Inweekly dec 10 issue

Independent News | December 10, 2015 | Volume 16 | Number 49 | inweekly.net

FREE â–ś

winners & losers 4

outtakes 5

news

buzz 9

6, 8

It’s about sharing knowledge regardless of status-quo.

a&e

cover story

15

11

22

publisher Rick Outzen

art director Richard Humphreys

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Jason Leger, Jennifer Leigh, Emily Richey, Chuck Shepherd, Shelby Smithey

contact us info@inweekly.net

calendar 17

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.

inweekly.net

A C E L E B R AT I O N O F D I F F E R E N C E M A K E R S I N P E N S ACO L A Pensacola has been blessed with families who have helped to mold our community, generation after generation.

This series of stories celebrates the 1st generation to come to Pensacola and the legacy of contributions they started. Here’s a look back at the 1st generation of difference makers.

THE

Henry &Mary Ellison Baars FAMILY

Born in 1844, Henry Baars was the son and intended heir of a wealthy lumberman in Germany. At age 16, as Henry was about to be conscripted into Kaiser Wilhelm’s army, his father arranged for a partnership with Carl Epping & Company, a London timber trading firm that sent the boy to its office in Savannah, Georgia.

Henry Gerhardt Sophus Baars, 1844-1909

Young Henry had barely begun his career when the Civil War erupted. Much to his father’s distress, Henry quickly enlisted in the Confederate Army. In May 1865, Savannah staged a parade for returning veterans. Along the route was 10-year-old Mary Ellison Dunwody, handing out small flags.

When she noticed wounded, bedraggled Henry Baars, she quickly befriended him, and that’s how Henry met his future wife.

Fortune Smiles Upon the Baars Family Henry renewed his work with the Epping firm, relocating to Pensacola as the lumbering era began in 1870. A year later, he and Mary Ellison were married; he 26, she 16. That happy union produced eight children, four of whom survived infancy: John Ernest, Theo Dunwody, Annie Ellison and Henry Gerhardt.

In the mid-1880s, Henry Baars began his own export agency, and business quickly extended to four continents.

He was eventually joined in business by his brother-in-law, Brian Dunwody, and sons John and Theo, as new firms were formed and business expanded.

Cordova Towers, the Baars Family mansion on Bayou Texar

To Have and To Hold At each gift-giving occasion, Henry would ask Mary Ellison what she wanted, and her answer was always, “Buy me a piece of land.” Over the years, her holdings grew to over 4000 acres, land that ultimately became East Hill, Cordova Park, Cordova Mall, PJC and more. They dreamed of a posh winter-home community on Bayou Texar, but after building a 14-room mansion for the family, the economy soured and remaining plans were scrapped.

Henry and Mary Ellison helped fund the building of the new Christ Church on Palafox (above, circa 1903) and the Pensacola Opera House (far right).

The Pensacola Opera House on Jefferson, circa 1883

After the Spanish American War, Theo Baars acquired property on Perdido Key and reached an agreement with Escambia County to build Gulf Beach Highway and a bridge over to the barrier island.

In exchange, Theo agreed to provide land for a public beach, Johnson’s Beach, and build Northwest Florida’s first Gulf front hotel. In 1924, construction began but stalled with the Florida Land Boom collapse in 1926, and the hotel was never completed.

With their business acuity and dedication to community, Henry and Mary Ellison helped shape and grow Pensacola.

The lumber boom drew them here, yet Henry and Mary Ellison made their mark not by knocking down our pine forests, but by building up and developing real estate that helped make our community what it is today.

Saluting 1st Generation Difference Makers: If you have a suggestion for a family to feature, email Quint@studergroup.com.

SponSored December 10, 2015 QS0480 Baars Family IN.indd 1

by

Quint and R ishy studeR 3

12/7/15 10:43 AM

winners & losers RETIREMENT IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. AND IT’S REALLY HARD TO SEE AROUND CORNERS. Here’s the curious thing about change, we’ll evolve your plan along retirement. Given its enormous with them. So when it’s time to turn size, it has the surprising ability to the corner toward retirement, there sneak up on people. One aren’t too many surprises. minute, it’s 25 years down It’s time to find out what a the road. The next, you’ve Raymond James financial reached the corner of advisor can do for you.

“Now what?” and “Where LIFE WELL PLANNED. to?” and you’re left facing complexities and Seeing what lies ahead questions you’ve never is a matter of preparation. faced before. We can And in some cases, magnification. help you find answers.

Our rigorously disciplined, longterm approach to individualized financial planning means we’ll work to build a sustainable income plan, so you can do all the next things you want to do. And should your needs

David Stafford

winners

DAVID STAFFORD The International Centre for Parliamentary Studies last month gave his office its Recognition for Outstanding Achievement for its work with the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council and its international visitors. Since 2009, Stafford and his staff have partnered with the GCCDC to promote international dialogue on free and fair elections. The other finalists for the category of the International Institutional Engagement Award were Venice Commission and the Council of Europe and Manuel Carrillo Poblano and the National Electoral Institute of Mexico.

Bob Alft - Wealth Advisor Bob Beargie - Wealth Advisor

ROGER SCOTT TENNIS CENTER The

400 W. Garden St. | Pensacola, FL 32534 850-479-9601 | TrustYourPlan.com Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, and are not insured by FDIC, NCUA, any other government agency or any other financial institution insurance, are not deposits or obligations of the financial institution, are not guaranteed by the financial institution, and are subject to risks, including the possible loss of principal. Raymond James is not affiliated with the financial institution or the investment center. ©2013 Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Raymond James® and LIFE WELL PLANNED® are registered trademarks of Raymond James Financial, Inc. 13-BDMKT-1093 KA 4/13

United States Tennis Association-Florida recently recognized the city of Pensacola facility and two of its volunteer faculty for outstanding leadership and community outreach. The Roger Scott Tennis Center received the 2015 Member Organization of the Year Award. Terry Thrash, USTA Florida Volunteer of the Year and Tara Dominguez, USTA Florida Junior Team Tennis Volunteer of the Year, were honored for their commitment to building a thriving tennis community in Pensacola.

INTERNATIONAL PAPER The Ameri-

can Forest & Paper Association recognized International Paper with its 2015 Leadership in Sustainability Award for water conservation efforts with IP’s Pensacola Mill/Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) Partnership project.

Through the partnership, IP’s containerboard mill in Pensacola receives treated effluent from ECUA that it uses in its industrial processes.

This allowed IP to reduce its freshwater consumption, while ECUA has found a beneficial outlet for its treated effluent.

I can help you save time and money.

Protecting more of your world with Allstate makes your life easier. And it can put more money in your pocket. Bundle policies for your car, boat, motorcycle, RV and more. Why wait? Call me today.

losers PINELLAS COUNTY The Pinellas County

School District suspends black children at higher rates than the six other large school systems in Florida, according to a report by the Tampa Bay Times. The newspaper found black students in Pinellas were 17 percent more likely to be suspended than blacks in Hillsborough, 41 percent more likely than blacks in Palm Beach and 85 percent more likely than blacks in Miami-Dade. They were six times more likely to be suspended than black children in Broward.

MICHAEL TIDWELL On Friday, Dec. 4, Escambia County Administrator Jack Brown fired his Director of Corrections. The jail command, community corrections and road prison staff will report directly to Assistant County Administrator Chip Simmons until the search for a new corrections director is complete. Finally, the death toll at the county jail crossed the threshold requiring action.

GOVERNMENT ST. REGIONAL STORMWATER POND It has been two

years since the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced a grant to construct the project at Corrine Jones Park that will capture and treat stormwater runoff from 40 acres in downtown Pensacola. The Pensacola City Council approved accepting the grant in March 2014. This week, the council will vote to award the contract. A sense of urgency and execution on projects are not hallmarks of the Hayward administration. Thank goodness, the BP settlement contributed funds to meet the higher-thanexpected bids.

Scott Westmark & Associates 850-479-3111

Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Savings vary. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co., Castle Key Insurance Co., Castle Key Indemnity Co. Northbrook, IL © 2011 Allstate Insurance Company.

44

157708

6600-A North 9th Avenue Pensacola scottwestmark@allstate.com

inweekly.net

New Listings, New Subdivision in Milton

outtakes

by Rick Outzen

RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST Before the citizens can trust their local governments, local governments need to show that they can trust themselves.

I watched the video from Pensacola City Council’s May 2012 meeting during which former City Administrator Bill Reynolds presented the ground lease with Divine Word Communications that allowed the company to demolition a city-owned radio tower and to build a new one in the Long Hollow Conservation District. New radio towers are not legally allowed in the city’s conservation district.

Reynolds knew that the tower was a non-conforming structure. Inweekly has emails that show the city administrator had discussions with the owner about the need for a variance.

Reynolds never mentioned it to the council and won unanimous approval for the lease.

When the building permit for a new, larger radio tower was submitted, Reynolds was no longer at the city. A former city planner has come forward and said the heads of Inspections and Planning Services laughed about the illegality of allowing a radio to be built in a conservation district. However, the planning services administrator refused to point it out to the council, and the building permit was approved.

The Pensacola City Council has been beaten up over the years for its decisions and indecisions, but it’s difficult for leaders to pass sound policies with the city’s staff hides

information from them. Now the council is left with a legal mess that will most result in either Divine Word or a citizen suing the city over the lease.

In May, Escambia County officials told the public that Rodney Berry died May 27 in his cell in the Escambia County Jail after being found unresponsive in his bunk. The Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death was a heart attack.

While several commissioners were concerned about the death, county staff led them to believe that little could have been done to prevent it. Then last week, Inweekly published the details of Berry’s death.

For nearly seven hours, Berry vomited and defecated on himself repeatedly.

The infirmary staff evaluated the inmate, placed him on their sick call list, and returned him to his bunk. Corrections officers and inmates begged the medical staff to do something. The pod reeked. The nurse offered to get Berry some diapers. His heart finally gave out around 6:30 a.m.

Had county staff been more transparent about the details of Berry’s death in May, the Board of County Commissioners might have demanded changes that could have prevented the next three jail deaths.

The first step to restoring public trust is to restore trust in the Escambia County Commission and Pensacola City Council chambers. {in} rick@inweekly.net

The first step to restoring public trust is to restore trust in the Escambia County Commission and Pensacola City Council chambers.

