winners & losers
winners losers
CHERRY FITCH The Gulf Breeze mayor handed over her gavel to newly elected Mayor JB Schluter earlier this month. Fitch was first elected to the Gulf Breeze City Council in 2012 and served two terms as mayor before deciding to retire from city politics. During her tenure as mayor, she spearheaded several significant initiatives that shaped the city's future. She led the adoption of Gulf Breeze's first 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan, oversaw the update of the Emergency Operations Plan and implemented the Five-Year Resiliency Strategic Plan in 2021. She has worked as a realtor with Levin-Rinke Resort Realty since 2006. Before that, she served as Gulf Breeze High School principal from 1997 to 2006. Her numerous accolades included being named Citizen of the Year 2020 by Gulf Breeze Rotary, Hometown Hero 2019 by Pensacola State College, Florida High School Principal of the Year 2005 and Santa Rosa Teacher of the Year 1993. Throughout her career, Fitch maintained active involvement in various organizations that helped shape regional policy and community development. She served on the Florida League of Cities Utilities, Natural Resources & Public Works Legislative Policy Committee, and was a member of the Florida League of Mayors.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
Pressure continues to mount for the Escambia County School Board to settle a First Amendment case over its removal of books from school libraries. Federal Judge T. Kent Wetherell emphasized the financial stakes in a recent court order, warning the board could be liable for both sides' legal expenses if they lose. The board has already incurred significant costs, with USA TODAY reporting legal defense expenses exceeding $440,000. The lawsuit was filed by a diverse group of plaintiffs, including the literary organization PEN America, publishing house Penguin Random House, and individual authors and parents. In his order, Judge Wetherell specifically noted that the potential for the board to bear responsibility for all legal costs should make settlement "particularly important" for consideration.
EARLY VOTING
KEN FORD The renowned computer scientist and the founder and CEO Emeritus of the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC) stepped away from the day-to-day operations of the prestigious not-for-profit research institute located in Pensacola, with a branch in Ocala. Under Dr. Ford's leadership, IHMC has grown into one of the nation's premier research organizations, focusing on amplifying and extending human cognitive and perceptual capacities through technological systems. Dr. Ford has also played a critical role in revitalizing downtown and the city's historic district. His speaker series sparked several discussions and initiatives.
ALEX ANDRADE Every two years, someone challenged the young attorney for his Florida House seat, claiming polls showed that Andrade was vulnerable. He wasn't, and he easily won reelection. Rep. Andrade has been rewarded by Florida House Speaker Danny Perez with the chair of the important Health Care Budget Subcommittee and a seat on the powerful Joint Legislative Budget Commission. He will be in the room when lawmakers iron out the final state budget.
Escambia County has reduced its early voting locations from 10 to seven for the upcoming special primary election for Florida's 1st Congressional District following Matt Gaetz's departure. Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender announced early voting will not be available at Century, the University of West Florida (UWF) or Brownsville during the primary, though these locations will be reinstated for the special election. The decision was based on low turnout figures from March's presidential preference primary, where the three sites collectively drew only 318 early voters at a cost of $50,000.
PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS
For years, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) allegedly accepted payments from opioid manufacturers in exchange for not restricting prescription painkiller access, according to a "New York Times" investigation. While the opioid epidemic claimed tens of thousands of American lives, these healthcare intermediaries reportedly collected billions in revenue from manufacturers. Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and Optum Rx dominate the PBM industry and collectively manage prescription drug benefits for more than 200 million Americans. These companies' parent corporations rank among America's largest by revenue in the Fortune 500. PBMs are contracted by insurance companies and employers to reduce medication costs through pharmaceutical manufacturer negotiations. Instead, they allegedly often prioritized internal profit generation. Their practices have also been cited as putting independent pharmacies at risk of closure.
Cherry Fitch / Photo Courtesy of City of Gulf Breeze
outtakes
By Rick Outzen
WORTHWHILE READING
While the daily newspaper has abandoned its editorial board and editorials on local issues because they may hurt advertisers' feelings, I have used this column to connect the dots on several thorny issues. And, yes, it has cost us advertising revenue, but viewpoints should not be tied to clicks and dollars.
Here are summaries of a few of my better columns this past year:
TEST THEM ALL (1/25/24): I argued that all schools receiving state funding must follow the Every Student Succeeds Act standards, ensuring students are prepared for college and careers. The school choice program relies on transparent performance data. Parents selecting private schools need access to teacher credentials and student achievement metrics. Using common year-end exams across all schools enables direct performance comparisons. Transparency in public education funding requires all schools—traditional public, charter and private schools accepting vouchers— to report comparable student outcomes data.
