Inweekly Dec. 16 2021 Issue

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Independent News | December 16, 2021 | Volume 22 | Number 50

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winners & losers

outtakes

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news 6, 8

You know who came in to save them?

feature story

buzz 10

GRAPHIC NOVELS

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publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

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Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. © 2018 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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winners & losers

Chris Garagiola / Courtesy of Blue Wahoos

winners CHRIS GARAGIOLA The Arizona Dia-

mondbacks have hired the Blue Wahoos announcer to join their radio broadcast team in 2022. Garagiola will move to the major leagues to provide in-game coverage of the Diamondbacks and pre- and post-game analysis. He joined the Blue Wahoos in 2017 as a media relations trainee and assistant broadcaster alongside Tommy Thrall, the inaugural voice of Blue Wahoos baseball. Garagiola moved into the lead play-by-play role with the Blue Wahoos in 2019 following Thrall's move to the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds.

PENSACOLA CIVITAN CLUB The civic club recently built a residential wheelchair ramp for a family with a 2-year-old child who needed the ramp. The installation was the group's 500th ramp installation. Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson attended the installation and praised the group's work. He said at his weekly press conference, "That's 500 individuals in our community that need ADA assistance at their house with a ramp, and Civitan has built those. That's 500. It's hard to kind of wrap your head around how many that is."

2021 HOLLINGER AWARDS Baptist

Health Care Foundation has announced the 2021 Hollinger Award recipients for outstanding service contributions to Baptist Health Care. The awards, named for long-time BHC supporters Pick and Alberta Hollinger, are presented to those that have exhibited exceptional generosity and community leadership through gifts of their time and financial support. J. Clyde Broome was named Volunteer of the Year; Grace Sullivan, Women's Board Volunteer of the Year; Toinetta Coolie, MSN, FNP-BC, Health Care Professional of the Year; and Enrique Diaz, M.D., Physician of the Year.

UWF CENTER FOR CYBERSECURITY

The University of West Florida received a $3 million grant extension by the National Security Agency to expand the national cybersecurity workforce development program, CyberSkills2Work, following a successful launch of the program last year. In September 2020, the NSA awarded UWF a $6 million grant to lead a coalition of 10 institutions designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity to address the critical shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals.

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Nikki Fried / Photo by Alex Workman

losers NIKKI FRIED Last week, the Florida Com-

mission on Ethics found probable cause the Florida Agriculture Commissioner violated state law when she failed to initially disclose $400,000 in lobbying income when she ran for office in 2018. Fried dismissed the findings as what she expected from a panel appointed by Republican leaders, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Wilton Simpson and House Speaker Chris Sprowls.

Maybe Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill will use the same defense in battling the state ethics commission's probable cause findings against him.

TAMPA BAY TIMES The federal govern-

ment has taken control of the Tampa Bay Times' pension plan after finding its parent company, the Times Publishing Company, was unable to pay benefits. Retirees will be paid without interruption, but they will not earn any further benefits from the plan after Nov. 30. However, PBGC will continue to pay the earned pension plan benefits up to the limits set by law. The move came after years of PBGC liens—more than $103 million— against the Times for failing to make required payments to the plan.

CENSORSHIP #1 The medical licensing

board of Tennessee voted to remove any reference to a new policy warning against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation from its website, essentially buckling under pressure from a conservative Republican who opposed it. The policy holds that doctors who knowingly spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines can be suspended or have their licenses revoked. Though it has been rescinded, any information concerning it has been deleted. The Tennessean, Gannett's daily newspaper in Nashville, reported the board removed reference to the policy out of fear Tennessee State Rep. John Ragan of Oak Ridge would replace them if they did not.

CENSORSHIP #2 The Florida Department

of Education removed an anti-bullying portal from its website, including links to LGBTQ advocacy groups, after being quiestioned by a reporter from the Florida Capital Star.

When pulling the anti-bullying portal, the department removed links to state anti-bullying policy, LGBTQ advocacy groups and other bullying prevention resources. inweekly.net

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outtakes

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PROTECT JOURNALISTS Freedom of the press is under attack around the world. Former President Donald Trump's cry of "fake news" has been taken up by Republican leaders in this country and repressive regimes from Asia to Europe to Africa.

Using new tech and security laws, governments squashed criticism and investigative reporting from the independent press in 2021, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). This independent, nonprofit organization promotes press freedom worldwide and defends journalists' right to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

The organization's annual census report found a record number of journalists were imprisoned because of their work this past year, as well as the deaths of at least 24 journalists targeted because of their coverage.

At least 293 journalists were jailed as of Dec. 1, the most since CPJ began collecting data three decades ago. The previous record was 274 imprisonments that were recorded just a year ago. For six consecutive years, 250 or more journalists have been arrested and jailed.

China, Turkey, Egypt, Belarus and Saudi Arabia have been among the worst jailers.

The attacks have not been hidden. On May 23, Belarusian authorities diverted a Lithuania-bound commercial flight to the Belarus capital of Minsk because President Aleksandr Lukashenko wanted to arrest journalist Roman Pratasevich and his girlfriend.

The Belarusian leader had brutally punished reporters for months for their coverage of the mass protests after Lukashenko's victory in the Aug. 9, 2020, presidential election, widely seen as rigged. Authorities tried to close media outlets, block the internet, raid newsrooms and harass journalists with multiple arrests. The CPJ census shows that at least 19 reporters remain behind bars—up from 10 in 2020.

After his arrest, Pratesevich was forced to appear on state TV and at press conferences after a publicized "confession." He lives under house arrest in Minsk, banned from seeing anybody and going outside.

Belarus' national security agency, reportedly, has agents residing with him in his room.

Latin America has become increasingly dangerous for journalists. Mexico remains the deadliest country for reporters in the Western Hemisphere, with nine murders. Reporters were also killed in Colombia and Haiti, according to the CPJ census.

The organization reports that regimes in Latin America have stepped up their censorship in 2021. In Nicaragua, authorities harassed and detained journalists using new laws in the months leading up to its presidential election. One law requires individuals and organizations that receive money from foreign sources, such as employees of wire services, freelance journalists receiving payments from overseas outlets and international correspondents based in Nicaragua, to register as foreign agents with the Ministry of Interior.

Failure to register resulted in fines and the confiscation of property. Those who did register had to submit monthly reports on income, expenses and activities related to their professional work.

The "foreign agents" had to "refrain, under penalty of legal sanctions, from intervening in questions, activities or matters of internal politics."

When protests sprung up in more than 50 towns and cities in Cuba, authorities detained journalists, blocked reporters from leaving their homes, and interrupted access to the internet and social media platforms.

Reporters faced short-term arbitrary interrogations and arrests.

CPJ reports three reporters sit in Cuban jails. Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca has covered social and political affairs on his YouTube channel.

He is in pretrial detention in a prison in Havana on accusations of contempt and enemy propaganda. Journalists Mary Karla Ares, a reporter for the community newspaper Amanecer Habanero, and Camila Acosta, the correspondent of Spanish newspaper ABC and a contributor to Cubanet, also sit in jail awaiting trial for their coverages of the protests.

Our founding fathers understood the importance of a free press. As a world leader, our nation must advocate it persistently, even though it may be inconvenient such as with our ally Saudi Arabia. A free press is the only means of holding the powerful accountable. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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BERGOSH PUSHES CHANGES

Jeff Bergosh / Photo Courtesy of MyEscambia

By Jeremy Morrison Jeff Bergosh's baseline intention as he heads into his yearlong term as chairman of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners seems straightforward enough.

"I look forward to running an organized, orderly year on the board," Bergosh told Inweekly recently. But as anyone familiar with the Escambia commission knows, this is a heavy lift.

"It's difficult at times," Chairman Bergosh continued, "because there's always a lot of contentious issues, but my goal is to run efficient meetings."

We'll see how that goes. Because Bergosh is correct—the issues that come across the commission's table and the very nature of county politics are often contentious and lead to sprawling arguments and debates that expose diametrically opposed political agendas.

Bergosh offered a useful window of insight into potentially prickly conversations commissioners may be getting into when

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discussing his plans to change how the county's public safety operations are funded.