The Preserve in Milton, Florida • Starting at $207,000 MLS 48880 & MLS 488794

SEVILLE SQUARE REALTY, LLC Cheryl Young Licensed Real Estate Broker

308 E. Government St. • Pensacola, Florida 32502

(850) 712-4742

www.cherylyoung.com • cayoungrealtor@aol.com

Licensed in Florida & Alabama

Practicing Since 1974 INJURED? (ALL TYPES OF ACCIDENTS)

ARRESTED? (ALL FEDERAL & STATE COURTS)

WHITE COLLAR CRIMES (HEALTH-CARE FRAUD • DRUG OFFENSES & D.U.I.s)

FREE CONSULTATION ON INJURY / DEATH CASES & CRIMINAL CASES NO RECOVERY - NO FEE / COST ON PERSONAL INJURY & WRONGFUL DEATH CASES

24 HOUR SERVICE

433-9922

304 E. GOVERNMENT STREET December 10, 2015

5

THE LEGAL QUAGMIRE OF DIVINE WORD’S TOWER

By Rick Outzen Travelers traveling south on Interstate 110 will notice as they drive into the Pensacola city limits a new red and white radio tower rising from the Long Hollow area. The radio tower, which is owned by Divine Word Communications, has become a center of a debate that challenges the heart of the city of Pensacola’s comprehensive plan and land development code and the Florida statutes regarding development.

Citizens have challenged whether DWC should have been allowed to demolish the old radio tower that had been there since the 1970s and replace it with a larger one.

They argued, among other things, that the radio towers are not allowed in conservation districts, and the old tower could only be repaired and maintained, not replaced and enlarged.

In November, attorney Edward P. Fleming told Inweekly that the non-conforming use for the DWC radio tower did not end when the old tower was demolished. As long as his client did not abandon the site for more than 365 days, DWC had both the right, and the obligation under its lease with the City, to construct a new tower on the site.

The lease agreement with the City of Pensacola required that Divine tear down the old tower and build a new one. His client had no other option. According to Fleming, if the City Council wanted to end the non-conforming use, the time do it was in May 2012 when the city still owned the tower, and had no obligation to extend the lease.

“My client told the city and Mr. Reynolds about the non-conforming use. The city entered into this agreement knowing that it would allow a non-conforming use to continue and contractually requiring my client to remove the old tower and build a new one,” said Fleming.

Bill Reynolds was the city administrator who drafted the lease agreement in 2012.

66

City Attorney Lysia Bowling last month rendered an opinion that agreed with Fleming’s statements. She cited Section 12-1-16 of the Land Development Code to argue that the non-conforming use of Divine Word’s radio tower was a lawful non-conforming use and structure, because its use had continued uninterrupted since the original tower was built in 1974.

Inweekly heard from several builders, developers and attorneys who questioned Bowling’s opinion. The newspaper hired attorney John Asmar to review the issues.

Asmar served as Mayor Ashton Hayward’s chief of staff from March 2009-February 2013. Because the radio was considered an operational issue, he was not involved in advising the mayor on the radio tower issue, the negotiations with Divine Word, drafting of the lease or its presentation to the city council. Reynolds took full responsibility for the lease when he presented it in May 2012.

Non-Conforming Structures & Uses

In his 11-page opinion, Asmar stated that Florida Statutes, the City’s Comprehensive Plan and its Land Development Code “specifically prohibited the replacement/ restoration, extension, expansion and enlargement” of the original radio tower built in the Long Hollow stormwater basin and the extension, expansion and enlargement of the tower’s use.

As per the Land Development Code, the original tower was a non-conforming use and non-conforming structure. The tower was specifically prohibited in the Conservation District but was allowed to continue to exist under certain conditions.

Chapter 163 of Florida Statutes requires the elimination of non-conforming structures and uses that are inconsistent with the character of the community. The City’s Comprehensive Plan prohibits existing

non-conforming uses that are inconsistent or incompatible with the plan to be expanded, enlarged and/or rebuilt. The City’s Land Development Code declares nonconforming structures may be maintained, but not enlarged in a way that increases its non-conformity.

According to the opinion, the removal of the original 250-ft tower and the construction of a newer, larger, 350-400 ft. tower in a slightly different location constituted a replacement/restoration, extension, expansion and enlargement of the non-conforming structure and extension, expansion and enlargement of the nonconforming use.

In his legal analysis, Asmar cited Bixler v. Pierson, 188 So.2d 681 (Fla App. 4th Dist., 1966), in which the Court granted a mandatory injunction ordering the removal of a new trailer on grounds the placement of the new trailer was in violation of zoning regulations.

The Defendant-Appellee, before the enactment of zoning regulations, maintained an old house trailer on his property.

The zoning prohibited the use or presence of trailers. The Defendant-Appellee’s trailer was permitted to remain under the

The Court held that the trailer was a structure, and the removal of the old trailer and the placement of the new trailer constituted an alteration, extension, and enlargement of a non-conforming structure that was prohibited by the zoning regulations. Further, the Court stated that the substitution permitted the perpetuation of the non-conforming structure contrary to the clear intent of the zoning regulations construed as a whole, and the purpose of the zoning regulations governing the same were to eliminate non-conforming structures over time.

The Bixler ruling has been cited in several land use cases since 1966 and has been repeatedly upheld.

Asmar warned that if the city attorney’s opinion is allowed to go unchallenged, then non-conforming uses and structures would be allowed to exist in perpetuity unless abandoned for more than 12 months.

“If left uncorrected, the City’s action(s) could set a legal precedent for future proposals for the redevelopment of nonconforming structures and non-conforming uses,” he wrote. “Like the holding in Bixler, the new, extended, expanded and enlarged Long Hollow drainage basin commercial communication tower should be removed from the site.”

“According to Florida Law and Florida case law, the City’s actions of Lease were ultra vires acts and there- Validity In light of this legal opinion, Inweekly asked attorney for a second legal opinion on fore, null and void.” John Asmar the the validity of both the 2012 lease agreenon-conforming use provision found in the zoning ordinance.

The zoning ordinance enacted at the time prohibited non-conforming buildings, structures and uses of land from being extended or enlarged. The DefendantAppellee, with the permission of the zoning director, replaced the old trailer with a new and larger trailer on his property.

ment with Divine Word Communications and the building permits issued by the city for the new radio tower.

The fundamental question was: Could the City of Pensacola enter into an agreement that required a party to perform an illegal act, which, in this case, was building a new, larger radio tower in an area where such structures and uses are prohibited?

Based on his prior legal research and

inweekly.net

conclusions, Asmar wrote in his second opinion that the lease agreement and any subsequent building permits were acts contrary to Florida Statutes, the City of Pensacola Land Development Code and its Comprehensive Plan.

Florida law prohibits a municipality to exercise its power in violation of the Florida Constitution, Florida Statutes and its ordinances. Therefore, the City of Pensacola lacked the authority to execute the lease and issue building permits for a new tower in the Long Hollow Conservation District.

“According to Florida Law and Florida case law, the City’s actions were ultra vires acts and therefore, null and void,” wrote the attorney. “The subject tower should be removed.”

Black’s Law Dictionary defines an “ultra vires act” as one that is “unauthorized; beyond the scope of power allowed or granted by corporate charter or law."

He cited the case of Town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea v. Meretsky (Fla. 4th DCA 2000).

Meretsky sought to build an enclosure around a pool and needed a variance on the required setback from the property line. In his application, he did not mention the wall would encroach on the Town’s right-of-way by 10 feet, but the map with the application showed it. The Town Commission approved the setback variance, and a building permit was issued.

At some point, the Town Commission directed its administration to halt the construction. Despite the issuance of a cease and desist order, the wall was completed.

Meretsky sought a declaratory judgment finding the building permit valid.

During the appeal, the Town argued that the Town Commission did not have the authority to grant the building permit for a wall on the public right-of-way, as its construction violated the Town’s Code of Ordinances. Due to the Town authorizing an act contrary to its ordinances, the Appellate Court voided the building permit, and the part of the wall on the right-of-way had to be removed.

“Like the holding in Lauderdale-bythe-Sea, whether by mistake or misrepresentation, when the City of Pensacola’s City Council approved the subject lease in 2012, the City Council did not have all the facts and unknowingly approved the subject lease and authorized the construction of the tower in violation of Florida Statutes, the City’s Plan and the City’s LDC,” wrote Asmar. “Further, like Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the City’s errant approval and construction authorization cannot be construed as an adoption of an ordinance amending the City’s LDC to allow for the same.”

He added, “Since the City authorized an act contrary to its own ordinances, the City’s approval was ultra vires and void.

Lastly, like the holding in Lauderdaleby-the-Sea, the City of Pensacola is not estopped from enforcing its ordinances and revoking the permits issued to or on behalf of Divine World Radio, Inc., which

had been obtained in violation of the City’s Plan and City’s LDC.” According to his legal opinion, “when there is no authority to grant the permit, the City cannot be estopped from revoking the permit. Therefore, the City is not estopped from requiring the subject tower to be removed.”

What’s Next

Which legal opinions will prevail will most likely have to be decided by a judge. Inweekly asked several council members for their thoughts.

Former Council President Andy Terhaar, who was not on the council when the lease agreement was approved, didn’t believe the city should cancel the lease agreement unless DWC is at fault.

“The biggest issue I have is that the city entered into a lease with an individual,” he told Inweekly. “And to me, it’s the city’s responsibility to make sure they have the legal right to lease the property.”

Terhaar, a commercial realtor, was reluctant to comment on the conflicting opinions regarding the non-conformity. He said, “You can ask a hundred attorneys what their opinions are, and you’ll probably get a hundred different ones.”

He is concerned about DWC suing the city. “That’s the worst case scenario — we say, ‘hey, we cancel it, take it down,’ and then we have to deal with the lawsuit.”

New Council President Charles Bare said he preferred to wait until the council staff has accumulated all the information on the lease and radio tower.

“I’m just waiting until I get all the documents in hand before I move forward” said Bare, pointing out that there’s more info to be had than what the administration has provided so far — “there’s quite a bit more” — to include information provided by Melanie Nichols and others … “there’s a lot more.”

Veteran Councilman P.C. Wu didn’t want to comment on any legal opinions, or the implications thereof: “I’m not an attorney.”

As far as the overall issue, he shared a few thoughts.

“At this stage, it seems to be entirely convoluted,” said Wu, who has served on the council since 2004. “It seems to be a big mess at this stage.”

He believes that the lease should have never been renewed “because it was on conservation land and against the land development code.” He wonders why the council wasn’t told about the conflicting land use when it was asked to the lease in May 2012.

Wu said, “This started off on a track that was a no-track, and where we are now is way down the no-track.”

Several City Council members have been told that the city administration is seeking to find another attorney to render opinions on the non-conformity of the tower and the validity of the ground lease for the tower that was executed in August 2012. The City Council may hire its own attorney to look at the issues.