A REASONABLE GOAL (2/29/24): Achieve Escambia set a goal of having 75% of children entering kindergarten ready for school by 2025. The Pensacola Chamber 2030 Blueprint committed to having all children kindergarten-ready by the end of this decade. Neither goal will be met. I suggested Escambia County increase the annual enrollment in VPK programs by 290 children by adding six to seven additional VPK classrooms over the next five years. If we did it, our readiness rate would be above 60% by 2030—a much more reasonable goal.
THANKS, RAY (5/23/24): Ray Gindroz's 2004 master plan for Pensacola's historic district became a catalyst for downtown Pensacola's renaissance. As a co-founder of Pittsburgh-based Urban Design Associates and an early pioneer of urban renewal, Gindroz brought expertise in transforming urban communities to our downtown. In his assessment, Gindroz identified several major obstacles to downtown's development. The four-lane Bayfront Parkway, Interstate 110 off-ramp and Chase Street flyover created barriers, while unclear entrances to the Historic District hindered navigation. The Port's asphalt tanks and our disconnected waterfront further limited the area's potential. His vision centered on creating a more walkable, integrated downtown. Gindroz recommended reducing Bayfront Parkway to two lanes through downtown, developing mixed-use properties and enhancing
streetscapes with wider sidewalks and medians. We have done much of what he recommended, but maybe not as quickly as he wanted.
COMMERCIAL LAND FOR SALE
$2,800,000 • 7.8 acres
New wetland survey April 2023! 3283 Gulf Breeze Pkwy by Publix at Tiger Point and Tiger Point Park Drive. Access from Hwy 98 and Tiger
BAD DECISIONS HURT (8/1/24): Six years ago, FloridaWest, the City of Pensacola, Escambia County and the state of Florida knew we needed to provide 1,200-1,500 workers for ST Aerospace's MRO campus being developed at the Pensacola International Airport. The Escambia County School District would have to provide a steady stream of trainees. Triumph Gulf Coast awarded the District a $2.7 million grant for workforce development, but Superintendent Malcolm Thomas balked at performance goals because he would've had to refund part of the funds if he failed to meet them. He told the PNJ he would prefer to do it himself. He didn't. ST Aerospace had to go to Chile and other places to find aviation mechanics. Thanks to Thomas, we are years behind in workforce development and good-paying jobs for our kids.
SUPPORT THE DREAM (9/12/24): In 1960s, the Pensacola City Council learned that about 400 Black families would be displaced from Brent Lane to downtown Pensacola when Interstate 110 was built. Still, leaders seem to be more concerned about the landscape of the off-ramp and how it would impact the Seville historical district. The city planner assured the city council, "The people displaced by the spur are given No. 1 priority on the public housing." And the all-white city council and PNJ editorial board cheered. However, the homes, businesses, churches and schools were destroyed. The city's Hollice T. Williams Equitable Development Framework Plan will reconnect the lost neighborhoods.
SINGLE IS BETTER (10/10/24): Some business leaders want to abolish single-member districts in Escambia County, but this would harm local representation. In single-member districts, constituents have authentic connections with candidates who share their daily experiences—shopping at local stores, using neighborhood parks and participating in school and church events. These candidates aren't just campaign mailers; they're community members. At-large voting dilutes individual citizens' influence while amplifying wealthy donors' power. The system effectively transfers power from neighborhoods to checkbooks, making meaningful change nearly impossible for ordinary voters. {in} rick@inweekly.net
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CHILDREN'S TRUST BECOMES MORE SELECTIVE
kids that you're not serving and reinvest them somewhere where they will be served."
BUILDING TRUST
Cannon inherited a flailing Children's Trust from her predecessor Tammy Greer. The youth service agency lost its top two staff members and operated without a strategic plan. A breakdown in communication between the staff and board turned the board meetings into a three-ring circus.
"It was like playing whack-a-mole at every meeting we went to," Peaden said.
The board found someone capable of negating that divide in Cannon. Communication between the staff and board improved almost immediately, and the two sides now seem to be on the same page.
"It's a drastic improvement," White said. "Transparency has really been key. We really don't have to worry as much about what's going on as we did in the past."
