtown business and receive 10% off your bill at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave and Blend Lounge.

PENSACOLA POSITIVITY'S SUNDAY MARKETS Sunday Markets on Palafox Street hap-

pen each Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in MLK Plaza on Palafox. Local makers, growers and creators gather each under the oak trees to sell their goods to the community. Interested vendors can request an application by emailing requeaskmikellah@gmail.com. For more information, visit facebook.com/palafoxmarkets.

SATURDAYS AT THE MARKET OUTDOOR VENDOR EVENT Located at 5300 Berryhi-

ll Road, the outdoor market features artisans and crafters alike from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. Social distancing guidelines will be in effect. For more information, email saturdaysatthemarket@gmail.com.

PENSACOLA POP-UP FARMERS MARKET

Check out fresh and organic produce, milk, eggs, meat, fresh-baked bread, mushrooms, lumber, grits, cornmeal, pies and plants Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at East Hill Market, located at 1216 N. Ninth Ave. For a list of vendors, visit facebook.com/easthillmarket.

ia Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at The 5 Barrel.

There will be prizes for every round and select drafts for $3. Find out more at facebook.com/ the5barrel.

UPTOWN PENSACOLA MARKET Check out local vendors of art, produce and other local treasures every Saturday at 7201 N. Ninth Ave. from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/uptownmarketpensacola.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

TWILIGHT THREE-COURSE SPECIAL The

Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand. Thursdays from 7-9 p.m., test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. Gary's Brewery is located at 208 Newman Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

FINE WINE FRIDAY Visit The Nest General

Store the first Friday of every month for a wine August 4, 2022

District's Twilight Three-Course special is back Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6 p.m. Guests enjoy three courses for $35 per person. Diners must be seated by 6 p.m. for offer to be valid. To make a reservation, call (850) 332-5224, or go to districtstreaks.com. for more listings visit inweekly.net 17

free will astrology WEEK OF AUGUST 4 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries poet Ada Limón advises us to notice and love "the music of the world." She says that praising and giving attention to the good things "are as important and necessary as witnessing and naming and holding the grief and sorrow that comes with being alive."

This is always a crucial principle to keep in mind, but it will be extra essential for you in the coming weeks. Your ability to attract the influences and resources you need most will thrive if you focus on and celebrate the music of the world. P.S. I encourage you to sing more than usual, too.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Here's my

hope for you in the coming months: You will cultivate a specialty for connecting people and situations that need to be affiliated but aren't yet. You will regard your flair for blending as a gift you offer generously. Can you picture yourself doing that?

I think it will be fun and will also benefit you in unexpected ways. So here's my proposed plan— conspire to heal fragmentation and schisms. Unite heavenly and earthly things. Keep the far side and the near side in touch with each other. Never let the past forget about the future, and vice versa.

One more thing, Taurus—be gleefully imaginative as you mix and conjoin and combine.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): In a play by

Gemini philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, a character says, "Hell is other people." What did he mean by that? One interpretation is that our fellow humans always judge us, and their judgments rarely align with who we really are and who we imagine ourselves to be. Here's my solution for that problem—choose allies and companions whose views of you match your own. Is that so hard? I suspect it will be easier than usual for you in the coming months, Gemini. Take advantage of life's natural tendency to connect you with cohorts who appreciate you. Be picky as you avoid the hell of other people.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): The people

most likely to succeed as entrepreneurs are those with a high degree of analytical intelligence. Right?

Well, it's more complicated than that. Reasoning ability and problem-solving skills are key skills, but not as important as emotional intelligence: the power to understand and manage feelings.

By Rob Brezsny

I mention this, Cancerian, because the coming months will be a favorable time to advance your ambitions by enhancing and expressing your emotional intelligence. Here's some reading to foster your powers: 1. tinyurl.com/emotionsmarts 2. tinyurl.com/smartfeeler 3. tinyurl.com/wisefeeler 4. tinyurl.com/brightfeeler

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): In the coming weeks, Leo, I urge you to always be confident that YOU ARE THE PARTY! Everywhere you go, bring the spirits of fun and revelry. Be educationally entertaining and entertainingly educational. Amuse yourself by making life more interesting for everyone. At the same time, be kind and humble, never arrogant or insensitive. A vital part of your assignment is to nourish and inspire others with your radiance and charm. That formula will ensure you get everything you need. I foresee bounty flowing your way! P.S. Regularly reward your admirers and followers with your magnanimous Chesire-cat grin.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): In my Astrologi-

cal Book of Life, here's what I have inscribed about Virgos: You may not always find the perfect solution, but you are skilled at finding the best solution available. This will be an especially valuable knack in the coming weeks, both for yourself and others. I trust you will scan for practical but compassionate answers, even if they are partial. And I hope you will address at least some of everyone's needs, even if no one is completely satisfied. You can be the master of creative compromise that we all need. Thanks in advance for your excellent service!