Until then, the red and white tower continues to stand. {in}

“It seems to be a big mess at this stage.” P.C. Wu

December 10, 2015

7

WHEN WOMEN ENTERED THE WORKFORCE

Dr. Stephanie Cole / Courtesy Photo

By Shelby Smithey Throughout history, human aspirations have had a very-gendered path, in the workplace especially. To dive deeper into the women’s work experience, Dr. Stephanie Cole will give a presentation Thursday hosted by the UWF Historic Trust called “From Rosie the Riveter to ‘I Dream of Jeannie': Women at Work and

in the American Imagination, 1940 to 1970” at Voices of Pensacola.

Cole serves on the faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington. While Cole’s expertise is in women’s history, she also teaches courses on work and leisure, and changes in gender, race, sex and marriage in the United States. Her most recent publication, “Texas Women: Their Histories, Their Lives,” has been nominated for the Liz Carpenter Prize for the best book in Texas women’s history.

“I didn’t discover my interest for women’s history until graduate school when I encountered the work of University of South Florida scholar Nancy Hewitt,” Cole said.

Cole received her PhD from the University of Florida in 1994 and has published articles on households and household workers in the antebellum urban South, domestic violence, race and gender in Jim Crow Texas and interracial marriage in early twentieth-century Dallas.

“My interest began in women in the workplace and the study of domestic servants and the overlapping that occurs in

‘70s that gender roles truly evolved, and the workplace and household,” Cole said. more women started to enter the work“Understanding the past and how gender place long-term. roles have changed also appealed to me.”

“A serious women's movement develCole said that studying domestic work oped in the 1960s, because white middledeals with several other categorizations, class women's earnings became important including race and class. to their families,” Cole said. “In the 1950s “My work also deals with women’s exthey worked for wages but often part-time, periences and how history has been repreand their earnings sented mostly through were usually for exmen’s perspective,” she tras. Changes in the said. “We thought we U.S. economy in the knew everything there 1960s meant their was to know about earnings became heart disease, but then more critical. As a we started studying result, they were women and found out less likely to accept things we didn’t. We restrictive gender thought we knew race roles.” and democracy.”

The presentation, preceded by a Cole said, “When you put gender into the equation, what you realize is things that reception at 6 p.m., is held in conjunction with the “Apron Strings: Ties to the Past” seemed natural in particular male leaderexhibit on display at the T.T. Wentworth, ships, you see the ways in which they have Jr. Museum through Jan. 8. The exhibit been naturalized in assumptions or they’ve reevaluates the apron’s varying roles over been skewed.” time in an artistic and cultural manner “What my talk is going to cover is the and chronicles changing attitudes toward Rosie the Riveter campaign and how even women and domestic work while showcasthough women were very important in the ing the wide range of design and craft techdefense industry in World War II, gender niques apron-makers have used to express roles were never challenged,” Cole said. themselves. The museum is open Tuesday “Even though they proved their worth in the through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and public sphere, gender roles and gender views Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. {in} weren’t changed, and it’s kind of an irony.

They were told that mixing chemicals was like making a cake so girls could understand.”

Even though women proved their capability in the workforce WHAT: From Rosie the Riveter to ‘I Dream of during World War II, Cole said, Jeannie': Women at Work and in the American they were still sometimes looked Imagination, 1940 to 1970 hosted by Dr. Stephaupon with flippancy by their nie Cole male counterparts.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 “When the war ended, the WHERE: Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Cenassumption was that women ter, 117 E. Government St. would just go back home to being COST: Free housewives,” Cole said.

DETAILS: news.uwf.edu It wasn’t until the ‘60s and

“Even though they proved their worth in the public sphere, gender roles and gender views weren’t changed, and it’s kind of an irony.” Dr. Stephanie Cole

UWF HISTORIC TRUST PRESENTATION

䴀䤀䌀䠀䰀䔀匀 䈀伀伀吀䠀

䄀挀挀椀搀攀渀琀 ☀ 䤀渀樀甀爀礀 䰀愀眀礀攀爀猀

䄀渀渀甀愀氀

䌀栀爀椀猀琀洀愀猀 䌀愀爀漀氀椀渀最 䌀愀爀愀瘀愀渀 䐀攀挀攀洀戀攀爀 ㈀㄀

䌀愀猀栀 ☀ 䜀椀昀琀 䐀漀渀愀琀椀漀渀猀 戀攀渀攀昀椀琀 吀栀攀 䈀攀愀挀漀渀 圀漀洀攀渀 ☀ 䌀栀椀氀搀爀攀渀ᤠ猀 匀栀攀氀琀攀爀 88

inweekly.net

FORMER CITY PLANNER COMES FORWARD Elizabeth Schrey worked as a

city planner for the City of Pensacola from December 2012-February 2015. She told Inweekly that both her boss, Planning Services Director Sherry Morris, and Bill Weeks, the head of City Inspections, knew that the radio tower that Divine Word Communications wanted to build in the Long Hollow Conservation District was illegal.

"Sherry and Bill both knew the tower was against the comp plan," said Schrey.

"The one time the three of us spoke about it, they were practically laughing at how illegal it was--laughing that Council approved the lease in a conservation district."

When Schrey said the City couldn't issue a permit for a new tower, she said that Morris told her that she wasn't going to bring it (the lease) back to Council and tell them that.

"Bill rolled his eyes and left," said Schrey.

The former city planner said that she brought up the issue again after Melanie Nichols, president of the North Hill Preservation Association, came to City Hall to review the plans for the new tower.

"I again restated to Bill right then that we couldn't issue the permit," Schrey told Inweekly. "Sherry and Bill knew it was illegal and permitted it anyways."

Sherry Morris has been the Planning Services Administrator since 2004. She helped draft the Comprehensive Plan that the council approved in 2011.

Schrey said that she lost her job during a "restructuring" of the Planning Services Department after she voiced opposition to another project--Manna Food Pantries wanting to build a warehouse in an area zoned residential under the Comprehensive Plan.

She said that Morris had instructed her to tell the City Council that the Manna proposal was legal because 'the City attorney had determined the Comp. Plan didn't apply.' "(Morris) would have normally presented it to Council and only directed me to present it so that she wouldn't be the one to lie about it to Council," said Schrey. "I refused on the grounds the Comp Plan did apply, and therefore I wouldn't lie to Council.”

She added, “I was almost immediately restructured."

GAMBLING EXPANDS IN SOUTH FLORIDA The Seminole Tribe of Florida

has agreed to pay $3.1 billion to the state over seven years in exchange for adding craps and roulette to its current casino operations, under an agreement announced

by Gov. Rick Scott.

The deal is believed to be the largest tribal revenue-sharing agreement in the country and is triple the current $1 billion the Seminoles have paid to the state over the past five years for the exclusive rights to operate “banked” card games, including blackjack.

The agreement regarding the card games — part of a larger, 20-year deal known as a “compact” — expired this summer, sending Scott and the tribe back to the negotiating table. The new deal requires legislative approval, and even before the ink was dry on the agreement, some legislators were questioning the possibility of its ultimate success.

Under the deal, the tribe would be allowed to have blackjack, craps and roulette at all of its existing seven facilities, but they cannot expand its operations for 20 years,

The

under the pact signed Monday by Scott and Seminole Chairman James Billie.

But the tribe is giving up its monopoly on blackjack and is ceding its stronghold on slots.

Under the agreement reached in 2010, slot machines anywhere but at the existing pari-mutuels in Broward and Miami-Dade counties or on other tribal lands would invalidate the compact and lose the state big bucks. Giving blackjack or other banked table games to the Broward and MiamiDade racinos would reduce the tribe’s payments to the state, and the racinos have not offered the games.

The new deal would allow the MiamiDade and Broward racinos to add blackjack.

The agreement would allow up to 750 slot machines and 750 “instant racing” machines — which appear like slots but operate differently — to be phased in over three years at the Palm Beach Kennel Club and at a new facility in Miami. {in} Sources: The News Service of Florida and Ricksblog.biz

richard steinert artistic director

Nutcracker

The Saenger Theatre December 18 - 20, 2015 Tickets $23 - $35 800.745.3000 Generously Sponsored By Wind Creek Casino and Hotel Emerald Coast Smiles by Design Gulf Coast Community Bank Dr. and Mrs. Charles Roth The Santomauro Family Bernadette and Dr. Charlie Wolff Additional Support By

December 10, 2015

9 2015_12_4_InWeekly.indd 1

12/4/2015 2:15:18 PM

SEE AN OPERA FOR A LITTLE AS $25

TICKET START S AT

$25!

LA THE MERRY TRAVIATA WIDOW JANUARY 22 & 24, 2016

MARCH 11 & 13, 2016

The true story of a scandalous love affair between a courtesan and a nobleman.

The tale of a beautiful, rich widow and a comedic game of matchmaking.

Hurry and reserve today — Some sections are already sold out!

pensacolaopera.com (850) 433-6737

P L U S : R I N G I N T H E N E W Y E A R U N D E R T H E H E AT E D D E C K T E N T !

NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION!

FIVE-COURSE FOOD AND WINE DINNER WITH TWO SEATINGS AT 6 AND 9 P.M. Reserve your table for our New Year’s Eve five-course dinner with paired wines. We’ll be offering two seatings in the main dining room at 6 and 9 p.m. $100 per person with complimentary favors included.

(Excludes tax and gratuity)

Call (850) 433-9450 to reserve your table for the wine dinner—view the complete menu online. We will also offer walk-in service all evening throughout the complex, serving from our dinner menu.

(850) 470-0003 · 600 SOUTH BARRACKS ST. · FISHHOUSEPENSACOLA.COM 010 1

inweekly.net

December 10, 2015

11

winners Bentina Terry

Last year, Bentina Terry was moved into the position of vice president of customer service and sales to oversee customer service, marketing and community and economic development for Gulf Power Company. She previously served as vice president of external aff airs and corporate services.

Holding a high leadership role at Gulf Power does make the Fayetteville, N.C. native and graduate of the University of Michigan Law School a winner, but there is more to the story.

Outside of Gulf Power, Terry remained very active serving as chair of Leadership Florida. She also serves on the Board of Directors or Trustees of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, Florida Chamber of Commerce, University of West Florida, the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and Innovation Coast She has been a past chair of the Florida Chamber Foundation and on the Board of Trustees of the Community Maritime Park Associates.

Since 2013, Terry has volunteered as chair of the Escambia County RESTORE Advisory Committee, the group charged by the Escambia County Commission to develop a plan, solicit public input and set goals for the county’s use of funds received under the RESTORE Act. For the past two years, the committee has held monthly meetings to hear from experts and the public. Terry sought out proposals from various groups and agencies in our community.