"You see, there's a way to do what we need to do without the knee jerk, you know, 'We've got to raise taxes,'" shared the chairman.

"That's the line that I hear from the commissioner (Doug Underhill) that sits to my right—who I don't really think has a fundamental understanding of a lot of things. He just speaks very well when he has something written in front of him, and so people believe that he is the oracle of all knowledge."

The past four years have shown that efficient meetings don't necessarily mean the fireworks can be avoided. The county has plenty of issues facing it.

"There's a lot of challenging situations that are coming up," Bergosh said, "and I'm going to try to find a way to do the judo flip and turn the challenges into opportunities; that's just not a talking point."

Chairman Bergosh doesn't plan to shy away from the challenges "I've got a lot of things that I'm going to look at. Will I get them all done? Probably not," Bergosh said, looking ahead. "For me, the win is, I'm in the telephone booth with the blowing hundred-dollar bills, and I'm trying to grab as many as I can. And that's what I'm going to do. Of course, metaphorically speaking, I'm grabbing problems and trying to solve them, you know?"

First and foremost, Bergosh aims to change the county budget paradigm as to how certain county functions are funded.

"I think there are some tweaks we can make," Bergosh said. "I'm going to be bringing those to the board. They're going to be bold."

Specifically, he wants his fellow commissioners to look at changing how public safety is funded. Bergosh wants to increase the MSTU (Municipal Services Taxing Unit) for both the Escambia County Sheriff's Department and fire

protection services. The tax increase would be offset for residents by correspondingly lowering the county's millage rate reflectively—"So it's a wash, revenue-neutral."

Also, the chairman intends to tighten up in general fund budget overall, trimming the fat and examining every program.

"A real, true, zero-based budget, that's what I'm going to aim for this year," Bergosh said. "We've talked about it. We've tweaked at the margins, but we haven't really done it."

He continued, "How do I know that? Because we have departments that are budgeting for phantom positions that will never be filled, and they use that money to pay overtime in a very inefficient manner for the taxpayers."

Bergosh wants to tackle economic development and the new county jail. He's anxious to get OLF 8, which is next to the Navy Federal Credit Union's campus in Beulah, off the ground. He's concerned about staffing issues in the jail.

He pointed out, "We've got too many vacancies. The brand-new building was supposed to decrease the number of required FTEs we needed, but now suddenly, we're told we've got to keep the same amount. I've got to really peel the onion on that."

Looking well beyond his term, Bergosh said that the county needs to fortify itself in the face of climate change. Stormwater and drainage issues abound. Development codes may need to be assessed.

"Things are changing. We've gotten more rain than we ever have; it's happening year after year," said the chairman. "You can't sit there and say, 'Well, I don't believe in any kind of climate change.' Something's happening; you know something's obviously happening."

He continued, "We've got to be ready; we've gotta be resilient. We may even have to up the codes further. Developers won't like it, but too bad. Because when they do things halfway, like on a retention pond, and they don't do it the way it was engineered, we end up picking up the pieces two years later."

What makes a good leader? Chairman Bergosh has some thoughts on this issue.

"There are two schools of thought on leadership," he said, "Some people say leaders are made. And other people say leaders are born. I think if you are truly a leader, you don't have to blow your horn about it. Your actions speak louder than words."

Bergosh continued, "Now, do I think I'm a leader? I know I am because I've got a track record of getting things done that people didn't think I would get done. But I'm not going to sit there and write editorials with six bullet points in the newspaper that no one reads about my leadership. That's not me."

Instead, the District 2 commissioner said he has a list of projects he wants to get done.

He added, "I'm going to work very hard to convince my counterparts to follow me along, and I'm going try to get them done."

This notion of unity—at least unified enough to pull off three out of five votes—is critical for Bergosh. While he may be the commission chairman, he understands that any progress will require commissioners to work together—collaboration and compromise.

"There are five men on the board," Bergosh said. "We all have our egos; we all have our ideas. You know, if you want to be a leader as a county commissioner, you must find a way to get three votes, and then you get things done in your district."

How will Bergosh measure success as he leads the commission through this next year?

"One day when you're no longer in the seat, people look back and say, 'Gosh, you know, I didn't like that guy very much, but damn it, he got things done," said the chairman. "'And our property values have doubled and, damn it, our district, we've got stuff going on in our district.'"

Bergosh continued, "I think that's how you define leadership because I tell you, you don't define it by eight or 10 people on certain Facebook hate sites who sit around in their basements, banging away at the keyboard with clammy and sweaty hands with a bunch of malice and hatred. Those folks are what you call people without lives. I'm actually out doing it, getting it done, and that's what I'm going to continue to do." {in}

inweekly.net

December 16, 2021

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PAP TACKLES TRAFFICKING

Mike Papantonio / Photo Courtesy of Levin Papantonio Rafferty

By Rick Outzen Pensacola trial attorney Mike "Pap" Papantonio has another bestselling legal thriller available in bookstores and online. Like these first three novels, readers get an inside look at national and international cases that Pap and his firm, Levin, Papantonio, Rafferty, Proctor, Buchanan, O'Brien, Barr & Mougey, tackle.

In the first, "Law and Disorder," Nicholas "Deke" Deketomis battled the oil industry that framed him for murder in hopes of derailing his lawsuit. The second novel, "Law and Vengeance," introduced readers to Deke's law partner, Gina Romano, as the firm tackles the arms dealers. And the third, "Law and Addiction," has Deke confronting Big Pharma over opioids.

Papantonio recently sat down with Inweekly to discuss his latest thriller, "Inhuman Trafficking," which deals with human trafficking. The obvious first question—is the protagonist, Deke Deketomis, Mike Papantonio?

"No, a little bit, but it's all a composite," Papantonio shared, "When you practice law for 40 years and you try as many lawsuits as I have all over the country, from California to New York to Miami,

you're introduced to a lot of different interesting, sometimes damaged but talented, personalities, but personalities that really are human."

He continued, "We're living when everything is Marvel comic books. It's like we have a whole damn generation that can't understand that there's reality. We got to deal with reality."

Papantonio said, "Everybody's not Superman. And so, all the characters that are created, they've got barnacles on them, man. They're not Superman; they're people.

Deke is a good example of that. You read Deke, and you go, 'Oh, my God, this guy's pretty complicated.'"

Papantonio explained that he writes his legal thrillers because they expose readers to corporate greed and corruption that the national media refuses to cover because it may impact advertising revenues.

"Corporate media is dead. It is useless. And if you think you're getting information from corporate media, now you are in la-la land," said Papantonio.

"With human trafficking, why is it that the media still is not telling these stories? Why do I have to write a fiction book in hopes that somebody's going to read the book and understand what's happening in their backyard? Why is that? Because now, we

"With human trafficking, why is it that the media still is not telling these stories? Why do I have to write a fiction book in hopes that somebody's going to read the book and understand what's happening in their backyard?"

Mike Papantonio

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know trafficking goes all the way to the top of the game, all the way to Wall Street," he told Inweekly. "In 1980, there were 55 independent news sources, just like Inweekly. Now three organizations own all of the media."

Papantonio added, "They all work together. You never have any meaningful dialogue about what's really happening around us.

'Inhuman Trafficking' explains what trafficking is, how it works, but it entertains you at the same."

In 'Inhuman Trafficking,' Deketomis had his sights on Welcome Mat Hospitality, a firm known for truck stops and lodging throughout the United States. The corporation has human trafficking—sex workers and slave labor—at many of its properties. The story ramps up to another level when Deke's teenage goddaughter goes missing and falls prey to a notorious trafficker.

The Levin Papantonio Rafferty law firm has uncovered corporate ties to human trafficking and the porn industry that reach as far as Wall Street.

"There's a company in Canada. They're the clearinghouse for pornography all over the world—one of the biggest clearinghouses in the world for pornography," said Papantonio.

"They know who all the traffickers are and how to reach these folks. They can call a perve in L.A. and say they need a film of a 14- or 15-yearold being brutally raped in a hotel room. It's filmed; they pay the trafficker money to do it. Then they take that, and they send it all over the world."

According to Papantonio, the Canadian porn clearinghouse ran out of money about four years ago. He said, "You know who came in to save them? Wall Street. $700 million to these pervs. I mean, just sociopaths in Canada. And so they chose to do business, and they kept that business alive."