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Everyone knows that "balance" is a keyword for you Librans.

However, there are many interpretations of what balance entails. Here's how I define it for you during the coming weeks—1. an openness to consider several different ways to capitalize on an opportunity, but to ultimately choose just one way; 2. the ability to see and understand all sides of every story, while also knowing that for pragmatism's sake you must endorse a single version of the story; 3. the capacity to be both constructively critical and supportively sympathetic; 4. the facility to be

welcoming and inviting while still maintaining healthy boundaries.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "Life is en-

chanting for me because I have so much control over what I think," my Scorpio friend Daria told me. "If I decide to flatter myself with comments about how attractive I am, I can do just that. If I would like to imagine a good fairy visiting me while I sleep and giving me a dream of having an orgasm with my lover while we fly over the Serengeti Plains, I can." I asked her about the times when worries gush forth unbidden from her subconscious mind and disturb her joy. She said, "I simply picture myself shoving those worries in a hole in the ground and blowing them up with an exploding rose." I bring Daria's mind-management expertise to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to raise your mastery over what you think.

Your astrologer, me, authorizes you to be as vast and venturesome and enterprising and spontaneous as you dare.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): People

might impatiently advise you to relax and settle down. Others might tell you to stop dreaming such big visions and formulating such adventurous plans. Still others might give you the side-eye because they imagine you are having too much fun and brainstorming too wildly and laughing too loudly. If you receive messages like those, give the complainers a copy of this horoscope.

It will tell them that YOU WILL NOT COMPLY WITH ANY INHIBITING DIRECTIVES. Your astrologer, me, authorizes you to be as vast and venturesome and enterprising and spontaneous as you dare. In doing so, I am speaking on behalf of the cosmic rhythms. Your plucky audacity has been heavenly ordained.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In accor-

dance with astrological omens, I hereby authorize you to worry, worry, and worry some more. Stew

and simmer and ferment as you weigh all the options and mull the correct actions. But when the time is right, end your fretting with crisp decisiveness. Shake off any residual doubt that still clings to you. And then undertake robust action to transform the situation that provoked your righteous brooding. In my astrological opinion, what I have just described is your best plan for success in the coming days.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "I was looking for a love unlike my parents' love or my sister's love or the love on a foreign kitchen floor," writes Rebecca Dinerstein Knight in her novel "The Sunlit Night." "I wanted to forgive my mother and father for their misery and find myself a light man who lived buoyantly and to be both his light and his dark." I offer you her thoughts, Aquarius, in the hope of inspiring you to expand and deepen your ideas about the love you want. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to revise and reinvigorate your definitions of intimacy and togetherness. You will have extra power to see new truths about how best to create maximum synergy and symbiosis.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "Even raw and messy emotions can be understood as a form of light, crackling and bursting with energy," writes Jungian psychoanalyst Clarissa Pinkola Estés.

For example, "We can use the light of rage in a positive way, in order to see into places we cannot usually see." Likewise, confusion might be a healthy sign that a long-held misunderstanding is dissolving. Disappointment may herald the demise of an unrealistic expectation. So let's unleash a big cheer for raw and messy emotions, Pisces! I suspect they will soon be your gateway to clarity and renewal.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Ask for something you've never had the clarity or chutzpah to ask for until now. newsletter.freewillastrology.com {in}

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freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2022

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news of the weird MISTAKEN IDENTITY Christie Louise Jones, 49, of Richfield, North Carolina, was likely looking for revenge on a former boyfriend on July 22; instead, she got charged with arson and other crimes, the Salisbury Post reported. On that day, at a house in Gold Hill, a woman called the Rowan County Sheriff's Office to say a woman unknown to her was outside her home, trying to set it on fire. The arson attempt started with a pile of burning wood on the front porch; while trying to reach the hose, the homeowner realized his propane tank was also on fire, and his hose had been blocked with sealant to make it inoperable. That's when he noticed a car parked across his driveway and a woman standing beside it. When he approached her, he said, "She looked at me like she didn't know who I was"—and she didn't. She drove away but was later apprehended; deputies said her ex-boyfriend owns property in the area. Just not THAT property.