The committee received 124 proposals. In October, its consultant delivered a preliminary ranking of the projects. Terry now has committee members reviewing each one and hopes to have a final recommendation to the county commission early next year.

This month, SaintPetersBlog.com, the most influential political website in Florida, published its inaugural “Influence 100” issue, which listed the most influential, non-elected persons in the state. Terry was listed among the movers and shakers for her ability to keep her fingers on the pulse of the community and translating her passion to more than simply keeping the lights on.

We don’t know how long the Southern Company will allow us to have Bentina Terry, but we’re glad to be blessed with her energy and commitment to our area.

212 1

Confederate Flag Removal

The Confederate flag not longer flies over the Pensacola Bay Center or at Pensacola City Hall. The flag has been replaced with the state of Florida flag in all in the five-flag displays on city and county property.

However, the removal didn’t come without a fight. The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners voted in 2014 to removal the Confederate flag from the Pensacola Bay Center, but Commissioner Grover Robinson got the matter back on the agenda in February. The commission then voted to fly whatever five flags that the city of Pensacola displayed.

Then tragedy happened. Dyann Roof massacred nine people attending a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina on June 17. When he was arrested, Roof said he committed the shooting in hopes of igniting a race war.

Conservative and Republican leaders across the South called for the Confederate flag to be removed from government buildings. WalMart, Amazon, Sears and Kmart, and eBay announced they would stop selling merchandise with the Confederate flag.

Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward joined the wave of conservative Republican leaders calling for the removal of Confederate flags from public property on June 25 when he ordered the replacement of the Confederate flag with the state of Florida flag. Escambia County followed suit.

Some members of the public, represented most vocally on the board by Commissioner Lumon May, called for the commissioners to go further. They wanted the board to formalize its removal of the Confederate flag and to stop piggybacking on the city’s flag policy.

In July, the Escambia County Commission voted unanimously to permanently remove the Confederate flag from the Pensacola Bay Center. A century and a half after the Civil War, Escambia County and the City of Pensacola ended their tussles with the Confederate flag.

Downtown YMCA

The downtown YMCA hasn’t changed much since John Appleyard and Don Tristan De Luna played pick-up basketball games in its gym. However, the times are a changing.

After two years of planning, the Downtown Pensacola YMCA finally broke ground in August on its new, state-of-the-art facility to be built on land donated by Quint and Rishy Studer at the corner of Tarragona and Intendencia Streets.

The plans call for 52,000 sq. ft. to include a fully-equipped wellness center nearly triple the size of the downtown Y’s current area; an accessible aquatic center with two pools; multi-purpose rooms dedicated to group exercise and special programs; a gymnasium; a demo kitchen; a larger KidZone designed for varying ages; expanded locker rooms; social gathering spaces; and dedicated space for our health care partner.

The new downtown YMCA is projected to serve nearly three times as many people as the current location, with a stronger focus on education and nutrition. The facility will have the space and resources needed to deliver quality wellness programs to combat chronic disease and obesity in the area.

The groundbreaking culminated a flurry of donations to the YMCA to make the new building possible. The Studers pledged $5 million. The Bear Family Foundation donated a million dollars. Attorney Fred Levin and developer Teri Levin announced a combined gift of $1 million. The Switzer family–Bobby, Charlie and John–committed $500,000.

The James M. Cox Foundation, a charity in honor of Cox Enterprises' founder and provides funding for capital campaigns and special projects in communities where Cox Communications, Cox Automotive and Cox Media Group operate, contributed $300,000. The Kugelman Family Foundation also committed $150,000 to the facility.

The construction has begun and should be completed by the end of 2016.

Wedgewood Community

The little guy rarely wins in Pensacola. The rich, powerful and well-connected get the attention and their way, while the hoi polloi pick up the tab. Rules and laws are how the power brokers keep those without connections in their place.

In Wedgewood, a little neighborhood off of Highway 29 near Marcus Point, the families were tired of seeing their relatives and friends get sick. They had repeatedly gone to the Escambia County Commission for help in dealing with the landfills in their area. In 2005, the commission even passed a law, but county staff failed to enforce it.

In 2015, the little guys won. On May 29, Jonathan Steverson, Interim Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, signed the Final Order upholding the revocation of the permit for the operations of the Rolling Hills Construction and Demolition Recycling Center. Two months earlier, Ad-

ministrative Law Judge D.R. Alexander issued a recommended order that upheld the DEP’s request to revoke the permit. South Palafox Properties, Inc., the owner of Rolling Hills, asked for exceptions to the judge’s order. DEP reviewed and denied them.

Also on May 29, Escambia County Code Enforcement and Solid Waste Divisions had to respond to a fire at the Rolling Hills facility to monitor the efforts to extinguish the fire and any potential health exposure to nearby residents.

In October, the landfill had its surety bond placed in a standby trust fund after South Palafox Properties failed to perform the final closing of the facility in accordance with the original closure plan and permit requirements.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has filed a lawsuit against South Palafox Properties for the company’s failure to implement the required Remedial Action Plan to address groundwater impacts at the site. That case is scheduled for hearing Feb. 26, 2016.

The people of Wedgewood will be at that hearing.

Honorable Mentions Blue Wahoos: The Southern League

of Professional Baseball Clubs announced the Blue Wahoos as the Don Mincher Organization of the Year. The Blue Wahoo Stadium was chosen as the "Best View in MiLB." Tommy Thrall was named the Radio Broadcaster of the Year. Ray Sayre, Director of Sports Turf Management for the Blue Wahoos, was Groundskeeper of the Year for the third consecutive year. Dan Shugart, Sports Director at WEARTV, was honored with the Southern League's Sports Media Award.

Donald Trump: We keep expect-

ing to admit that his campaign is just a reality show that will premiere after Christmas, a sort-of “House of Cards” with Trump playing Frank Underwood.

There is no denying that Trump is the biggest winner in the Republican Party for 2015.

Foo Foo Fest: The second year for this celebration of our community’s history, arts and culture was a resounding success. The creativity and variety of events made the 12 days of the festival go by too quickly. Kudos to Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inc. (A.C.E.) and its founder, David Bear. inweekly.net

losers Community Maritime Park Associates

The quasi-city board that is in charge of the Vince Whibbs Community Maritime Park failed to lease a parcel at the park for the second consecutive year. The last leasee to successfully maneuver through the bureaucratic gauntlet of CMPA Board, Mayor’s Office and City Council was Beck Partners in May 2013.

The CMPA refused to negotiate with the YMCA of Northwest Florida to build a new, state-of-the art downtown facility on parcel 8. Mayor Ashton Hayward had announced he supported the project. The Pensacola City Council approved the proposed lease, in concept, and left the details to the CMPA board, which rejected the lease and instead voted to offer up parcels 5 or 6. The YMCA is building elsewhere.

At the mayor’s insistence, CBRE was hired as the real estate broker for the maritime park. The company brought no offers to the CMPA in 2014.

In January, CBRE, CMPA and the mayor’s office were told about a proposed MCM-BAP LLC development that was to be a $65 million investment for a hotel and luxury apartments/ condos at the maritime park. The CMPA board gave the project conceptual approval and sent it on to the Pensacola City Council for final approval. The negotiations got bogged down in the mayor’s office.

When a memorandum of understanding was finally released in late May, the project was scaled back by $22 million for lower lease fees and a demand to not pay taxes. The CMPA rejected the scaled-down proposal and hasn’t heard again from CBRE. Then we had the Center for Entrepreneurship fiasco. The CMPA, City Council and Mayor Ashton Hayward were enthusiastic about a proposal by the Studers to spend $20 million to build the center in partnership with the University of West Florida and a conference center at the park. CMPA approved the lease, but Mayor Hayward and Council President Andy Terhaar announced they were rejecting it. Tired of political games, the Studers walked away.

Escambia County Jail

Since Nov. 1, 2014, the Escambia Board of County Commissioners has had six deaths in its county jail, three of which were suicides.

Nationally, around 80 percent of all local jails have no deaths in a year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Less than seven percent have two or more deaths. If a death happens in a city or county jail in Florida, there is a one-in-ten chance it will happen in Escambia County.

December 10, 2015

A day after Inweekly published these statistics and the details of the May 27 death of inmate Rodney Berry (Inweekly, “Jail Deaths Require Scrutiny,” Dec. 3), Escambia County Administrator Jack Brown fired his Corrections Director, Michael Tidwell. Brown placed his new Assistant Administrator Chip Simmons, formerly the Pensacola Police Chief, temporarily in charge of the jail until the search for a new corrections director is complete.

Brown is making three recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners based on a report from Alliance Medical Management, which was hired earlier to review the jail’s medical care. The county administrator will recommend hiring an in-house, full-time medical director, establishing an independent monitor position to determining the financial needs for a successful detained health care program, and rebidding or restructuring the pharmaceutical contract to ensure best pricing.

The question remains, why did it take so long for Brown to take action? He didn’t institute new protocols for dealing with inmates that have been determined to be at risk for suicide until after the third suicide in September.

His latest recommendations may make a difference, but the Alliance Medical Management report is dated Aug. 18, 2015. The Escambia County Jail had three more deaths while the report sat on the county administrator’s desk. Shawn Jordan, Cedrick Henderson and Samuel Averheart died before the county made any significant changes to the medical services at its jail.

Commissioner Doug Underhill has told Inweekly that the only acceptable standard for the county jail is zero deaths. This newspaper agrees.

Gene Valentino

The former Escambia County commissioner had a rough year. Only the University of Central Florida football team had a worse season.

His ethics complaints against Sheriff David Morgan and Chief Deputy Eric Haines were dismissed. Valentino was upset that Haines refused to lower the flags at the sheriff ’s office to half-mast when the interim county administrator died in January 2014.

The Florida Ethics Commission found nothing legal or unethical in the Haines’ action.

Against Sheriff Morgan, who supported the commissioner’s opponent, Doug Underhill, Valentino complained that the sheriff used Escambia County Sheriff ’s Office resources, specifically video equipment and employee time, to produce a campaign video for Underhill.

Valentino failed to provide any evidence of his claim, and the witnesses he said would support it denied any knowledge of the incident.

His lawsuit against this newspaper, its publisher and the man who beat him soundly in the 2014 Republican primary was dismissed with prejudice. Valentino complained that an April 2013 article about issues on Perdido Key defamed him. After reading the article several times and listening to the attorney’s arguments, Judge Ross Goodman found that “no set of facts could be alleged that would give rise to a claim of defamation based on any statements in the article or the article taken as a whole.”

There is more. Valentino’s campaign manager was arrested for the alleged failure to include the proper electioneering disclaimer on postcards bashing Valentino’s opponent that were anonymously mailed to voters in his district. Valentino had previously denied the postcards had any connection to his campaign.