Human trafficking is also part of the trucking industry. Papantonio shared, "You got women being trucked from L.A. to New York. And as they're being trucked, these cats are on the truck get on the radio—'We're go-

ing to be at stop number 35 in a day. Everybody come in and have sex with our truckload of young sex slaves.' The truck stop turns a blind eye because it brings in business."

Papantonio continued, "The truck drivers buy food; they buy gasoline; they stay overnight; they use hotels. And so, it's all about money. We think that human trafficking is some isolated situation like that movie 'Taken.' We think, oh, that's all there is to it. Well, it's not. It's a lot more complicated. They're recruiting girls in Ukraine."

Recruiters go to Ukraine and interview girls for jobs in the service industry. Papantonio said, "They bring them back to the United States and put them as a greeter at a hotel for a few weeks. And they say, 'Well, how'd you like to make more money? We just happen to own a strip club down the road.

You can be a waitress in the strip club.' And then two weeks later from that, 'How'd you like to make more money? Well, you can do that by dancing on the pole.' Then two weeks after that, 'How would you like to make more money? Well, great. I'm going to introduce you to this cat named Tom. He's out in the audience; he wants to meet you.' At that point, they disappear into the system."

The girls are traded as sex slaves.

Papantonio said, "'And you know what their life expanse is? Five years. If they live five years, that's extraordinary. Because they're going to die of a drug overdose. They're going to die of homicide. They're going to die of suicide. They're going to die of sexually transmitted diseases. And just pure despair. But that's the system."

Why does Papantonio take on mass tort cases like the one in "Inhuman Trafficking?"

He told Inweekly, "We start with the need, whether it's Big Tobacco, opioids or, in this case, human trafficking. Lives are being lost, and we see a need for us to put the kind of attention, the kind of money and effort we put into that to save people's lives."

Papantonio explained, "We've handled, I think, 47 of the biggest pharmaceutical cases in the country. Every time we analyzed it, there was a need because people were dying from defective products; they were dying because the drug industry had lied to them about clinical data that they just simply made up. And with human trafficking right now, there's a need for us to defend those whose families and lives have been destroyed."

The Deke Deketomis novels reflect Papantonio's practice. He said, "There's nothing in any of the books that's not true.

They're cases we've actually handled, and I've simply modified it in a way that it's hopefully a good read, and you come away thinking, 'Wow, I really learned something about that industry.'" {in}

"And with human trafficking right now, there's a need for us to defend those whose families and lives have been destroyed." Papantonio

inweekly.net

December 16, 2021

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Taher Rahgooy / Photo Courtesy of UWF

FIRST UWF ROBOTICS GRAD Taher Rahgooy, a Ph.D. candidate of the intelligent systems and robotics program launched by the University of West Florida and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, became the program's first graduate at UWF's Fall Commencement ceremony.

Rahgooy was among the initial cohort of fi ve students to join the program when it was established two years ago and was one of two students who transferred to UWF from Tulane University on the heels of Dr. Brent Venable, the program's founding director.

Venable previously held a joint appointment as a professor of computer science at Tulane and a research scientist at IHMC. "The graduation of our first doctoral student is an incredible milestone for the intelligent systems and robotics program," Dr. Venable said. "Only two years after its establishment, our program is contributing to the highly skilled workforce in the intelligent systems field, which is a national priority with a high demand market."

Dr. Venable shared on "Real News with Rick Outzen" on WCOA 104.9 and 1370 AM, "The program is now almost three years old, and it started as a partnership between IHMC (Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition) and UWF. We have students that are representing seven different countries, as well as several students from the Pensacola area."

She explained the program is unique because of the partnership with IHMC. Venable said, "We really strive to personalize the coursework of the student to the interest of the student. We focus on the mentor-student team as a whole to create a partnership between the mentor and the student that allows the student to hit the ground running in terms of early integration into research."

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She added, "Our students come into the program and do research from the start.

IHMC provides a wide portfolio of the research projects that several government agencies fund, and that's the perfect ecosystem for early integration into research."

Venable praised Rahgooy, whose thesis was on machine learning guided by linguistic and behavioral knowledge.

"Artificial intelligence, there are two ways now to design intelligent agents. One is to give them the rules that they have to follow, and the other one is to equip them with methods that allow them to learn these rules," she told Inweekly. "Taher put these two things together in the context of understanding language and in the context of predicting human behavior when they make choices. They're great results, great innovations."

FIVE FINALISTS The Escambia Children's

Trust has narrowed its applications for its executive director to five finalists: •Dasiely Cruz, Executive Director of The Children's Forum Early Learning Career Center, which is funded by The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County, •Toby Fritz, Vice President/COO of Folium, Inc. of Charlottesville, Va., •Tammy Greer, Executive Director/CEO of Gulfcoast Legal Services in St. Petersburg, Fla. •Al Henderson, Executive Director of the Escambia-Pensacola Human Relations Commission, and •Leslie Mickles, Vice President of Financial Advancement of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, The Children's Trust Board of Directors will interview the finalist in January.

RETURNING JAIL TO SHERIFF Escambia County Commission Chairman Jeff Bergosh wants to turn control of the county

jail back to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. The county commission took over the jail in 2013 when Commission Chairman Gene Valentino and Interim County Administrator George Touart balked at former Sheriff David Morgan's budget request to meet the DOJ requirements.

Bergosh told Inweekly that Florida only has seven county jails run by their respective boards of county commissioners in those counties. He said, "I favor having the sheriff run the jail. I spoke with Sheriff Simmons at a luncheon the other day about that."

The chairman admitted several issues need to be ironed out, such as what happens to the county's road camp.

"There are financial concerns. So just look for those discussions to take place if the board feels that's appropriate," said Bergosh. "We do have a great working relationship with the sheriff now. We didn't with his predecessor, but we do with him.

So I would look to see those conversations beginning next year."

BEHIND THE HEADLINE Last week,

the Florida Department of Law Enforcement held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Pensacola Regional Operations Center, which will be named for former FDLE Commissioner James T. "Tim" Moore, in the Marcus Pointe Commerce Park.

The operations center has been discussed for over five years. In early 2016, FDLE made a funding request to build a $15 million facility next to the Gen. Chappie James state office building on West Government Street. A year later, FDLE bumped up the request to $30 million and sought to construct the center on a parking lot on Romana and Reus streets.

State Rep. Alex Andrade worked behind the scenes to put the deal together so that the site and building weren't taken off the property tax rolls.

"If the state buys the land and builds the building, then the county's not getting property taxes," Andrade told Inweekly. "The other option is if the state decides to lease it from someone else and pay someone else to go build it at a capped rate. The state will have to budget every year to rent it as opposed to building it, which could subject it to variable fees and costs. The site stays on the tax rolls."

Andrade felt downtown Pensacola didn't need another government building. He was also concerned about flooding issues with the FDLE taking up an entire city block.

"The way that the character of our downtown is shifting, that would've affected that kind of area for 40 years with a different type of use right there in the middle of all that growth," said the state lawmaker. "So the opportunity to advocate for it to be farther north outside of our

growing and vibrant downtown and not gobbling up valuable taxable land for state uses was a big win for local folks, local contractors, local brokers."

Andrade added, "I was excited to see that local folks were able to win this bid and be able to keep all that opportunity right here in Escambia County.

NEW DISTRICT LINE It's official. Perdido

Key is now in District 1, which is Commissioner Jeff Bergosh's district. He plans to meet with his new constituents.

"Right after the first of the year, I'm going to have a series of town halls," Bergosh told Inweekly. "One of them we'll have in Innerarity, and that'll bring in all the community of Perdido Key." He plans another in Beulah to dispel rumors he can't serve both areas. He said, "The argument has been that you cannot serve Beulah and Perdido Key, which is absolute fiction. Of course you can."

Bergosh continued, "Will we get more phone calls? Yes. Will we have more projects that we're going to shepherd through the process? Of course. Things will go fine."

ECAT CONTINUES MASKS Following President Biden's recent announcement that masks will continue to be required aboard public transit systems until March 18, 2022, ECAT has reminded patrons that face masks are required aboard all buses and in indoor bus terminals and other transportation hubs. Free face masks have been provided since June 1 and will continue to be available.