Four board members, Peaden, White, Woods and Lumon May, have served since the beginning. All but Peaden plan to continue serving on the board. May said he is locked in for another term. White and Woods have applied for another term. They are awaiting approval from Gov. Ron DeSantis and will continue to serve unless he appoints others to their positions.
the executive director of the Escambia Children's Trust, beginning a seismic shift in its operations.
Evidence of that shift occurred earlier this month at its board meeting. The board approved year three funding for only 11 of its out-of-school program providers. The board voted to continue the grants through May for the other four providers and circle back on their status after the new year.
"The attrition is because of the new set of eyes that came when Lindsey got hired," said David Peaden, a board member who will complete his four-year term at the end of the month. "She's gone through every contract and looked to see who's doing what they said they were going to do and who's not. She's made partner agencies more accountable for receiving money."
In 2022, the Children's Trust awarded $5.1 million of taxpayer dollars to 19 out-of-school programs without strict measures in place to oversee the providers and hold them accountable. The Children's Trust staff and board learned from their mistakes after nearly half the providers fell short of their promises.
A significant number of the original 19 providers targeted the same children with their programs, Cannon said. Some providers fell drastically short of providing services in line with the amount of their grants. She sought to remedy that by holding the providers contractually responsible.
going to hold me to a conversation," Cannon said. "You're not going to hold our taxpayers to that. This needs to be an agreed-upon part of the contract."
Cannon continued, "If things are changing and maybe it doesn't work to your benefit, maybe it's time for you to step away or maybe you can just do it at a smaller level. But that's really up to the program committee to decide. So, we really started bringing those things back in. If you need to do a change of scope, you need to re-look at your budget. It needs to be contractually bound."
When examining the contracts, Cannon weighs how many children benefit from the programs and at what cost to the taxpayers. The programs that overpromise and underproduce are not necessarily eliminated, but their funding is reduced to reflect the number of children they actually serve.
"We're looking at it a couple of years down the line saying, 'OK, you might've said you were going to serve 250 kids and you're serving 150, but are you reasonably going to serve 250 kids this year?'" Cannon said. "And if not, then we need to focus on those 150 that you are going to serve. Let's reduce the contract dollars you're not going to use and make sure it's holistic. Now that's my recommendation because I don't want 150 kids to not have that place to go, but at the same time, we don't need dollars sitting in a
her previous roles as executive director of the Children's Home Society and regional director of Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida. Her expertise on that subject matter has smoothed the process for the Children's Trust.
"She knows how to work the contracts and if they're not delivering, we need to hold the organizations accountable like a regular contract," said Stephanie White, a board member.
"Transparency has really been key. We really don't have to worry as much about what's going on as we did in the past." Stephanie White
Cannon said she is focused on "bang for our buck" with the out-of-school programs. The grants do not include a cost per participant so the Children's Trust has to consider all factors when determining the amount to award.
"Some of these programs are more expensive," she said. "I mean they just are and some are not. Some are like, 'Hey, we've got all the facilities taken care of for us. We've got that, so it doesn't cost as much.' So I think that that's really where we start looking at, you said you were going to serve 200 kids, you're serving 150, so we should be able to recapture if you will, the dollars that would've been assigned to those 50
The four board members have started from scratch and guided the Children's Trust through the turbulent formative stages. Peaden said setting up policies and committees was a cumbersome process. The foundation is finally in place. and they have a staff they trust to fulfill their mission to support high-quality children's programs and services, research, education and advocacy.
"We went from being very hands-on to having to let some of that go," Woods said. "We had to allow the staff to do what we hired them to do. We've done a better job trusting ourselves and the staff."
Cannon inherited a capable staff with Tammy Abrams as director of finance, Alma Ellis as administrative specialist, Richard Stone as data manager and Michael Moore as communications coordinator. She filled in the one missing piece by hiring Deborah Ray as the director of program and performance. Dr. Kimberly Krupa previously served in that role before resigning from the position.
"I'm very fortunate to have the people on my team that I do," Cannon said. "What I love specifically is that we all have different areas of expertise and can actually have some debate about it. And I love that because I don't pretend to know everything about education. I'm a child welfare girl. I work with homeless youth. That's where I've spent the majority of my career. I will tell you what we have here is small, but it's mighty, and there's a lot more work to do. And I can say that I think we genuinely love our jobs."