Adding even more salt to his wounds, the Board of County Commissioners has denied his request to reimburse him for his legal fees in a his case against the contractor that remodeled his house. Valentino had filed a complaint with the county's Contractor Competency Board in 2012 that went on three years before the board dismissed it.

Newpoint Education Partners

On March 16, Governor Rick Scott handed Newpoint High and its middle school, Newpoint Academy, checks for their high performance during the 2013-14 school year.

The Pensacola Newpoint middle and high schools were a part of Newpoint Education Partners, an education services provider with offices in Clearwater, Florida and Akron, Ohio. Newpoint Education Partners managed 10 charter schools in Florida. Its Pensacola high school was the only one with an A. Four schools had F grades, one had a D grade and four had C grades. The Pensacola high school had “earned” an A every year since it opened in Escambia County in 2012.

Eleven days after NEP officials got their photo opportunity with the governor, a whistleblower came forward to School Board member Jeff Bergosh and Inweekly with information of alleged grade tampering. The whistleblower told of unqualified teachers and substitutes who stole school funds, watched porn in their classrooms, and inappropriately touched and interacted with high school and middle school students.

NEP fought back vigorously, attributing the allegations to a disgruntled employee, and rallied parents and students to fight for the schools’ charters. School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas recommended the high and middle schools be shut down, and the school board agreed.

State Attorney Bill Eddins launched an investigation. One teacher, Christopher Fowler, was arrested in June for test tampering. Assistant State Attorney Russ Edgar has been assigned the case and is still investigating.

NEP originally announced that it would appeal the school board’s decision but later decided to close the schools and its elementary school, Five Flags Academy.

On June 2, NEP fired all the teachers at the three Newpoint schools. Carla Lovett, the NEP vice president who defended the schools before the school board, has since left the company to take control of a former NEP charter school in Bay County.

NEP’s problems have compounded. The Florida Department of Education investigators found that materials meant for NEP’s Bay County schools ended up in Escambia County. The Pinellas County School District this fall asked NEP’s St. Petersburg charter school to return a $75,000 grant after school officials failed to document how it spent the money. {in}

Dishonorable Mentions Florida House: A battle over how to fund health care for the state’s 600,000 uninsured led to the sudden adjournment of the 2015 legislative sessions. Hundreds of bills died without action.

Food trucks: Even getting Councilmen Charles Bare and Larry Johnson to agree was not enough to get a food ordinance passed.

Jeb Bush: This presidential cam-

paign has floundered despite having spent millions of dollars. The former popular Florida governor may not even win the primary in his own state.

13

414 1

inweekly.net

WEEK OF DECEMBER 10-17

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

Don’tcha Wanna PechaKucha?

by Shelby Smithey

Started in 2003 by two Tokyo architects, PechaKucha is a fast, concise presentation style that encourages active discussion with its unique format. The Japanese word for chit-chat quickly became synonymous with the presentations, and today PechaKucha Nights are being held in over 800 cities around the world.

On Saturday, First City Art Center will host Vol. 4 of Pensacola’s PechaKucha Night. As a host city, Pensacola holds four events a year as part of its contract with PechaKucha.

Event organizers Felipe Muñoz and Marina Quirk said that they believe PechaKucha Nights are a great way to connect with others in the community and discuss creative ideas. Quirk was previously an event organizer at The East Hill Yard and Muñoz, art director at Emagination Unlimited, was already familiar with PechaKucha events.

He attended his first event five years ago in São Paulo, Brazil.

December 10, 2015

“It was an awesome experience, and I attended a few more before moving to Pensacola,” Muñoz said.

“With themes that would go from heroes, dreams to simple TOP 10 editions, I was in love with such an eclectic, unrestrained and efficient format.

After moving here, I was surprised that a city like Pensacola, with such an engaged and extensive art and creative community, was missing this event.”

The 20 slides in 20 seconds format is a guideline easy to understand and follow, therefore more accessible. It was first used by Tokyo architects Astrid Kleyn and Mark Dytham to share information with the public quickly.

Muñoz said that a PechaKucha Night starts with drinks being served to allow people to socialize and network. Beer and wine, donated by the organizers and Seville Quarter, will be served on a donation basis at Saturday’s event. After about 30 minutes, presentations will begin.

“As suggested by the PechaKucha creators, we like to keep this as an event for thinking and drinking, so after two speakers we do a 15 minute beer break,” Muñoz said.

“The night goes like that, intercalating 15 minutes of presentations with 15 minutes of socialization. After the last speaker we will wrap the night, but whoever wants to stay and connect for longer is more than welcome to do so.”

From the start of the process of choosing what to talk about, to the selection of slides and the dynamic with which one has to present their ideas, Muñoz said that he

said. “The fact that anyone can be invited thinks PechaKucha Nights are beneficial to talk gives room to the conversation. for people to connect and share ideas.

As encounters happen, people can start “I don't see PKN as a professional portfolio review, but as a venue for ideas, statements dialogs.”

The topics may vary, but they are and new relationships,” Muñoz said. “Active rarely closed to a specific and pre-defined discussion and creative ideas are inherent to subject. Usually themes that are open to PKN. The whole thing is about making people interpretation and make the speakers free think. In some ways, even the drinks served to approach from different perspectives are a way to make people a little bit more tend to be more interesting. loose and open to thinking.”

“The goal is to create an unbiased open Muñoz said that locally, three Pensacostage that brings the community to talk lians, Julie Young, Meredith Doyen and about what should be talked about and Kalyn Wolfe, brought the initiative to First highlights the stories that sometimes we City Art Center, hosting the first PechaKucha Night during Hot Glass Cold Brew in November 2014.

“I had the opportunity to talk at PK Night Vol.2, giving a presentation about unexpected inspiration,” Muñoz said. “After that, I volunteered to help the event in any way possible. Realizing the struggle that it was to put the event together, I assumed that more help is always needed. After having Vol. 3, organized by the UWF Division of Anthropology forget to hear,” Muñoz said. “It’s about and Archeology, we decided to bring sharing knowledge regardless of statusback the event to FCAC, separated quo.” from Hot Glass Cold Brew and with a more Muñoz said that the theme of the updiverse range of speakers.” coming PK Night, “Boundaries,” has to do Muñoz said that Vol. 4 will be focused with politics and how being political is not on a more open reception and being bolder about partisanship or negotiation. about communication.

“People quite often forget that being “Even with this specific volume having political is part of being human and how most of the people talking with some artiswe respect, approach and navigate through tic background, that's not necessarily how different boundaries,” Muñoz said. “In an it will always be,” Muñoz said. “I believe event where the focus is to make one think, that we all have an artist trapped inside a topic that can relate to both personal and ourselves, and the goal of the event is to virtual space, or to trending topics like surshare our creative spark with others, but veillance and war, at the edge of the year, being an artist or having a ‘creative’ profesjust sounded like a perfect fit.” {in} sion is not a requirement to be a speaker or presenter.”

The seven local presenters include artist and activist Liam Dunaway, cinematographer and indie filmmaker Chris JadalWHAT: PechaKucha Night Vol. 4 lah, game developer student and WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 journalist Rashad Lee, artist Nate WHERE: First City Art Center, 1060 N. GuilLyle, producer of The Daily Brew on lemard St. BlabTV Bryant Chase and perCOST: Free, suggested donation to FCAC formance artist and poet Marina DETAILS: pechakucha.org/cities/pensacola/ Quirk. events “PKN is an engaging event that relies on the idea of people being open and sharing,” Muñoz

“The fact that anyone can be invited to talk gives room to the conversation. As encounters happen, people can start dialogs.” Felipe Muñoz

PECHAKUCHA

15

WUWF Presents

Join WUWF in Celebration of Our 35th Anniversary With a Visit From

The Capitol Steps in Concert Friday, January 15, 2016, 7:30 p.m.

Pensacola Saenger Theatre Tickets available beginning December 1 through Ticketmaster 800.745.3000.

wuwf.org • 88.1 FM • 850.474.2787

616 1

inweekly.net

calendar

Ears & Fingers

unique & affordable

Join us for Wine Tastings Thursdays 5-7 p.m.

by Jason Leger

Father John Misty “Live at Rough Trade”

Confidence can be a tricky thing. There are plenty of people in the world who are overly confident about how they speak and write, yet they have never used the distinction of ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ properly. There’s the level of certainty that it takes to wear flesh-colored tights, that really should be more of a level of awareness about wearing flesh-colored tights. I digress.

Josh Tillman is no stranger to confidence, especially when it comes to his Father John Misty character. This isn’t news. Everything I have written about the guy has told the story of his reinvention of the asshole. However, the thing about Tillman is his real talent for writing, performing and selling his persona.

At the end of the day, the guy is an amazing singer-songwriter, and Rough Trade has offered us a captured glimpse of just how talented he is. “Live at Rough Trade” is a limited-production, live album that Tillman recorded way back in February. He spins his way through intimate versions of seven songs from this year’s brilliant “I Love You, Honey-

THURSDAY 12.10

WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Try some-

thing new every week at Aragon Wine Market’s regular wine tasting, only a few blocks from downtown. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com PMA PRESENTS: FINDING VIVIAN MAIER 7 p.m. “Finding Vivian Maier” is a criticallyacclaimed documentary about a mysterious nanny who secretly took more than 100,000 photographs that she kept hidden in storage. Discovered decades later, the riveting images have placed Maier among the 20th century’s greatest photographers.

Pensacola museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. $5. pensacolamuseum.org

FRIDAY 12.11

PENSACOLA FILM FESTIVAL FALL SCREEN SERIES 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Voices of Pensacola

Building, 117 E. Government St. $5 per film. pensacolacinemaart.com WINE TASTING 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. City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave. BEAR CREEK GLASS EXCESS SALE 5-9 p.m.

Bear Creek Glass, a maker of hand blown glass, will be having a sale of excess inventory December 11 and 12. Discounts of 50%-95% will be available on sinks, bowls, chandeliers and vases. Bear Creek Glass Studio, First City Art Center, 1080 N. Guillemard St. bearcreekglass.com December 10, 2015

bear,” as well as tossing in ‘Now I’m Learning to Love the War’ from his debut “Fear Fun,” all while cracking jokes about helping people buy records in between songs. These stripped down versions really allow the smoothness of Tillman’s vocals to shine and don’t allow him to hide behind any sort of production or extra instrumentation. Just him and a guitar, and that’s really all he needs. Obviously, I strongly recommend this, but I also strongly recommend getting on it, because this is limited to a release of 500 vinyl copies, so you may already be too late. “Live at Rough Trade” is out now via Rough Trade Records.