"ECAT understands that this is a trying time for everyone," said ECAT Interim Director Rodriques Kimbrough. "Mask mandates are for the safety of our ridership as well as our bus operators and staff. By following the mask mandates, we can continue to provide a safe and enjoyable ride experience for our community."

According to these orders, operators must use their best efforts to ensure that any person on the conveyance wears a mask when boarding, when disembarking and for the duration of travel or while entering or on the premises of the transportation hub.

Depending on the circumstances, operators must take the following actions: •Allow entry only to people who wear masks; •Instruct people that wearing a mask on the conveyance/premises is a requirement of federal law and that not complying with the requirement is a violation of federal law; •Monitor the conveyance/premises for any person who is not wearing a mask and seek compliance from such a person; •At the earliest safe opportunity, disembark/remove from premises any person who refuses to comply; and •Notify people of the requirement to make inweekly.net

sure they are aware of and comply with wearing a mask.

Riders also are required to properly wear the face-covering according to CDC guidelines for their entire trip, including covering the face and nose.

People are not required to wear a mask under the following circumstances: •While eating, drinking or taking medication for brief periods; •While communicating, for brief periods, with a person who is hearing impaired when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication; •If unconscious (for reasons other than sleeping), incapacitated, unable to be awakened or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance; or •When necessary to temporarily remove the mask to verify one's identity, such as during Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening or when asked to do so by the ticket or gate agent or any law enforcement official.

The following categories of people are exempt from the requirement to wear a mask: •A child under the age of 2 years; •A person with a disability who cannot wear a mask, or cannot safely wear a mask, for reasons related to the disability; •A person for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace health, safety or job duty as determined by the relevant workplace safety guidelines or federal regulations.

•Please notify the bus operator if a passenger meets one of the above requirements that prevents mask-wearing. Social distancing will still be encouraged on all ECAT vehicles.

ECAT operators will also continue to wear masks. All ECAT employees are subject to temperature checks when they arrive to work as a precaution. ECAT continues to implement safety measures and increased bus and facility cleanings to ensure the safety of the passengers and employees.

December 16, 2021

Please call ECAT Customer Service at (850) 595-3228 if you need assistance with a specific route or have additional questions. Updated information is also available at goecat.com.

HUNDREDS OF TREES To replenish the area's tree canopy, the city of Pensacola will be planting approximately 300 trees between now and February. The tree plantings are meant as compensation for trees lost during Hurricane Sally in 2020.

"After the devastating loss of several hundred trees during Hurricane Sally, I'm very excited to see this plan moving forward to replace trees that were lost or severely damaged in the storm," said Mayor Grover Robinson.

This tree planting effort officially kicked off this year on Arbor Day by planting two trees in Parker Circle Park. The kick-off was a component of the City of Pensacola Tree Refurbishment Plan that is designed to replenish the city's tree canopy, which is environmentally beneficial for erosion, stormwater and temperature reduction.

"Trees are such a vital part of Pensacola's beautiful landscape, and it's imperative that we continue planting trees that our citizens can enjoy for generations to come," Mayor Robinson said.

The city is funding this tree-planting effort with money from its so-called tree trust fund. The Pensacola City Council has authorized using up to $150,000 from the fund for this project.

The city will be planting these hundreds of trees in a collection of public parks.

Though the inventory of trees for the individual parks—spread throughout the city's seven districts—has yet to be determined, the involved parks include Baars, Bayview, Belvedere, Bryan, Camelot, Eastgate, Fairchild, Fort George, Greenwood, Granada Subdivision, Gull Point Center, Rev. H.K. Matthews, Hitzman-Optimist, Lavallet,

Malaga, MLK Plaza, Tech Park, Pineglades, Pintado, Plaza Ferdinand, Roger Scott Athletic Complex, Semmes, Toledo Square, Victory 1 and 2, and Zamora Square.

Currently, the city is in the process of determining which trees should be planted in which parks. To assist in this task, they have contracted with Geosyntec Consultants to test the soil at each city park and determine the appropriate course for each property. Elements the consultants will consider include wind tolerance, soil conditions and drought tolerance. Geosyntec's services are running the city $34,595, with that money stemming from the city's recent infusion of pandemic-related federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act. City spokesperson Kaycee Lagarde said that as the city determines how many and what type of trees will be added to the landscape at each of these properties, more specific information will be released.

and individuals rely on access to fresh and nutritious foods provided by Feeding the Gulf Coast and its partner agencies.

Feeding the Gulf Coast constructed its current Milton facility in 2009, expecting to distribute 8-10 million pounds per year.

However, as the community's needs have increased, so have its distribution efforts.

"It's been doing 50, 60, 70% more than the original projection," shared Ledger. "If you were walking down the aisles of that, you'd have to walk sideways, and we would joke that you had to make sure that you didn't put on too much weight or you wouldn't make it down the aisles of the warehouse."

He continued, "Thankfully, we've increased that space in various metrics from anywhere from 40 to 60%, depending on if you're talking about the freezer, cooler or dry storage areas."

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS On Thursday,

a December adoption special to help pets find homes during the holidays. Until Dec. 31, all cats and kittens are $10, and dogs and puppies are $25. Adoption fees include spay or neutering services, microchips, heartworm tests and the initial vaccinations, including rabies vaccinations.

Escambia County residents will be required to purchase a separate $11 license at the time of adoption.

"We have some incredible pets here that could use a home for the holidays," said Animal Welfare Director John Robinson. "Currently, we have 69 dogs and 32 cats available for adoption. We would love to see these pets find their homes in time for the holidays. We hope you'll come by to meet some of the animals here and find one for your home."

The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center is located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from noon-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. {in}

Dec. 9, Feeding the Gulf Coast celebrated 40 years of service and its Milton Facility Expansion with a special open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"Today is a special day, and the past month or so really very busy for us and exciting," President and CEO Michael Ledger told Inweekly. "Forty years ago, a motivated group of people got together and decided that our area needed a food bank to support all these pantries that are doing such amazing work. And today, the organization has grown into what it is—24 counties and 22,000 square miles we support with locations in Milton, Mobile, Ala., and Gulfport, Miss."

Feeding the Gulf Coast, formerly known as Bay Area Food Bank, opened its doors on Dec. 1, 1981, as a small organization that aimed to serve the needs of those impacted by hunger. The food bank works to address chronic hunger along the central Gulf Coast, where nearly 350, 400 families

PET ADOPTIONS The center is running

11

WRAP IT UP

A Last-Minute Holiday Shopping Guide Is it just us or did the holidays creep up really fast this year?

Maybe it's because we've been incredibly distracted by "Succession." Or because we've been anxiously keeping tabs on the Omicron variant (and, in turn, reevaluating our holiday travel plans every other day). But we are seriously behind on our holiday shopping.

And we know we aren't alone.

So we decided to put together this handy little procrastinator's guide, full of lastminute gift ideas. To help us keep it fresh, we asked some of our friends to make gift recommendations in their area of expertise, like food and beverage and vintage shopping. We also asked a Palafox Market vendor and the Gallery Night director (who also happen to be regular Inweekly contributors) for some suggestions since both of those events are happening this weekend and offer great opportunities to shop multiple makers and artisans at once.

Like always, everything we're suggesting is local—so it will help you avoid shipping hassles and the dreaded mall parking lot. So read up and get ready to buy some gifts so damn good no one will ever know you procrastinated. We promise. {in}

DECEMBER GALLERY NIGHT

5-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, @gallerynightpensacola

Picks by Sydney Robinson, Executive Director of Gallery Night

Lindsay Scruggs

@lindsayscruggs_art Local ceramicist and digital artist Lindsay Scruggs' holiday ornaments and necklaces are simple and rustic and would make a great gift for someone who appreciates the perfect imperfections of handmade pieces.

Jaime Shevat

@jaimeshevatart I can't get enough of mushroom home decor including mushy-themed wooden painted ornaments from local popartist Jaime Shevat. Awarded Gallery Night's "Best in Show" last month, Shevat's tent also features lots of pop culture and beachy elements for those less fungi-inclined.