ON A MISSION On July 22, Corey Johnson, 29, of Ocala, Florida, attempted to enter the Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County with a special message from President Joe Biden: Johnson claimed Biden had told him to steal a 2013 Ford F150 from Riviera Beach, then drive it to the base to let them know that U.S. aliens were fighting Chinese dragons. Fox35 Orlando reported that Johnson was apprehended outside the base and charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle.

BAD SPORT At the Moscow Open chess tournament on July 19, a chess-playing robot apparently became unsettled by a 7-year-old player's quick move in the game, so it grabbed the child's hand and snapped one of his fingers, the Guardian reported. "The robot broke the child's finger," said Sergey Lazarev, president of the Moscow Chess Federation. "This is of course bad." Ya think? Another official explained: "There are certain safety rules and the child, apparently, violated them.

When he made his move, he did not realize he first had to wait." The player, Christopher, returned to the tournament the next day. His parents have contacted the public prosecutor's office.

MARKETING PLOY? Citing confusingly contradictory reasons, Klondike announced on July 26 that it is discontinuing its beloved Choco Taco ice cream treat, the Associated Press reported. The confection, invented in 1983 by a former ice cream truck driver, has rabid fans; Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian offered to buy the rights to keep it on the market, but Klondike's parent, Unilever, didn't respond. Later the same day, Klondike tweeted that it was "working hard" to bring the Choco Taco back "in the coming years."

WAIT, WHAT? Something went terribly wrong on July 15 at a 7-Eleven store in Waikiki, Hawaii, the Associated Press reported. Emergency responders were called to the store just after midnight, where they found a 40-year-old man suffering "multiple lacerations, puncture wounds and a severed hand," Shayne Enright of EMS services said. When police tried to question the employees, they said no one was there who had been

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

working at the time of the incident. But tourist Michael Suissa from Switzerland said he witnessed the assault. Suissa said the assailant had a sword and identified him as a worker he had interacted with over the previous several days.

A 46-year-old man was arrested, but it was not clear whether he was employed at the 7-Eleven.

RECENT ALARMING HEADLINE A 73-year-old woman fishing with friends off a boat along the Florida coast on July 19 caught the wrong end of a 100-pound sailfish when it leapt out of the water, The Washington Post reported. Katherine Perkins, from Arnold, Maryland, was stabbed in her groin area by the fish's pointed bill as her companions tried to reel it in. The boat returned to shore and Perkins was airlifted to a hospital.

CREME DE LA WEIRD Catarina Orduna Perez, of Misantla, Mexico, had "a particular affinity for penises," Vice reported, so when she passed at age 99, her family fulfilled her dying wish: a giant phallic statue atop her grave. Her family unveiled the monument—all 5 1/2 feet tall and 600 pounds of it—on July 23, honoring her approach to life and her belief that her family are "vergas" —a Mexican slang word that means "penis" but can also connote "integrity, courage, passion," said her grandson, Alvaro Mota Limon. The monument took 12 people a month to construct, and reaction from locals has been mixed. "Of every 10 people, I think that around seven see (it) positively," Mota Limon said.

EWWWWW A steward on a SunExpress flight from Ankara, Turkey, to Dusseldorf, Germany, discovered a disturbing addition to an in-flight meal on July 21: a severed snake's head nestled among the spinach. The steward took a video, Metro News reported, but SunExpress took offense: "The allegations and shares in the press regarding in-flight food service are absolutely unacceptable and a detailed investigation has been initiated on the subject," a statement read. The airline's meals are provided by Sancak Inflight Services, which alleged the snake head was added to the meal after they prepared it. Ssssssssso sssssssuspicious.

INEXPLICABLE On July 21, the Fort Gerhard military museum in Swinoujscie, Poland, took to Facebook to beg its patrons to refrain from having sex in the "dark corners" of the museum, the Daily Mail reported. New security cameras had revealed numerous visitors engaging in "the art of love," the museum posted. Director Piotr Piwowarczyk admitted that "in less than a month, we have already had three recordings of lovers engaged in trysts." He noted that museum-goers may have different "temperaments, some of them very conservative. We don't want them to be shocked during their visit by stumbling across a couple engaged in lustful antics." {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2022 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com August 4, 2022

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