TRACK OF THE WEEK:

Animal Collective ‘FloriDada’

News broke two weeks ago that the mighty Animal Collective was streaming new music on repeat inside the Baltimore’s BWI Airport. Then last week, the band announced the follow up to 2012’s “Centipede Hz,” “Painting With,” will be released early next year. The album’s first taste is ‘FloriDada,’ a sprawling techno tribal, twisted, euphoric ode to the state I’ve called home my entire

LATIN DANCING 6:30 p.m. Learn the basics

of salsa dancing. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com NEWSBOYS 7 p.m. ‘God’s Not Dead Tour’.

With Hawk Nelson and Ryan Stevenson.

Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. $15-$40. pensacolabaycenter.com

SATURDAY 12.12

PECHAKUCHA 7-9 a.m. Boundaries. Where

limits start, where lines are crossed, where borders are blurred, the marks of an end, the division, or lack of. Come join this relevant discussion that will end a year where several boundaries were created and others were broken. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. pechakucha.org SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods, and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road, Pace.

PALAFOX MARKET 9 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.

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 THE WISDOM OF MYTH 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Come explore winter solstice traditions.

Free lecture and forum open to the public.

West Florida Public Library meeting room “C” 239 N. Spring St., downtown Pensacola.

life and a strong homage to the Beach Boys.

Stream the track on YouTube or anywhere you stream music, and keep an eye out for “Painting With,” which is out Feb. 19 via Domino Records.

27 S. 9th Ave.

433-WINE or 433-9463

REST IN PEACE: Scott Weiland

www.aragonwinemarket.com

Being a teenager in the ‘90s, I cut my teeth on grunge. Stone Temple Pilots’ “Tiny Music: Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop” was one of the first albums I ever bought, and I quickly learned how great of a front man Scott Weiland was. Obviously, his addictions followed him for his entire professional career and (more than likely) claimed his life last week. This was rough news to wake up to, as so many times it seemed like he was on an upswing and going to leave his demons behind him once and for all. Sadly, this wasn’t the case, and now his family and fans are left with his songs and memories. I’ve always been a huge fan of STP, and though I trailed off on his work after leaving the band, I always respected his contribution to my angsty adolescence. It’s in good hope that he’s at peace now. Thanks for everything, Scott. {in}

Contact: mythos.sd@gmail.com

PENSACOLA FILM FESTIVAL FALL SCREEN SERIES 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Voices of Pensacola

Building, 117 E. Government St. $5 per film. pensacolacinemaart.com

“THE MOORISH ESSENCE OF PENSACOLA” BOOK SIGNING 2 p.m. Pensacola author

Jeremie Samuel explores a part of Pensacola history that is often forgotten in his new book, “The Moorish Essence of Pensacola: A Legacy of Exploration and Cultural Exchange From Estevanico to Tristan De Luna.” The book follows the history of the Moors on the Gulf Coast. The Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. littlealandalus.wordpress.com POSITIVE CONTROL 8:30 p.m. Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. $8. pensacolahandlebar.com BMW Happier Holiday Event

MONDAY 12.14

COUNTRY & WESTERN DANCING 6:30 p.m.

sandysansingbmw.com 1-866-864-4847

The Ultimate Driving Machine®

Learn the country two-step at this weekly class, which is followed by a social dance at 8 p.m. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com

TUESDAY 12.15

TUESDAY NIGHT POETRY NIGHT 7 p.m.

Free open mic poetry event every Tuesday.

Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant, 101 S. Jefferson St. facebook.com/TNPN LUCERO 7 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $17. vinylmusichall.com {in}

THE BMW HAPPIER HOLIDAY EVENT. RECEIVE A CREDIT OF UP TO $6,500 ON SELECT MODELS. Special lease and finance offers will be available by Sandy Sansing BMW through BMW Financial Services.

Sandy Sansing BMWsandysansingbmw.com

186 W Airport Blvd. 850-477-1855 or 1-866-864-4847

The up to $6,500 credit is applied against MSRP of final purchase, not tax, title, destination, or handling charges. Must take delivery

by January 4th. Limited availability. Credit allowance varies by model. $6,500 credit is for 2015 6 and 7 series vehicles.©2015 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names, and logo are registered trademarks.

17

calendar

For the Film Fans

by Jennifer Leigh big screens, from the acclaimed independent feature “I’ll See you in My Dreams,” which was written and directed by Pensacola’s own Brett Haley, to “Danny Collins” starring Al Pacino.

At $5 a pop—price includes wine—it’s not only a fun festival, but it doesn’t break the bank or dip into your holiday gift funds.

Take a break from Christmas chaos and enjoy one, or more, of the films in the festival running December 11 and 12.

Pensacola Cinema Art Fall Screen Series Schedule:

Mark the end of fall with the Pensacola Cinema Art Fall Screen Series.

The semi-annual film festival showcases films from both the small and

Voices of Pensacola Building, Theatre I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS 7 p.m., comedy/drama, 92 minutes, PG13, with Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott A widow discovers that life can begin again at any age after befriending her pool cleaner.

J. Earle Bowden Building, Conference Room 1 DANNY COLLINS 1 p.m., comedy/drama, 106 minutes, R, with Al Pacino and Annette Benning A famous rock star changes his lifestyle after discovering a letter written to him by John Lennon.

MAGGIE 4 p.m., drama, 95 minutes, PG, with Arnold Schwazenegger and Abigail Breslin A father stops at nothing to save his teenage daughter who becomes infected by a disease that slowly turns her into a cannibalistic zombie.

MISSISSIPPI GRIND 7 p.m., drama, 108 minutes, R, with Ben Mendelson and Ryan Reynolds Two guys try to change their luck on a gambling road trip through the south.

J. Earle Bowden Building, Conference Room 2 MR. HOLMES 1 p.m., drama/mystery, 104 minutes, PG, with Ian McKellen and Laura Linney

An older and retired Sherlock Holmes fights early dementia to try and remember his final case.

SEYMOUR: AN INTRODUCTION 4 p.m., documentary/music, 84 minutes, PG, with Seymour Bernstein This documentary, directed by Ethan Hawke, follows Seymour Bernstein, the beloved pianist and teacher who shares about his life.

THE 100 YEAR OLD MAN WHO JUMPED OUT A WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED 7 p.m., comedy, 104 minutes, PG This Swedish film follows Allan Karlsson, who jumps out of a window of his nursing home on his 100th birthday and begins an unexpected journey. {in}

FALL SCREEN SERIES

WHEN: 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11 and Saturday, Dec. 12 WHERE: Voices of Pensacola Building, 117 E. Government St. COST: $5 per film DETAIL: pensacolacinemaart.com

—Creative Organic Vegan Cuisine, Coffee & Catering—

Now Featuring: Cooking Classes Once A Month | Menu changes weekly — Plus Daily Specials Sunday Brunch with champagne specials —Thursday 3 Course Gourmet Dinner

610 E. Wright St. | 429-0336 | eotlcafe.com

Stock Market Losses?

Marital and Family Law New Location: 127 Palafox Place Suite 100 Pensacola, Florida | 466-3115

Celebrating 51 years!

Hire a lawyer who is a former Merril Lynch stock broker.

Gene e. mitchell attorney and counsellor at law

Representing retirees and other investors

850-232-5278 11 east romana street

www.attorneygenemitchell.com 818 1

BEST BAR WEST P’COLA 2213 W. Cervantes Street (850) 434-0300 MON-FRI 4 pm-2 am Saturday 6 pm-2 am inweekly.net

Holiday Happenings Get in the holiday spirit with the help of this week’s round-up of festive events.

THURSDAY 12.10

VICTORIAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS 2:30 p.m. Visit the Lear/Rocheblave Home as it is decorated with holiday cheer and learn how families celebrated the holiday season in the late 19th century. Tours are available Tuesday-Saturday, through Dec. 19. Lear/Rocheblave Home, 214 E. Zaragoza St. historicpensacola.org SCJ HOLIDAY PARTY 4-8 p.m Susan Campbell Jewelry is hosting their 9th annual holiday party Thursday. Stop in and find out why their one-of-a-kind jewelry is the perfect gift for all the “haute, hip and fine” people on your list. Susan Campbell Jewelry, 420 S. Palafox. susancampbelljewelry.com 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS The Fish House, Atlas Oyster House and The Deck bar are ringing in the holiday season with 13 holiday-inspired cocktails. Each evening, except Sundays and Mondays, the Deck Bar will feature a different Fish House bartender and their unique holiday cocktail. The Fish House, 600 Barracks St. fishousepensacola.com

tour features 16 performances along a 60-minute trolley trip through Downtown Pensacola. Singing guides will accompany you into a world of wonder with scenes from your favorite holiday memories.

Downtown, Palafox and Government Sts. $7-$10. pensacolawinterfest.org MAINSTAGE PRESENTS: WHITE CHRISTMAS 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. $12-$30. pensacolalittletheatre.com CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST 7:30 p.m.

Elves, reindeer, brightly-wrapped presents, glorious, brightly-lit trees, fruitcakes, toy soldiers, and even Santa playing the organ. What more could we want this chilly evening as we anticipate the

Once again, Jackson’s has teamed up with the Pensacola Opera to present an afternoon of holiday cheer featuring costumed carolers strolling from table to table singing all of the traditional carols.

Jackson’s, 400 S. Palafox St. jacksonsrestaurant.com PHOTOS WITH SANTA 1-4 p.m. Join the Pensacola Humane Society and preserve your holiday memories with your furry friend at this special event. Petco, 1670 Airport Bldv. pensacolahumane.org UGLY SWEATER PUB CRAWL 2-6 p.m.

It's the most wonderful time of the year…. to rock an ugly holiday sweater in public with no shame. The Kaboom Sports and Social Club annual Ugly Sweater Pub

SUNDAY 12.13

FRIDAY 12.11

THE GEM HOLIDAY SALE 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Find all your holiday presents at the quarterly sale at The Gem, FridaySunday. The GEM is a donation based, volunteer-driven boutique by Covenant Hospice and Covenant Alzheimer’s Services, which hosts quarterly sales. All proceeds received at each sale support programs and services for patients and families under the Covenant Care family.