Miss Teacup Candles Photo Courtesy of Wendy English of Ochre + Umber

@missteacupcandles They say candles are the new plants, and Miss Teacup Can-

FOOD AND BEVERAGE Picks by Jenn and Ryan Eaton, Owners of Big Jerk Soda Co. @bigjerksoda

Gift Cards

You really can't go wrong with gift cards from local restaurants (especially if you know their favorite spots).

Brewery Swag

Most of our local breweries have a great selection of cans and bottles and even cool glassware and merchandise for the beer lover in your life.

Craft Bakery

@craftbakerypensacola Anything from Craft. Anything.

Market Finds

@applemarketpensacola1021, @baileysproduce Apple Market and Bailey's are where we go to scoop up a 212 1

dles seeks to elevate the candle game by serving up scented wax and wood wicks in delicate teacup and saucer sets. Each one is unique, classy and so fun.

Wendy English

@ochre.umber444 This artist's mixed-media canvases are awash in organic materials with charming origins including ash from a family bonfire, natural inks from avocado pits and white clay she harvested by hand.

Neatsuniques

@neatsuniques Oneida Moss of Neatsuniques offers handmade jewelry from her vintage burlap-and-pearls tent. Grab a last-minute gift for someone you love and enjoy a conversation with Ms. Moss while you do.

LemonBright

@lemonbright Creator Nancy Butler of LemonBright offers a unique spin on vintage clothing, reinventing and revitalizing items into something edgy and new. It's a perfect stop for the alt baddies in your life.

variety of tasty regionally made treats and items for gifts or parties.

Remember When Sweet Shop

@rwsweetshop Remember When Sweet Shop is perfect for loading up on those classic holiday sweets you keep saying you're going to make one of these years but never do.

Charlotte Mason Print Co.

@charlottemason_printco Charlotte Mason prints super cute coasters for cocktail enthusiasts and home entertainers.

The Daily Squeeze

@thedailysqueezepcola This one is a tricky gift because it has to be kept refrigerated. So we suggest you buy a gift card and gift yourself whatever seasonal juice The Daily Squeeze has in the cooler while doing your last-minute shopping.

Photo Courtesy of Craft Bakery inweekly.net

Easy Going Gallery

@easygoinggallery This relatively new gallery/event space/coffee bar on West Cervantes Street (near the old Sluggo's building—RIP) also serves as a great spot for vintage and handmade gifts. Easy Going offers a unique record selection complete with a complimentary listening station, a special corner of vintage clothing that rotates between different sellers each month and beautiful handmade pottery from local artists.

Supertouch Vintage

@supertouch_vintage The best place in town for thoughtfully curated and beautifully restored mid-century pieces. The retail shop is currently open by appointment only, so check out their Instagram first for available pieces and reach out if you see the perfect gift.

Navy Boulevard Antique Shops Photo Courtesy of Garden Street Vintage

VINTAGE Picks by Hana Frenette, Owner of Parcel Vintage @parcel.vintage

PALAFOX MARKET

9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, @palafoxmarket

Picks by Tim Bednarczyk, Studio Manager at Charlotte Mason Print Co., @charlottemason_printco

Jade Tree Succulents

@jadetreesucculents This is the must-shop vendor for all the plant people in your life. Succulents can be a great low-maintenance gift. Plus, Jade Tree often has unique planters and containers, making their plants into prominent decor pieces.

Mrs. Jones Cold Brew

@mrs.jones_coffee Coffee can't possibly be a bad gift. Mrs. Jones offers art deco style bottles of cold brew concentrate in a variety of flavors. She also offers giftable accessories like tumbler jars and cold brew kits.

Design by Stasia

@designbystasia If you're shopping for someone who likes art prints, candles or stickers, this is the place to look. All of designer

You could easily spend a full day browsing the half dozen or more antique malls lining Navy Boulevard, each one with a variety of price points and specialties. Blue Moon and All About Antiques both have killer jewelry counters. Oodles has a great selection of antique books in a tiny, tucked-away library room and a cute shop cat, who will likely be napping peacefully in an overstuffed chair. Rusty Relic has tons of small, inexpensive items, some as little as $1—like handmade Christmas ornaments and costume jewelry. Antiques

& More is also worth a stop for its front yard sales and little coffee and cookie table near the counter (which always gives me a "stopped by grandma's house" feeling).

Garden Street Vintage

@gardenstreetvtg Garden Street Vintage is a mecca of vintage streetwear and is never short on great tees, sneakers and jackets—all of which would make great gifts. This Saturday, Dec. 18, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., they are hosting a $25 bag sale, which will feature bins of vintage shirts that you can shop for just $25 a bag-load.

T&W Flea Market

@tandwfleamarket The T&W Flea Market has more than 400 rotating vendor spots, making for an unpredictable array of goods every single weekend—Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. The majority of the items are vintage, but a handful of vendors sell house plants, produce and modern handmade items. Bring your cash or visit the indoor ATM and prepare to peruse.

Instagram

Pensacola is full of great vintage sellers, many of whom operate solely online. The account @pensacolavintagecollective offers a pretty good roundup of accounts and sellers in the area. Many sellers offer free local delivery or porch pickup, gift wrapping or bundled discounts on multiple items.

Stasia Johnson's pieces are bursting with creativity and color, plus some great pop-culture references.

Odd Colony Brewing Co.

@oddcolonybrewing I know this isn't a Palafox Market booth, but their location is on the same street and their Scavenger Society would make a great gift, so I decided to bend the rules a bit. This special annual club membership is on the pricey end of my picks, but well worth the benefits for the craft beer enthusiast on your list. Perks include a membership card, special and exclusive bottle releases, discounted pints and more. The sign-up form and full list of perks are on their website: oddcolony.com/scavengers-society-beer-club.

Big Jerk Soda Co.

@bigjerksoda Also not in the market itself, but well worth the detour to Nomadic's Cafe, which is just a block over on Gregory Street. You can give a fun little gift in the form of a pack of local craft sodas. They also make fantastic cocktail syrups that will jazz up a holiday party or bar cart.

JUST THE TICKET

Sometimes the best gift for someone isn't a thing; it's an experience. And luckily for us procrastinators, it's pretty easy to give the gift of an experience via tickets.

Here are some suggestions if you decide to go this route— including live music, cultural performances and sports.

Cursive / Playing Vinyl Music Hall Jan. 13 / Photo by Ariel Panowicz December 16, 2021

Photo Courtesy of Jade Tree Succulents

Ballet Pensacola balletpensacola.org Pensacola Opera pensacolaopera.com Pensacola Symphony Orchestra pensacolasymphony.com

Vinyl Music Hall vinylmusichall.com

Pensacola Little Theatre pensacolalittletheatre.com

Pensacola Saenger Theatre pensacolasaenger.com

Pensacola Ice Flyers pensacolaiceflyers.com

Pensacola Bay Center pensacolabaycenter.com

Pensacola Blue Wahoos bluewahoos.com 13

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inweekly.net

a&e happenings managed parking spaces. For a map of cityowned parking, visit cityofpensacola.com.

In addition to Parking Amnesty Week, free parking is available daily at the following locations: •Community Maritime Park •Bayfront Parkway – surface lot •Belmont-DeVilliers – surface lot •South Palafox Marina – surface lot

PENSACOLA WINTERFEST Celebrate

Christmas in downtown Pensacola with Santa and a cast of holiday characters at Winterfest Plaza, 223 S. Palafox. Various holiday-themed trolley tours run Nov. 26-Dec. 24. For more information, visit pensacolawinterfest.org/tickets.

SANTA AT YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARY Santa is making an early visit to

Photo Courtesy of Gary's Brewery and Biergarten

HOLIDAY EVENTS

ESCAMBIA COUNTY ANIMAL WELFARE CENTER OFFERING HOLIDAY ADOPTION SPECIAL To help pets find

homes during the holidays, Escambia County Animal Welfare Center is running a December adoption special. Until Dec. 31, all cats and kittens are $10 and dogs and puppies are $25. Adoption fees include spay or neutering services, microchips, heartworm tests and the initial vaccinations including rabies vaccinations. Escambia County residents will be required to purchase a separate $11 license at the time of adoption. Visit PetHarbor to see all of the adoptable pets at the Animal Welfare and Adoption Center.