For more information, visit escambiachildrenstrust.org. {in}
Michael Moore, Tammy Abrams, Alma Ellis, Lindsey Cannon, Deborah Ray and Richard Stone / Photo Courtesy of Escambia Children's Trust
RICHARD HARWOOD
“Enough is Enough: Time to Build”
Richard reminded us of the importance of local civic engagement and how we can see past divisive national politics to get things done together.
STRIVE TO THRIVE: PENSACOLA 2035
After months of research and public engagement, Anna Muessig presented Pensacola’s 10 year strategic plan.
JON DeCARMINE
“Myths Around Low Barrier Shelters and Visible Homelessness”
Jon showed us how low barrier shelters are a proven strategy to reduce visible homelessness.
DR. ANGELA BUSH
“How to Lead a School Out of Low Performance”
Dr. Bush shared step-by-step how she turned around a lowperforming school in Alabama.
To our CivicCon supporters, members, volunteers and attendees
Thank you all for a fantastic 2024, and for everything you do to help us raise our community’s civic IQ. We covered many important topics this year, but we are always looking to keep learning.
The prestigious list identifies the world's leading researchers, representing approximately 2% of all scientists worldwide.
Dr. Jim Spain, research professor in the Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation, Dr. Frank Gilliam, professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Dr. Amitabh Mishra, associate professor in the Department of Cybersecurity and Information Technology, are on the "career-long" list through 2024. Gilliam, Spain and Dr. Allysha Winburn, an associate professor of anthropology, landed on the 2023 list released earlier this fall.
"This recognition is a testament to the world-class faculty we have at UWF who conduct cutting-edge research," said Dr. Jaromy Kuhl, UWF Provost and senior vice president. "I am very proud of their far-reaching accomplishments and congratulate them on their excellence."
The rankings evaluate more than 6 million researchers globally, identifying the top 100,000, or those who rank within the top 2% in their specific subfields. The rankings are determined through a comprehensive citation score, which is calculated by key metrics including publications, total citations and authorship roles.
The full list of the most-cited scientists in the world can be accessed from the Elsevier Data Repository at bit.ly/3ZVSDiq.
PALAFOX 2.0 The city has completed reviewing about 90% of the drawings for the redesign on Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola. While initial plans called for removing all parking bays from Garden Street to Romana Street, feedback from business owners and the public led to a compromise.
"The two southernmost bays, the ones just north of Romana, we will make those 30-minute free spaces during the day," said Mayor D.C.
free parking during daytime hours. The spaces convert to drop-off zones after 5 p.m. These spaces will be fully ADA accessible with zero-curb design on both sides, addressing concerns about accessibility for those with limited mobility."
The problematic parking spaces near Ride Society and The Kennedy will be removed due to safety concerns, as it creates a dangerous blind turn. At the Garden Street intersection, the current "freeway-style" right turn lane will be eliminated, as traffic studies showed it was unnecessary.
The mayor called the right-hand turn lane onto South Palafox Street at the intersection "wasted space."
"You'll still have the two lanes to go east and west, so traffic flow doesn't become a problem," Reeves said. "But now you're going to take a right out of that lane as opposed to a full-blown speedway. Instead, we make the walking respite shorter. So now instead of running for your life over a right-hand turn lane, two straight lanes and a left-hand turn lane, we've just narrowed that by 15 to16 feet."
He added, "When we talk about Palafox Market, Garden Street is a huge delta. It's literally a canyon to get across and not only for the market on Saturdays, but as we start to see more retail pop up on the north side of Garden Street, we've got to make it more accessible for the pedestrian."
ASKED TO RUN
Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis reflected on his commitment to public service on the podcast "(we don't) color on the dog." He also explained why he chose to run for Florida's District 1 Congressional seat.
"When the President of the United States calls and says, 'Jimmy, I want you in Congress, and I'll endorse you.' When the Speaker of the House and these other leaders across the Panhandle, whether it be all of the sheriffs in Northwest
Florida, say, 'Jimmy, we're going to stand with you,' you don't say, 'No.' You sign up, you do the job and you move forward."
Patronis added, "It's time to right the ship. It's a profound honor to serve along with the other members of Congress and support the president's agenda. By God, we owe it to the citizens of Northwest Florida to get more wall and less woke."
He also responded to the snide remarks made by his opponents, Gene Valentino and Joel Rudman, at a candidate forum that Patronis doesn't currently live in District 1.