The Gem, 1901 N. Palafox. facebook.com/ ShoptheGem HOT GLASS COLD BREW HOLIDAY EDITION 5-9 p.m. The holiday version of this popular event will feature music by 18 String Army, food by Fish Fry Magazine and, of course, art demonstrations in hot glass, flame working, silks dying, painting and more. First City Art Center will also be kicking of their annual Holiday Art Sale during the event. First City Art Center, 1080 N. Guillemard St. $25 for non-members; $20 for members. firstcityart.org ZOO LIGHTS 5-9 p.m. Enjoy the beauty of the Zoo at night as you admire thousands of sparkling holiday lights. Now through Dec. 24. Gulf Breeze Zoo, 5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. $5-$10. gulfbreezezoo.org WINTERFEST 5:30 p.m. The Winterfest December 10, 2015

Cervantes St. myfavoritethingstoo.com 33RD ANNUAL PENSACOLA CHRISTMAS PARADE 5:15 p.m. The Christmas Parade includes local bands from every high school in Escambia County, and groups from around the region, as far away as Houston and New Orleans.

Downtown, Spring and Garden Streets. visitpensacola.com MAINSTAGE PRESENTS: WHITE CHRISTMAS 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. $12-$30. pensacolalittletheatre.com CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST 7:30 p.m.

Elves, reindeer, brightly-wrapped presents, glorious, brightly-lit trees, fruitcakes, toy soldiers, and even Santa playing the organ. What more could we want this chilly evening as we anticipate the season? Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. $20-$40. pensacolasaenger.com CHRIS THOMAS KING CHRISTMAS SHOW 8 p.m. With Post Pluto. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $10-$40. vinylmusichall.com

season? Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. $20-$40. pensacolasaenger.com

SATURDAY 12.12

HOLIDAY SLOW RIDE-UPTOWN EDITION 10 a.m. Join Bike Pensacola for their monthly Slow Ride. These rides are designed for people with any kind of bike and skill level. For this holiday ride, they are encouraging riders to dress for the ride with a festive holiday spirit—so deer antlers and Santa hats are totally welcome. Gulf Coast Cycle and Tri, 1811 Creighton Rd. HOLIDAY ART SALE 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Come pick out the perfect gift created

by First City Art Center's pottery, glass and studio artists during their Holiday Art Sale. First City Art Center, 1080 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org DECK THE HALLS 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Crawl will make stops at The Vault, Play, World of Beer and O’Riely’s this time around. The cost is $15 in advance, $20 day of the event. kaboomssc.com WINTERFEST 5 p.m. The Winterfest tour features 16 performances along a 60-minute trolley trip through Downtown Pensacola. Singing guides will accompany you into a world of wonder with scenes from your favorite holiday memories.

Downtown, Palafox and Government Sts. $7-$10. pensacolawinterfest.org HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE 5 p.m. Bring your kids and pets to My Favorite Things Saturday for pictures with Santa’s elves during their holiday open house. In addition to photos by Carmen Jones Photography, they’ll have cocktails, snacks, door prizes and a raffle benefitting the Wildlife Sanctuary of NW Florida and, of course, shopping. My Favorite Things, 2813 E.

MAINSTAGE PRESENTS: WHITE CHRISTMAS 2:30 p.m. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. $12-$30. pensacolalittletheatre.com CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST 2:30 p.m.

Elves, reindeer, brightly-wrapped presents, glorious, brightly-lit trees, fruitcakes, toy soldiers, and even Santa playing the organ. What more could we want this chilly evening as we anticipate the season? Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. $20-$40. pensacolasaenger.com WINTERFEST 5 p.m. The Winterfest tour features 16 performances along a 60-minute trolley trip through Downtown Pensacola. Singing guides will accompany you into a world of wonder with scenes from your favorite holiday memories.

Downtown, Palafox and Government Sts. $7-$10. pensacolawinterfest.org HOLIDAY SING-ALONG 5 p.m. The Choral Society of Pensacola invites singers of all ages to join them for a holiday sing-along on Sunday. The informal program will give everyone a chance to join in several popular choruses from Handel’s “Messiah” as well as a number of familiar Christmas carols and songs of the season. The Society’s artistic director and conductor Xiaolun Chen will lead the singing, and Ila Brown will accompany.

The event is sponsored by Bruce Baker and Re/Max Infinity. Old Christ Church, 405 S. Adams St. Admission: A nonperishable food item for Bay Area Food Bank. choralsocietyofpensacola.org {in} 19

culture

by Jennifer Leigh

Caring at Christmas

the ribbons for display during a service at the Sacred Heart Hospital conference center where checks will be presented.

WHEN: Dec. 7-24 WHERE: Cordova Mall, 5100 N. 9th Ave. COST: Donation only DETAILS: facebook.com/RotaryTreeofRemembrancePensacola

There’s nothing wrong with getting wrapped up in the holidays—all the gift buying, cookie baking and party going— but it’s also an important time to think of ways to give back to the community.

There’s no wrong way to donate time or money, but here are a few timely ideas to bring cheer that will last well beyond the season.

GO AND DO

CHRISTMAS AT THE CLINIC GALA The Health and Hope Clinic is a volunteer and donor-driven medical and dental clinic serving the uninsured and underinsured in Escambia County. During the holiday season, the annual Christmas at the Clinic helps provide free care for the local community. At the evening gala, you can bid on Christmas trees and wreaths to decorate your home. Since the inaugural two years ago, the event has raised $100,000.

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 WHERE: The Wright Place, 6 E. Wright St. COST: $50 DETAILS: christmasattheclinic.org WATERFRONT RESCUE MISSION MEAL TICKET CAMPAIGN Help feed the hungry by purchasing a bright red meal ticket for $1 or more when you visit the Waterfront Rescue Mission Bargain Centers. Proceeds from the campaign are used to provide thousands of traditional Christmas dinners for the local homeless individuals. You can also support the mission by donating gently-used goods 020 2

to the nearest bargain center or purchasing gift cards for the holiday season for your favorite thrifty shopper. On December 11 and 12, Uniquely Yours Photography will be at the Milton bargain center doing Santa portraits. Those who donate $15 or more to the meal ticket program will receive a complimentary photo session and a 5x7 family print on CD. WHEN: Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11 and 12 WHERE: Milton Bargain Center, 4467 Avalon Blvd.

COST: $15-$50 DETAILS: waterfrontbargaincenters.org/ locations/milton-florida ROTARY TREE OF REMEMBRANCE The holidays are a time to be with the ones you love and also to remember the ones who can’t be here to share the memories with. The Rotary Tree of Remembrance allows folks to honor a loved one while supporting local charities. Beginning December 7, friends and family members have the opportunity to place a ribbon with the name of a loved one and a special message on the Tree of Remembrance after making a donation. The tree will be on display at the Cordova Mall through December 24. Donations will be divided among local charities, including Gulf Coast Kid’s House, The Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart, Reading is Fundamental, Covenant Hospice, Simon Charitable Foundation and Rotary’s Camp Florida. After the holidays on January 4, Rotary volunteers will gather

CHRISTMAS CONCERT FOR A CAUSE Listen to holiday music and help support Gulf Coast Kid’s House at the Christmas Concert for a Cause. Mobilebased band Roman Street will be performing at Cokesbury United Methodist Church Friday afternoon, Dec. 13 with a reception after the concert. Tickets are free — just bring in a donated item from the Gulf Coast Kid’s House wish list. Items include brand new boys’ and girls’ underwear and socks, long-sleeved shirts for boys and girls sizes 0-6 months, $25 gift cards (Target, Walmart, Publix, etc.) and size 4 diapers.

WHEN: 4 p.m., Sunday. Dec. 13 WHERE: Cokesbury United Methodist Church, 5725 N. 9th Ave. COST: Free DETAILS: gulfcoastkidshouse.org

GOOD BUYS

FESTIVE PLANTS If you’re looking to spruce up the home for the season, look to Arc Gateway to get in the spirit. Holiday poinsettias and Frasier fur Christmas trees are available from the green thumbs at Arc Gateway. They could also make gifts. If you need more shopping ideas, look to the Dove Gift Shop located inside West Florida Hospital for more homemade gifts. All proceeds support programs and services at Arc Gateway.

DETAILS: arc-gateway.org GET COOKIN’ Scratch someone off your Christmas list, and make a difference in a family’s life. That’s the thought behind the Christmas Cookbook sold at Dillard’s. Cookbooks purchased at local Dillard’s stores, like the one inside Cordova Mall, benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida.

DETAILS: facebook.com/RMHCNorthwestFL FURRY FRIENDS If you’re thinking of giving the ultimate gift of a dog or cat, look no further than the local animal shelters. On the Pensacola Hotel

for Dogs and Cats Facebook page you’ll be introduced to adoptable faces from the local shelter through the 25 Christmas Miracles online campaign. Every night through Christmas Eve, the shelter will be sharing a photo and story of a loveable pet looking for a forever home. Now in its seventh year, the annual campaign has engaged pet lovers and helps to promote the animals in need.

DETAILS: h4dc.org or facebook.com

BRING IN THE TOYS

‘Tis the season to bring cheer to young boys and girls, and local children’s charities can use all the help they can get. Next time you’re out shopping, pick up a toy and drop it of at one of these non profits.

GULF COAST KID’S HOUSE GCKH is a child advocacy center combining all of the resources and professionals under one roof for the intervention, investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases in Escambia County.

DROP OFF: 3401 N. 12th Ave. FAMILIES FIRST NETWORK FFN partners with Department of Children and Families to provide foster care and related services with network partners. FFN’s primary goal is to establish safety and provide support for abused and neglected children in Northwest Florida.

DROP OFF: 1221 W. Lakeview Ave. FAVORHOUSE OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA FavorHouse is a domestic violence center serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, providing immediate assistance and longterm help for victims of abuse.

DROP OFF: 2001 Blount St.

FEEDING FRENZY

Doesn’t matter if you can cook or not, donations to these organizations will keep bellies full for the holiday season.

Manna Food Bank 116 E. Gonzalez St. 432-2053 Bay Area Food Bank Panhandle Branch 5709 Industrial Blvd.

626-1332 Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen 257 E. Lee St. Ste. A 438-7616 Appetite for Life 402 W. Cervantes St. 470-9111 {in} inweekly.net

Light Up the Night

by Jennifer Leigh

Bryant Chase remembers getting the Americans die by suicide every year.

It’s the second leading cause of death phone call that made him book an for those 10 to 24-years-old. And 90 emergency flight back to Pensacola. percent of those who die by suicide had “I remember that I was working for a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the Sigma Chi International Headquarters time of their death. when I got the news,” he said. “I was at Light Up the Night is an evening of Princeton, and my fraternity brother, live music, dancing, sparklers, cocktails Harlen Lawrence, called me. and champagne. The event isn’t just for It was 2008. Tyler Knisely, another Knisely’s friends and family, not even Sigma Chi fraternity brother, had comjust for those who have been affected mitted suicide at the age of 21. by mental illness or suicide; it’s a night “I went into somewhat of a mindless cruise control,” Chase said. “I called to enjoy and a night to remember.