The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center is located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from noon-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Follow the Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center on Facebook to stay up to date on adoption events, shelter news and more.

EMPTY THE SHELTER HOLIDAY HOPE EVENT Through Dec. 18, Pensacola Humane

Society adoption fees are waived thanks to the BISSELL Pet Foundation. Visit Pensacola Humane Society, located at 5 N. Q St., from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. to find your new fur-friend. Visit pensacolahumane.org for more information.

ALL I WANT HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY

The Downtown Improvement Board has announced the return of the "All I Want" $1,000 giveaway. Every time you make a purchase of at least $10 at downtown restaurants, bars and shops, you can earn an opportunity to win a $1,000.00 downtown Visa gift card. The promotion runs through Dec. 24. For more information, visit downtownpensacola.shop.

DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA PARKING FEES WAIVED Fees for city-owned street

parking in downtown Pensacola will be waived Dec. 19-26 during Parking Amnesty Week, allowing downtown visitors to shop, dine and enjoy the holiday lights and attractions without paying for parking.

The free parking applies only to cityowned on-street parking, identified by teal blue PARKPensacola signage. The free parking excludes parking lots, garages and privately

Escambia County and will make 11 stops to visit all the children and finalize his list. Bring your family to your local library for Santa pictures this holiday season.

UPCOMING DATES: •Thursday, Dec. 16, 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Tryon Library, 1200 Langley Ave. •Thursday, Dec. 16, 5:30-6:30 p.m. – Molino Library, 6450-A Highway 95A •Saturday, Dec. 18, 11-noon – Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St.

POLAR EXPRESS PAJAMA PARTY The National Naval Aviation Museum will present "The Polar Express" Pajama Party at 2:20 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday on the Giant Screen Theater through Sunday, Dec. 19. All Department of Defense (DoD) ID cardholders and their sponsored guests are welcome.

Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas. All children will receive a free cup of hot chocolate and cookie from the refreshment counter.

Ticket prices are $7 per person. Infants 1 and under are free and do not require a ticket purchase. Please arrive early and purchase tickets in person at the museum ticket counter. Advanced tickets are available in person at the Giant Screen Theater ticket counter. For more information, email mcates@navalaviationmuseum.org.

VISIT PENSACOLA HOLIDAY TRAIL RETURNS Visit Pensacola has announced

the return of the Pensacola Holiday Trail, an easy-to-use list of holiday-themed activities taking place in Escambia County and hosted on the Visit Pensacola app.

To encourage residents and visitors to get out and take part in all the destination happenings, Visit Pensacola will award Pensacola experience packages to five lucky users who check in to the Pensacola Holiday Trail. The Pensacola Holiday Trail contest will run through Saturday, Jan. 1.

For more information, visit visitpensacola. com/holiday-trail.

FIRST CITY ART HOLIDAY EXHIBIT

Enjoy works of art from Paint Out Group at First City Art's 1060 Gallery's "So Chill" exhibit through Jan. 17. First City Art is located at 1060 N. Guillemard St. Visit firstcityart.org for more information.

THE NUTCRACKER WINE DINNER

Chef Daniel Watts of Classic City will be preparing a special menu inspired by the classic holiday tale Thursday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. at Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Tickets are $99 and can be purchased at bodcaciousshops.com.

HOLIDAY BAKING & DECORATING WITH PENSACOLA COOKS Pastry Chef

Mariah of Moo-Moo's Bakery gives you the confidence you need to present delicious desserts on your holiday table. Chef Mariah's tried and true recipes for gluten-free and vegan-friendly desserts never disappoint.

Class is Friday, Dec. 17, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Pensacola Cooks, 3624 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $60 per student. Visit facebook.com/pensacolacooks for tickets and information.

HOLIDAY MOVIES GALLERY NIGHT

The Dec. 17 Gallery Night event theme is "Holiday Movies," full of holiday cheer and last-minute gifts plus a gift-wrapping station to complete your holiday shopping. Friday, Dec. 17, is also "National Ugly Sweater Day." Attendees are encouraged to come out in their favorite ugly Holiday Sweater. The Gallery Night featured artist for December is the First City Art Center's (FCAC) Pottery Guild, who will provide live pottery demonstrations as well as an interactive booth

Adoption • Paternity • Dependency/DCF Hearings Prenuptial Agreements • Postnuptial Agreements Divorce • Child Custody and Timesharing Child Support • Child Support Modifications Alimony • Collaborative Divorce • Divorce Mediation • Pre-Suit Family Law Mediation

Tired of suffering from droopy eyelids? Uplift your eyelids with the once daily eye drop, Upneeq. Call now to schedule your appointment with the eye care specialists at Terrezza Optical: 850-434-2060 December 16, 2021

127 Palafox Place Suite 100 (850)466-3115 autumnbeckblackledge.com 15

a&e happenings where participants can decorate a bowl to be fired back at the art center. Enjoy live music, art and activities on South Palafox from 5-9 p.m. Visit gallerynightpensacola. org for more information.

There is a GoFundMe page for this event to raise money for the Gulf Coast Kid's House.

More details (including a map of the route) can be found on the event's Facebook page at facebook.com/events/435718204275922.

BALLET PENSACOLA PRESENTS: THE NUTCRACKER Don't miss the holiday

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA AT LAGUNA'S BEACH BAR + GRILL Enjoy a

classic from Ballet Pensacola at 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 17, and Saturday, Dec. 18; 11 a.m.

Saturday, Dec. 18; and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, at the Saenger Theatre, located at 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $33-$53. Visit pensacolasaenger.com to purchase.

DECK THE HALLS In celebration of the holidays and back by popular demand, Jackson's will present "Deck the Halls," a lunch event featuring Pensacola Opera, on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Jackson's Steakhouse, located at 400 S. Palafox. Seatings are at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (850) 469-9898 or visiting jacksonsrestaurant.com.

EAST HILL SLEIGH RIDE The Second Annual East Hill All-Vehicle Sleigh Ride will take place through the streets of East Hill on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 5:30 pm. The processional will leave from Bayview Senior Center at Bayview Park. There is no sign-up or cost to participate, but all vehicles must be decorated for the holidays and must be able to go at least 5 mph. No parade throws allowed.

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buffet breakfast with hot cocoa, crafts, story time and a visit with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 9:30 a.m. at Laguna's Beach Bar + Grill, located at 460 Pensacola Beach Blvd. Cost is $19.99. A Christmas movie will be shown at noon. Photos with Santa on the Beach will also be available from noon-1 p.m. for a $10 sitting fee. Book your breakfast online at lagunaspb.com.

SANTA PAWS AT PERFECT PLAIN

Bring your pet to Perfect Plain Brewing Co., located at 50 E. Garden St., for a pet photo for $10, which includes a printed 4-by-6 picture or digital image. Bring a donation from the Joy Committee Rescue's wish list and receive a free 12-ounce pour. Event is Saturday, Dec. 18, from noon-3 p.m. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for more information.

ONBIKES PENSACOLA WINTER WONDER RIDE Join onbikes for a "Glow Ride" and afterparty at the Wahoos Stadium Saturday, Dec. 18, from 4-7 p.m. Deck out your bike with glowing lights as you ride through

Downtown Pensacola. Tickets are $55 and include one commemorative T-shirt and access to post-ride celebration. All proceeds help support building and delivering bikes to deserving children. Visit facebook.com/onbikespensacola for more information.

BAD SANTA MYSTERY SCAVENGER HUNT AT CCB Head to Coastal County

Brewing, located at 3041 E. Olive Road, from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, for the annual Bad Santa Mystery Scavenger Hunt.

Various Christmas-themed items will be hidden throughout the Beer Garden and Tap Room. Whoever finds the most objects win a special treat.

WHITE TIE CHRISTMAS Enjoy a familyfriendly, rocking holiday concert featuring the festive music of The Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Saturday, Dec. 18, at the Pensacola Bay Center, located at 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are $25-$118.50. Visit pensacolabaycenter.com for tickets.

COMEDIANS IN DRAG DOING COMEDY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL YIKES Open

Mic presents an evening with local comedians competing for the crown with their best Drag Lip Sync & Standup Comedy along with a Q&A Bikini Contest Saturday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. at Odd Colony, located at 260 N. Palafox. Tickets are $10. Visit facebook.com/ oddcolony for more information.