"Northwest Florida is my home. I was born and raised here," Patronis said. "I'm not sure if the other candidates in the field were even born and raised here. This part of the state is who I am. It is what I stand for. And it's what I've advocated for and my public service to this state. I identify as somebody from Northwest Florida."
He said he and his wife are looking at homes in the district and schools for his two sons. "And you know what? If I have to sleep in a tent to do it, I'll do exactly that."
In 2017, then-Governor Rick Scott appointed former State Rep. Patronis as Florida's CFO. Patronis' first official visit was to Pensacola, where he stood beside Gov. Scott when he announced the new Pensacola Bay Bridge would not have a toll. The new CFO talked about his family and all that Florida has given him.
"I owe the state of Florida more than I'll ever be able to pay it back," Patronis said, remembering that moment. "My family has been very fortunate to be in the restaurant business for 30 years. We like taking care of the customer. That's what I've been programmed to do. And that's what I still hope to do with Congressional District 1 here with our special elections coming up in the spring."
REGATTAS COMING Mayor Reeves shared information about the regattas set for next March and April.
"These other events that are coming in March and April, the GL-252s, I would argue, are the most advanced boat that will have sailed here in any regatta ever." said the mayor. "These are 52-foot boats. And just for context, the Patriot 70 feet ran in the America's Cup, so these are big, expensive, high-tech boats that are going to be out sailing. So they're doing one regatta on March 19, I believe is the first day, and then they're doing another in April."
What does that mean for Pensacola? Mayor Reeves said, "I think it's six to eight boats in both. Just the crew and the direct folks involved in having seven or eight boats here are 150 to 200 people. That's not fans, that's not people who are sailing enthusiasts who come drive down from Atlanta or whatever, counting none of that."
The city is in preliminary discussions about setting up Plaza de Luna at the end of Palafox Street as a fan interaction zone where the sailing teams can position their trailers and conduct ground operations. This location would be accessible to the public and serve as a natural amphitheater for viewing the race.
The organizers recently visited the site in person and were very enthusiastic about its potential. Mayor Reeves added, "Man, when you think about the true economic development of American Magic, I think we're going to see a lot of it when we start to see these happening multiple times a year."
SEC EXTENDS
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) Women's Soccer Tournament will remain in Pensacola through 2026, with a possible extension to 2029, following a successful partnership since 2022. This year's tournament drew increased attendance compared to 2023.
The tournament venue, Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, features 13 full-size soccer fields and a stadium complex with modern locker rooms across its 103 acres. This facility, combined with Pensacola's beaches and hospitality, has established the city as a premier destination for collegiate soccer.
"Pensacola has provided an outstanding experience for our teams and SEC soccer fans," said Greg Sankey, the SEC commissioner. Similarly, Pensacola Sports President Ray Palmer expressed enthusiasm about the extension, noting their commitment to enhancing the tournament experience each year.
"Each year, we strive to enhance the tournament experience for everyone involved, and this extension shows the confidence the SEC has in Pensacola as a host city," Palmer said. "We're looking forward to welcoming the teams and their supporters back through 2026 and possibly beyond."
INDOOR SPORTS
Pensacola Sports CEO Ray Palmer shared the location of the proposed indoor sports facility is going back to the "drawing board on location."
"One of the most important components for me and the encouragement that I have is that I think we saw from the tourist development community was general support for an indoor venue and the need for it," Palmer said on the podcast. "We've proven over 15 years of study and talks and consultants that it is something our community needs."
While the initiative may be shifting to reassess location options and design considerations, the fundamental need remains clear: how to pay for the facility.
"We've got to find some other money. We have needs that are beyond what one bucket of money can do," he said. "I think we have a community need for an indoor venue, and as long as we only are using the tourism bucket of money, we're never going to be able to fill the need. We're still going to have teams that are having to travel to Foley and other places to practice
and hold their tournaments if we don't have an indoor venue."
Palmer added, "We're going to have to look at filling that local community need and being OK with it being used for our locals on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. If we build a conference center that has conference/conventions in it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then it's a sports tourism or another tourism on Friday, Saturday, Sunday component. Making it strictly tourism doesn't solve your local athletic component needs for your volleyball, basketball, map, sports, other opportunities."
To address this funding gap, he believes community leaders need to explore various options, including grant opportunities, tourism development initiatives and special taxing districts.
"These special taxing districts have become increasingly popular nationwide as a funding mechanism for similar projects, primarily because they operate independently of political control and can be specifically designated for these purposes," Palmer said. "Whether through these districts, general funds or other funding sources, we'll need to combine multiple revenue streams to achieve the full scope of what our community requires."