Proceeds from the event will go my bosses and told them I had to leave toward the UWF Foundation and town and didn’t know when I would be back. I was in Pensacola speaking at one allocated to Active Minds, a suicide awareness group at the university the of his services within 24 hours.”

In the seven years that have gone by UWF Counseling and Psychological Services. Additional funds will be used for a since Knisely passed, there have been scholarship fund. memorials and fundraisers, such as the Chase said his experience with Seeds of Hope 5k, to not only remember the life of the University of West Florida Knisely, although short-lived, has shaped him in “immeasurable ways.” student, but to open a dialogue about For anyone who understands the pain, suicide and mental illness. he advises others to remember “you did Chase, along with fellow frat brothnothing wrong, and you are loved.” ers Thanh Nguyen and Tyler Kercher, “Listen to your heart, seek support, wanted to create not just another event, know that there are others who have exbut an evening that would be perhaps a little more lighthearted and educational. perienced similar things and can relate to your struggles,” he said. “This event is “I hope people leave Light Up the Night, first and foremost, thinking about for all of us, and we can’t wait to watch it grow from here.” {in} the amazing time they had,” he said.

“The awareness about mental health and suicide prevention is something that I hope just lingers with all of us so we are aware in times of need. I also WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 26 hope people who have been afWHERE: Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. fected by these issues find some Jefferson St. sort of solace.”

COST: $40 per person, $70 per couple According to the AmeriDETAIL: pensacolalittletheatre.com or can Foundation for Suicide pensacolalutn.com Prevention, more than 40,000

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT

December 10, 2015

CH0501 CoC In News Ad.indd 1

21

11/23/15 12:09 PM

On November 5 and 6, EntreCon brought some of the nation’s top entrepreneurs to town to share their stories and wisdom.

Sponsored by the Studer Community Institute and the University of West Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurship, the two-day event featured national and local speakers and intensive training for starting and growing a business.

Visit studeri.org to watch video clips from EntreCon speakers and testimonials from attendees.

National & Local Speakers

THE REVIEWS ARE IN

James Ledbetter, Editor, Inc. Magazine and Inc.com • The role of government in entrepreneurship and about disruption

Attendee Ratings

Chuck Dieveney, Managing Director, Juggernaut Capital Partners

Day 1 – 9.6 • Day 2 – 9.7

• How to find a venture capital firm that fits and mentorships

Emily Ley, Founder, Emily Ley Paper & Gifts • Running a traditional business in a non-traditional world Christa Pitts and Chanda Bell, Founders & Co-CEOs, The Elf on the Shelf:® A Christmas Tradition • Succession planning in a family business and using social media

“EntreCon was a great experience.

While I’ve had some success as an entrepreneur, I still have so much to learn.

I walked away with valuable lessons to implement and share with others.”

— Peter Nowak, President,

Quint Studer, Founder, Studer Community Institute • Entrepreneurship in Northwest Florida and the Greater Pensacola Entrepreneur Fund Joe Abston, Pizza Kitchen and Taproom Farrar J. Barker, CPHLaw Celeste Beatty, Harlem Brewing Co. Justin Beck, Beck Partners Steve Dana, Jerry Pate Design James Ferreira, Regions Bank Megan Fry, CPHLaw Katie Garrett, Old Hickory Whiskey Bar Daniel Harrell, CPHLaw Chad Henderson, THG Investments James Hosman, Florida First Capital Finance Corporation Lisa Long, Studer Communications Mickaela Lusignan, Pensacola News Journal E. Gaylon McCullough, McCollough Institute

Nowak Enterprises, Inc.

Tim McHale, Mobile Media Jarrod Morgan, ProctorU

“All speakers did a wonderful job executing a clear message and opening your mind to new aspects of business. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at EntreCon and look forward to attending next year.”

Michael Murdoch, AppRiver Vernon Niven, Buy Like Me, LLC Peter Nowak, Nowak Enterprises Susan O’Connor, O’Connor Management Group

— Whitney Vaillancourt

Jeff Philips, Accountingfly Tim Shoop, Digital Boardwalk, Inc. Michael Sunderland, Apollo Retail Specialists Larry Strain, United Bank Carolyn R. Ward, CPHLaw Bill Wein, IMS ExpertServices Scott Zepp, World of Beer

“There has never been anything that matched the needs of the small business community like EntreCon. Two Words - Thank You.” — Bill Sheffield, Broker, Bill Sheffield Realty

Teresa Zwierczowski, Pensacola News Journal

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Clark Partington Hart Larry Bond & Stackhouse • Digital Boardwalk • Beck Partners Commercial Real Estate Pensacola News Journal • BlabTV • inweekly • Cowork Annex • Rex Theatre

EXPLORE MORE studeri.org | entreconpensacola.com Tell us what you want to see next year: surveymonkey.com/r/StuderCI2016 222 2

SW0052 EntreCon_IN.indd 1

inweekly.net

12/7/15 10:44 AM

news of the weird BUT ISN'T THAT THEIR SKILL SET? In November, lawyer Michael Petersen of Appleton, Wisconsin, was ordered by county judge Philip Kirk (in a sentence for contempt of court) to inform every client he acquires in the following 12 months that Petersen is a "crook," "cheat," "thief" and "liar." Kirk concluded that Peterson had lied about a plea deal with the prosecutor and created phony documents for backup, leading a client to plead guilty to armed robbery when the prosecutor said there was never such a deal.

According to the Appleton Post Crescent, Kirk (after dressing down Petersen in colorful language) told him, "I want you to have as much business as a pimp in a nursing home."

CAN'T POSSIBLY BE TRUE Pastor Thom Miller, 60 (of the United Christian Ministries International in Mansfield, Ohio), told an international news crew recently that he had "married" his 19-year-old pregnant girlfriend (Reba Kerfoot), but that some in his congregation disapprove—because Miller is already married (though his incumbent wife, Belinda, 44, apparently does approve).

Said Belinda, "Thom is the love of my life and Reba is the blessing of my life, so it all works."

Said Miller, "Sexually I have no preference and look forward to my time alone with both wives." (Bonuses: (1) Miller was an enforcer for organized crime in Cleveland until he "found God" in prison. (2) He is annoyed that Ohio recognizes same-sex marriage but not polygamy. (3) The local Mansfield News Journal was apparently scooped on the story but is now catching up.)

•Mexican artist Renato Garza Cervera's work usually involves realistic-looking figures created to startle (e.g., a "piggy bank" as a scowling hog of a man down on all fours), but his recent "gang member" floor rugs seem a career peak. Rejecting bear rugs and lion rugs, Cervera's "Of Genuine Contemporary Beast" project features exquisitely constructed, life-size, snarling, naked, heavily tattooed men's bodies (as if skinned) as rugs, representing "modern" beasts -- Salvadorean gang members. Actually, Cervera told Vice.

by Chuck Shepherd

com he intended sympathy: "Societies always invent new beasts in order to make others responsible for their problems."

THE FINER POINTS OF THE LAW Justice!

In September, federal judge Cathy Seibel ordered the town of Liberty, New York (100 miles from New York City), to stand trial for failure to teach police and prosecutors proper free-speech law—thus giving plaintiff Willian Barboza revenge for his arrest for writing a "crude" message on the speeding ticket he paid three years ago. Seibel ruled that Barboza's phrase (urging intercourse upon the manure-like town) posed no "imminent" threat and, besides, was obviously just a complaint about government services. Seibel also raised the possibility that money damages will come from the prosecutor's own pocket.

Join Rick Outzen guest host of Pensacola Speaks weekdays at 5pm

THE JOB OF THE RESEARCHER Scientists from Australia's University of Queensland have developed "swimsuits" to act as diapers for six giant loggerhead turtles as they study their diets by examining their feces. "To our great surprise," said one researcher, they "worked perfectly." The suits were easy to put on, comfortable for the sea turtles to wear (according to the researchers, not the turtles), looked great (ditto), and we were "able to collect the entire fecal sample," he bragged to a London Daily Telegraph reporter in Sydney.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Damon Matthews, 19, surrendered to police in Bay City, Michigan, in November and confessed to robbing a 7-Eleven. His sister had convinced Matthews that police would soon arrive to apprehend him because, even though he wore a ski-mask "disguise," Matthews is 7-foot-4 and a former high school classmate of the clerk. It was left unreported why Matthews thought the mask would help him. {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

FOREVER DIETING? 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

Feeling Cheated by Volkswagen Diesel?

Did you buy a 2009-2105 VW because you wanted an environmentally friendly car that got great mileage? Recently, VW has admitted they programmed cars to cheat emissions tests so thier cars appeared more economical and environmentally friendly. You may have a claim for:

•Diminished value of your car, •Unfair and deceptive advertising and trade practices, •Several other violations and misrepresentations.

We are reviewing these cases now at no cost to you. If you have a 2009-2015 Volkswagen diesel or certain 2014-2105 Porsche or Audi diesels, we would be happy to talk to you about your potential claim. Call us now to discuss how you can seek justice for this misrepresentation to you, the innocent consumer.

127 Palafox Place, Suite 100 Pensacola, FL 32502 | 850-444-0000 www.stevensonklotz.com December 10, 2015

www. radiofree pensacola .com 23

The Weeknd • Calvin Harris • Florence + The Machine

Alabama Shakes • Ellie Goulding • Lenny Kravitz • Flume Haim • Cage The Elephant • Panic! At The Disco • Grimes The Chainsmokers • Walk The Moon • Leon Bridges • Miike Snow BIG BOI + Jason Isbell • Big Grams ( PHANTOGRAM ) • Run The Jewels • Foals Fetty Wap • The Neighbourhood • Portugal. The Man • Moon Taxi 3LAU • Courtney Barnett • Silversun Pickups • X Ambassadors

Bro Safari • Kurt Vile and the Violators • Børns • Thomas Jack Coleman Hell • Alessia Cara • Wailers • Mayer Hawthorne Nahko and Medicine for the People • Brett Dennen • The Struts Atlas Genius • Vince Staples • Pepper • Raury • Snails Stick Figure • Judah & the Lion • Tourist • Kaleo • Magic Man Health • Alison Wonderland • The Griswolds Hippie Sabotage • The Revivalists • GIVERS Coasts • Phases • Bully • Lizzo • Jack Novak

The Royal Concept • Pell • Bass Drum of Death Jai Wolf • Muddy Magnolias • Meg Mac Lazyboy Empire • Jerry Folk • Speaker of the House Powers • Lost Kings • Half Moon Run Strangers You Know • Koa

Independent News | December 10, 2015 | inweekly.net