SANTA PAWS AT WISTERIA TAVERN

WolfGang presents Santa Paws at Wisteria Tavern from noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19.

Bring your pups for pictures with Santa Paws. $10 a picture and you will receive a printed and digital copy. There will also be a food truck and local vendors. Donations will be collected for SouthBARK Rescue. In return for your donation, Wisteria will give you a $1 beer and a free Jell-O shot.

CHRISTMAS MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE Celebrate the season with

our holiday-themed dinner and show Sunday, Dec. 19, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Garden & Grain, located at 50 E. Garden St. Tickets are $55 per person and are available in the event link at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.

CAROLS ON THE COAST: A HOLIDAY BRUNCH EVENT WITH PENSACOLA CHILDREN'S CHORUS In celebration of

the holidays, Angelena's will present "Carols on the Coast," a special brunch event, on Sunday, Dec. 19, at Angelena's, located at 101 E. Intendencia St. There are two seatings for each event at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with carolers from Pensacola Children's Chorus and special entrees from Chef James Briscione.

Reservations can be made at (850) 542-8398 or by visiting angelenaspensacola.com.

KIDS CULINARY CAMP: HOLIDAY EDITION Send your young elf to this special

inweekly.net

a&e happenings holiday edition of our Bodacious Kids Camp where they will learn just what it takes to be Santa's elf at Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Dates are 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20, Tuesday, Dec. 21 and Wednesday, Dec. 22. Classes are $165. Tickets can be purchased at bodaciousshops.com.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE SCREENING

Pensacola Cinema Art presents a special one-night-only screening of the classic "It's a Wonderful Life" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, at REX Theatre, 18 N. Palafox. Tickets are $5 cash only. For more information, visit pensacolacinemaart.com.

HOLIDAY CHARCUTERIE CLASS AT BODACIOUS Learn the art of charcuterie for

holiday parties on Tuesday, Dec. 21, at 6 p.m., located at 407-D S. Palafox. Cost is $45. Get your tickets at bodaciousshops.com.

BIERGARTEN CHRISTMAS MOVIE NIGHTS Head to Gary's Brewery, located

at 208 Newman Ave., on Wednesday, Dec. 22, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for holiday movies.

Selected movie is "A Christmas Story." Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

HOLIDAY RAMBLE AT ODD COLONY BREWING CO. Enjoy a holiday consortium

of all things local and festive including Holiday vinyl classics spun by Eric from Revolver Records, goodies from Chef Jordan of Craft Bakery and beer releases. Stop by 4-11 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 23, at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for more information.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

DECEMBER CAT ADOPTIONS Animal

Allies will be at Pet Supermarket, 6857 N. Ninth Ave. in Pensacola, Saturday, Dec. 18, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and Everett Animal Welfare Group will be at PetSmart on North Davis Highway every Saturday in December, except Christmas Day, noon-4 p.m. If you can't adopt, you can talk about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up to date on shots, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip. Visit aaflorida.org/adopt for more information.

CALL TO ARTISTS

2022 PENSACOLA JAZZFEST POSTER

Jazz Pensacola invites fine artists and graphic designers to submit renderings for the 2022 Pensacola JazzFest. The commission is $500.

The Jazz Pensacola Board of Directors will consider all renderings and make a selection. Initial drafts are due by Jan. 18, 2022. If selected, the completed submission deadline is Feb. 24, 2022.

The poster design should reflect the deep, rich, diverse jazz music heritage of Pensacola and communicate a sense of place. Submissions should conform to a vertical orientation using a ratio that will fit, with margin, on a final poster size of 18 inches wide by 24 inches high.

All content must be the submitter's original creation and must be unpublished. The submitter must have all rights to images and graphics December 16, 2021

used in the final artwork and during the design process. The poster must include the name of the festival, 2022 Pensacola JazzFest.

The festival event information, including date, location, sponsors and any additional information, will be added to the poster in the graphic production process. There is no need to include this information within the artwork.

Any mixed media suitable for two-dimensional mechanical reproduction is allowed, including both hand-drawn and computergenerated graphics. Submissions must be in low-res (72 PPI) JPEG format and emailed to info@jazzpensacola.com. There is no limit to the number of entries by a single artist. Each entry must include the artist's name, address, email and telephone number.

The selected artist is responsible for the preparation of the art for high-resolution reproduction. The artist will be contacted following the selection process and receive technical specifications for the production file.

REGIONAL WRITING CONTEST SEEKS "IN FOCUS FLASH MEMOIR" ENTRIES

West Florida Literary Federation is sponsoring "In Focus: A Contest for Flash Memoir," a creative nonfiction contest with cash prizes and an opportunity for publication.

Luke Wallin, professor of creative writing, former editor of The Louisville Review and award-winning author of national acclaim who lives in Rhode Island, will serve as a guest judge.

The judging panel will be looking for entries that distill a personal experience and share the heart and essence of it in order to impact readers with a keepsake take-away. Contest entries will be read with the name of the writer concealed.

Contest Facilitator Claire Massey asks writers to "share your moments of truth, the crossroads and rest stops on your journey, the images that define who you were and who you are."

Contest entries will be accepted electronically in January 2022. Any resident of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton or Bay counties in Florida or Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties in Alabama, 18 years or older, is eligible to participate. Members of West Florida Literary Federation and the Florida Writers' Association are also eligible to enter. Nonmembers pay a $10 submission fee. For more questions, email Massey at westfloridaliteraryfederation@gmail.com or visit wflf.org.

ARTS & CULTURE

BALLET PENSACOLA'S DRACULA AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING Ballet Pensacola's take on the haunting and legendary tale is now available to stream. Cost is $25 per view. For more information, visit showtix4u. com/event-details/57601.

WHAT'S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART "Cry Macho" will be play-

ing Dec. 14 & 16. "The Card Counter" will be playing Dec. 17, 8, 21 and 23. All showtimes are at 1 p.m. PCA is located at 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $8, cash only. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for more information. for more listings visit inweekly.net 17

free will astrology WEEK OF DECEMBER 16 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Key questions for you, beginning now and throughout 2022—1. What do you need to say but have not yet said? 2. What is crucial for you to do but you have not yet done? 3. What dream have you neglected and shouldn't neglect any longer? 4. What sanctuary is essential for you to visit but you have not yet visited? 5. What "sin" is it important for you to forgive yourself for but you have not yet forgiven yourself? 6. What promise have you not yet fulfilled, even though it's getting late (but not too late!) to fulfill? 7. What secret have you hidden so well that you have mostly concealed it even from yourself?

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Taurus

novelist Anthony Trollope (1815–1882) took one of his manuscripts to a publishing company, hoping it would be made into a book and sold to the public. A few weeks later, he got word by mail that his masterpiece had been rejected. He took a train to the publisher's office and retrieved it. On the train ride home, he turned the manuscript over and began writing a new story on the back of each page. He spent no time moping. That's the spirit I recommend you embody in the coming weeks, dear Taurus.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): "John

Coltrane was an addict," wrote author Cornel West about the renowned jazz saxophonist and composer. "Billie Holiday was an addict.

[Nobel Prize-winning author] Eugene O'Neill was an addict. What would America be without addicts and post-addicts who make such grand contributions to our society?" I welcome West's sympathetic views toward addicts. Many of us who aren't addicts understand how lucky we are not to have the genetic predisposition or the traumatic experiences that addicts often struggle with.

We unaddicted people may also have been spared the bigotry and abuse that have contributed to and aggravated some addicts' addictions. Having acknowledged these truths, I nevertheless hope to do whatever I can to help you convert any addictive tendencies you might have into passionate obsessions.