TRUST MOVING AHEAD
Lindsey Cannon, the executive director of the Escambia Children's Trust, discussed with Inweekly the Trust's various Out-of-School-Time (OST) programs, the challenges faced in grant applications and the importance of effective program evaluation.
On Dec. 10, her board voted to hold off approving the third year of funding for four OST programs to give the staff more time to work with the providers.
"Some of the parameters that were in that original proposal, they talked about serving a lot of children thinking that there wouldn't be that many providers," Cannon said. "Initially, I believe there were 19 that were funded, and so a lot of them were looking to target the very same children. There are only so many kids to go around and only so many parents that may want to engage that as well or that didn't have those opportunities."
She added, "There are always obstacles and barriers you can't predict. Here we are. And so, we're looking at it a couple years down the line saying, 'OK, you might've said you were going to serve 250 kids, and you're serving 150, but are you reasonably going to serve 250 kids this year?' And if not, then let's focus on those 150 that you are going to serve. Let's reduce the contract dollars you're not going to use and make sure it's holistic. Now that's my recommendation because I don't want 150 kids not to have that place to go."
When Cannon took over as the executive director earlier this year, the Trust staff was well into negotiating the agreements for the second year of the OST providers. Cannon has had several conversations with the providers to improve consistency and accountability.
"Since I've come on board, I've really been working with our providers to put the things in writing because conversation is just conversation,
but you're not going to hold me to a conversation. You're not going to hold our taxpayers to that," she said. "This needs to be an agreed-upon part of the contract. If things are changing and maybe it doesn't work to your benefit, maybe it's time for you to step away, or maybe you can just do it at a smaller level."
The executive director continued, "But that's really up to the program committee to decide. So we really started bringing those things back in. If you need to do a change of scope or re-look at your budget, it needs to be contractually bound."
Cannon has hired new staff to help her improve metrics and transparency. "I'm very fortunate to have the people on my team that I do. What I love specifically is that we all have different areas of expertise and can actually have some debate about it. And I love that because I don't pretend to know everything about education."
She added, "I will tell you what we have here is small, but it's mighty, and there's a lot more work to do. And I can say that I think we genuinely love our jobs."
CITY SURVEY
The City of Pensacola's annual resident satisfaction survey is now available online. This year, the survey includes new questions about a new parking structure, economic development, recycling services, downtown Pensacola and more.
"We have established that we want to make our decisions at City Hall in conjunction with what our residents feel are concerns and priorities," Reeves said. "We've seen success with this process with forming our Strategic Plan and updating our Community Redevelopment Agency plans. The community voice is paramount as we continue to improve our city."
All City of Pensacola residents are encouraged to participate in the survey and provide the city with valuable feedback on city services and priorities.
There are two ways to take the survey: •Online: Visit uwf.edu/HaasResidentSurvey
•By phone, beginning Jan. 6, 2025: Call (850) 4952666 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
The survey deadline is Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Residents should also receive a postcard in the mail prompting them to complete the survey. The survey asks residents about their satisfaction with various city services and facilities, including street lights, sidewalks, neighborhood safety and more, also prompting participants to rank their top priorities for the City of Pensacola.
The city's annual survey is being conducted by the University of West Florida Haas Center. All data obtained from participants will be kept confidential and only reported in an aggregate format (by reporting only combined results and never reporting individual ones).
Only residents within the City of Pensacola limits may complete the survey. Responses will be used to help the city balance priorities and improve services to maintain a high quality of life for Pensacola residents. {in}
Stock Market Losses?
come one of our most popular columns. It lets us weigh in on several political issues and make note of achievements in a concise way.
To produce this annual issue, we examined all of our Winners & Losers of 2024 and selected those that stood out on both sides of the ledger. We did a good job this year of looking for less obvious winners. However, many of the losers weren't difficult to pick.
We appreciate your support. Remember, everyone starts with a clean slate in 2025.
WINNERS
A MERICAN MAGIC Pensacola and New York Yacht Club's entry in the 2024 America's Cup mounted a valiant comeback against Italy's Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli in the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Down 4-0, American Magic won the next three races and went into the final race day needing two more consecutive victories to win the bracket. Unfortunately, the team's luck ran out. The team faced every challenge courageously and never quit. We are proud our city's name adorned American Magic's sail.
ROBERT BENDER Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed the Escambia County commissioner to complete the term of Supervisor of Elections David Stafford, who resigned from the post Jan. 15 for a job as a federal election security adviser for Homeland Security. Bender is active in his community and has served on the Gulf Consortium Board of Directors.
CHRISTAL BENNETT Santa Rosa Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Barber, the
MIKE BURNS The Santa Rosa Island Authority Board unanimously selected local attorney Mike Burns as its new executive director. Burns has been involved in Pensacola and Florida politics for three decades. He served under Charlie Crist when Crist was the Attorney General and then the Governor. Burns played a significant role in helping us deal with the BP Oil Spill.
PAUL & MATTHEW CHESTNUTT The father and son were inducted into the Pensacola Sports Hall of Fame. Paul has been the radio voice of hockey in Pensacola from the Ice Pilots' inception in 1996 through the current season with the Ice Flyers. His son Matty, who has cerebral palsy, has been by his side. Paul created Matthew Chestnutt Scores! Charities, Inc., which allows Ice Flyers fans to pledge $1-$3 for each power-play goal the team scores.
EMAN EL-SHEIKH The head of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity has been inducted into the University of West Florida Million Dollar Research Hall of Fame for receiving over $25 million in external funding during her tenure. Dr. El-Sheikh is only the third faculty member in UWF's history to achieve this milestone.
SHANNON ENDERSON The Florida Crime Prevention Association named Enderson, a member of the Escambia County Sheriff's Office Mounted Unit, its Volunteer of the Year. The award honors law enforcement and community partners for their exceptional efforts toward
tions manager at International Paper received the Gold Pinnacle Award for Communicator of the Year at the Florida Public Relations Association's PR & Comms Summit last month. This award is given to a public relations or communications practitioner who works exceptionally well as a solo practitioner or as part of a Florida agency, business, nonprofit or other organization.
FIVE SISTERS BLUES
CAFÉ National Trust for Historic Preservation awarded a 2024 Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant of $50,000 to the Pensacola restaurant. Five Sisters is the only Florida restaurant to receive a grant. The Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program helps restaurants address critical issues and demonstrates that preservation can invigorate local economies.
WAYNE GULSBY The retired Escambia County Sheriff's Office (ESCO) master deputy was inducted into the U.S. Police Canine Association, Region 1's Hall of Fame. Gulsby's law enforcement career began when he started working at the Escambia County Road Prison at age 20. He received numerous awards and certifications over the years and worked with six ECSO K-9s. Gulsby retired alongside his partner, K-9 Enzo 2022.
SHIGEKO HONDA
The University of West Florida (UWF) Japan Center and Japan House director has been awarded the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays. Honda, who has been the center's director for 26 years, was recognized at UWF's celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Japan House.
Chip Simmons presented K-9 Streeter with the Medal of Courage Award. ECSO K-9 Streeter bravely jumped over the Highway 90 bridge June 24 while pursuing three homicide suspects. The Sheriff's Medal of Courage is awarded to members of the agency for heroic achievement or service in the line of duty. The dog is named in honor of Corporal Eric Streeter, who was killed in the line of duty in March 1984. His family attended the ceremony.
LEVIN RINKE REALTY The real estate firm made history as the first official real estate brokerage in the area to surpass $1 billion in sales in a single year. The firm has dominated the Escambia and Santa Rosa County real estate markets, holding almost 15% of the market share. Levin Rinke Realty is projected to exceed the next leading firm by more than $400 million in total sales volume for 2024.
CASSI MCGEE Escambia County Public Schools announced McGee as its 2025 ECPS Teacher of the Year. Her Pine Meadow Elementary fifth-grade students have consistently achieved learning gains and met or surpassed state-mandated benchmarks. In 2022-2023, 90% of her students made learning gains in math, with an average rise from level 2 to 3.
NAS WHITING The Commander of Navy Installations Command, Vice Adm. Christopher Scott Gray, announced that Naval Air Station Whiting Field was the Navy's top pick in the small installation category for the CNIC 2024 Installation Excellence Award program. The award lauds the top Navy commands at
the shore for their installation management, program excellence and community outreach.
CHANDRA NEWMAN
of command last month, Capt. Newman made history as NAS Pensacola's first female com manding officer. She received her wings of gold in August 2004, serving with Helicopter Sea Combat squadrons. Capt. Newman most recently served as the Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) Leadership, Education, Growth, Advocacy, Culture and Youth Out reach director.