By Rob Brezsny

Now is an excellent time to launch a new phase of such work. Invitation—Make a list of three things you can do in the coming months to nurture the process.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Actor and model Kate Beckinsale unleashed a cryptic boast—"My best feature is unfortunately a private matter, although I'm told it is spectacular. But you can't really walk it down the red carpet. What can I say?" Are you imagining what I'm imagining? I bring this oddity to your attention in the hope that I can convince you to be more forthright and expressive about your own wonderful qualities. It's time to be less shy about your beauty, less secretive about your deep assets. Show the world why you're so lovable.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Leo-born Edna Ferber (1885–1968) was a celebrated author who won a Pulitzer Prize. She was witty and outspoken. Her stories featured strong women and characters struggling against discrimination. "I never would just open a door and walk through," she said about her career. "I had to bust it down for the hell of it. I just naturally liked doing things the hard way." At least in the coming weeks, Leo, I urge you NOT to adopt Ferber's attitude.

In my view, you'll be wise to do everything possible to open doors rather than bust them down. And the best way to do that is to solicit help. Cultivate your ability to ask for what you need. Refine your practice of the arts of collaboration, synergy and interweaving.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): "No one has

ever written, painted, sculpted, modeled, built, or invented except literally to get out of hell," wrote Virgo dramatist Antonin Artaud.

That's a ridiculous generalization, in my opinion. For example, I occasionally generate songs, stories and horoscopes to help me escape from a momentary hell. But most of my creations are inspired by my love of life and a desire to inspire others. I'm very sure that in the coming weeks, your own motivations to produce good things will be far closer to mine than to Artaud's. You're in a phase when your quest for joy, generosity, blessings and fun could be fierce and productive.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Author Barbara Sher offered this wise counsel: "Imaginary obstacles are insurmountable. Real ones aren't." I bring this to your attention because I believe the coming weeks will be an excellent time to identify the imaginary obstacles you've erected in your inner world—and then smash them or burn them or dispose of them.

Once you're free of the illusory interference, I think you'll find you have at least twice as much power to neutralize the real obstacles.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Prolific

author Ray Bradbury liked to give advice to those with a strong need to express their imaginative originality. Since I expect you will be a person like that in 2022, I'll convey to you one of his exhortations. He wrote, "If you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon you." Keep in mind that Bradbury was referring to constructive craziness, wise foolishness and divine madness.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21):

The coming months will be a favorable time for you to redefine the meaning of the term "sacred" and to deepen your relationship with sacredness. To spur your imagination, I offer four quotes: 1. "Recognizing the sacred begins when we are interested in every detail of our lives." —Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa 2. "When you notice something clearly and see it vividly, it then becomes sacred." —poet Allen Ginsberg 3. "Holiness begins in recognizing the face of the other." —philosopher Marc-Alain Ouaknin 4. "Modern culture, in its advertising of sex, is in a misguided fashion advertising its longing for the sacred."

—teacher Sobonfu Somé

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Capricorn author E. M. Forster wrote, "The only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have yet gone ourselves." I propose we universalize that statement—"The only people, information, and experiences that

influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have yet gone ourselves." I believe this principle will be especially fruitful for you to embrace during the next three months. Prepare yourself for lessons that are vital for you to learn—and on the frontier of your understanding

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Among America's Founding Fathers was Aquarian William Whipple (1730-1785). He was one of 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, instigating war with Great Britain. Unlike many of his colleagues, however, Whipple believed it was hypocritical to enslave human beings while fighting for freedom. That's why he emancipated the person who had been in bondage to him.

The coming months will be a favorable time to make comparable corrections, Aquarius.

If there are discrepancies between your ideals and your actions, fix the problem.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Accord-

ing to Piscean author Ryunosuke Akutagawa, "People sometimes devote their lives to a desire that they are not sure will ever be fulfilled." So true! I can personally attest to that behavior. Is such a quest misguided?

Delusional? Naive? Not in my view. I see it as glorious, brave and heroic. Akutagawa did too. He said that those who refrain from having inspirational desires are "no more than mere spectators of life." In any case, I recommend you think big in 2022, Pisces. From an astrological angle, this could be the year you home in on and refine and upgrade the single most important desire you will ever have.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: Tell me your most important lesson of the year.

freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2021

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news of the weird WHO KNEW? The Saudis take their beauty contests seriously, it appears: Judges at a competition northeast of Riyadh are cracking down on artificially enhanced contestants. The contest is part of the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival. Yes, the contestants are camels, the Associated Press reported, and 43 of them have already been disqualified. Camel breeders enter their most beautiful animals with the hope of winning $66 million in prize money, but Botox injections, face lifts and other cosmetic changes will not be tolerated this year. How, you ask, are those procedures implemented?

Breeders might stretch the lips and noses of their camels, inject their heads or lips with Botox, inflate body parts with rubber bands and use fillers to relax their faces. "The club is keen to halt all acts of tampering and deception in the beautification of camels," the Saudi Press Agency said.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! An unnamed mountain climber is a little richer this season after a cache of precious gems valued at $84,350 was awarded to him by the Chamonix-MontBlanc council on Dec. 3. The climber found the emeralds and sapphires in 2013 as he scaled the tallest peak in western Europe; they apparently were debris from an airplane crash there in 1966, CNN reported. The original owner of the stones couldn't be located.

The council split the booty with the climber and will display their half at the Chamonix Crystal Museum.

NICE TRY A 50-year-old Italian dentist tried on Dec. 2 to dodge getting the COVID-19 vaccine but still gain a health pass by offering the health worker a silicone prosthetic arm for the jab, The Guardian reported. Italy recently cracked down on unvaccinated people at social, cultural and sporting events, so the man allegedly purchased a fake arm that may have cost him hundreds of euros. The medic, Filippa Bua, said she "felt offended as a professional. The color of the arm made me suspicious and so I asked the man to uncover the rest of his left arm. It was well made but it wasn't the same color." The unidentified man will face fraud charges, according to Luigi Icardi, the regional health councilor.

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME Graham George Spencer of Singapore was walking with a friend in the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Nov. 30 when a runner dashed right into the path of a group of about 20 otters, causing them to change from "being quiet to going crazy like dogs," Spencer told todayonline.com. The otters, apparently confused about who was who, attacked Spencer, pushing him to the ground and biting him around his feet and buttocks.

"I was bitten 26 times in 10 seconds," he said. "If it wasn't for my friend, I don't think I'd still be here. I'd be dead." At a hospital

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

across the street, Spencer was given tetanus shots and antibiotics.

GOAT No, not that kind of goat. Former (unsuccessful) mayoral candidate for Berkeley, California, Wayne Hsiung, an animal rights activist, is going to spend some time on supervised probation after a February 2018 stunt in which he stole a newborn goat, Berkeleyside reported on Dec. 8. The theft, a felony, took place in Transylvania County, North Carolina, at Sospiro Ranch. Hsiung said he stole the kid because he thought it was suffering and might face a cruel death, but the court was not entertaining his "right-to-rescue" defense. In fact, Judge Peter Knight sustained so many objections by the prosecution during Hsiung's opening statement that he wasn't able to finish it. Curtis Burnside, owner of Sospiro Ranch, said NipNap, the baby goat's mother, "cried for days and was beside herself looking for her lost baby."

BRIGHT IDEA In the "this could never happen in America" category: New Zealand is putting in place laws that will eventually ban smoking altogether by 2025, The Guardian reported. Each year, the legal smoking age will increase, said associate health minister Dr. Ayesha Verrall. Legislation will also make smoking unaffordable, reduce the level of nicotine in tobacco products, limit retail outlets, and increase funding for addiction services. "We want to make sure young people never start smoking ... People aged 14 when the law comes into effect will never be able to legally purchase tobacco," Verrall said.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES A middle school in Milton, Massachusetts, went into lockdown on Dec. 8 when a student reported that an adult "may have had a weapon," The Patriot Ledger reported. After about 30 minutes of investigation by school officials and Milton police, however, it was determined that the "weapon" was a phone charger that a staff member was carrying. "I am pleased to report that nobody was physically harmed," Superintendent James Jette said in a statement.

•On Dec. 3, a second-grader at Pamoja Preparatory Academy in St. Louis, Missouri, brought a loaded pistol to school to "show it to classmates," the Daily Beast reported. The child said they took the gun from a lockbox under the parents' bed. Two days earlier, at Woerner Elementary School in St. Louis, a kindergartner brought a gun to school when they picked up the wrong backpack. Sgt. Charles Wall of the St. Louis Police Department said no charges will be filed in either case: "It was determined no criminal incident occurred," he said. {in} From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2021 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com December 16, 2021

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