TEYANA PORTER
recipients of its Bridging the Dream Scholarship include Pensacola local Teyana Porter. As one of 40 students nationwide, Porter will receive a $10,000 scholarship from Sallie Mae in partner ship with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. She is a freshman at Florida A&M, studying psy chology and hopes to pursue a career in clinical pediatric psychology.
HONG POTOMSKI
her to market leader for the Pensacola region. Potomski will have responsibility for nine coun ties—Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Holmes, Washington, Jackson and Cal houn. In her new role, she will lead the develop ment and execution of market strategies and drive results to improve the overall health and well-being of the Panhandle.
RALLY FOUNDATION Its Rally on the Runway raised more than $755,000. Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research raises awareness and funds for childhood cancer research to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures. Young girls battling cancer were the stars of the event.
RISHY & QUINT STUDER The Studer Family of Companies announced the Studers gave a $1,000 holiday gift to all full-time and part-time employees across their organizations, totaling over $150,000. The companies encompass the Bodacious retail and restaurant shops, Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Beloit Sky Carp baseball teams, Oyster Bay Boutique Hotel, Bubba's Sweet Spot and 5eleven Palafox.
TATE HIGH SCHOOL Tate High School students in the school's Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter and on its student council, yearbook staff and softball and baseball teams volunteered with Tate FFA alumni to package 54,000 meals for the community through the Meals of Hope program. They exceeded their goal of feeding 50,000 with the Meals of Hope project by packaging the meals in under three hours.
FRANK VERES JR. The retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross, surrounded by his Holley-Navarre Middle School students, family and friends. Veres received the medal for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight two years ago, when he was an evaluator flight engineer at Hurlburt Field. His response to a high-intensity, hazardous situation resulted in the safe recovery of all nine aircrew members.
from many of its stations. WCOA's programming will switch to all syndicated shows. "Real News" debuted Aug. 9, 2021, and set a local record with 4,009 interviews during its 90-minute weekday show.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General has determined the EPA's plan for the clean-up of the American Creosote Works Inc. Superfund site on J Street near the Pensacola Yacht Club and Sanders Beach did not have sufficient oversight and controls to prevent potential exposure to contamination. In a report released April 15, the Inspector General wrote, "Without strong institutional controls and effective communication, the public remains at risk of exposure to residual contamination in the groundwater and soil from the ACW Superfund site." This is very disappointing because the EPA placed the site on the Superfund program's National Priorities
candidates backed by Moms for Liberty won their primaries in other parts of Florida.
MUNCH'S MAKE-BELIEVE BAND
The legendary band at Chuck E. Cheese has been phased out at over 400 sites, including Pensacola. Since the retirement of the Reunion Band, Munch's Make-Believe Band has been Pensacola's longest-running musical act. Speaking alongside fellow band members—Mr. Munch on keyboards, Jasper T. Jowls on guitar, Helen Henny on vocals and Pasqually on drums— Chuck E. revealed at a press conference last year that the animatronic band would headline an exclusive, permanent residency at the Northridge Chuck E. Cheese near Los Angeles. Chuck E. said, "We love performing so much; it's practically hard-wired into us."
NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
and his America First Alliance PAC flooding the county with mailers and text messages. Calkins tried to tie opponent Rhett Rowell to Black Lives Matter and Aaron Dimmock, the congressional candidate backed by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, while using photos of Donald Trump and Matt Gaetz on other mailers. The incumbent commissioner was third in the GOP primary behind Rowell and Jerry Couey.
CHILDERS DYNASTY Debacle County
Clerk Pam Childers had dreams of building on her success in the 401a case. Two grand juries returned with "No True Bills" after reviewing allegations against Commissioners Jeff Bergosh and Lumon May. The County Clerk of Courts took charge of helping her husband Bruce file his Form 6 so he would qualify to run against Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender. She failed at the task and tried to convince the public, elections office staff, and a circuit judge that a photo of one page of the form displayed on a laptop screen met the Florida Constitution's requirement of full and public disclosure of her husband's financial interests.
RICHARD CORCORAN
The New College of Florida president received $200,000 in incentive pay after the school's Board of Trustees approved a performance. New College is the smallest school in the state university system and only had 731 students during the fall 2023 semester, less than 14 Escambia County public schools. Tate High, Pine Forest High, Booker T. Washington High and Escambia High each have more than double New College's enrollment.
CUMULUS MEDIA For the first time in 98 years, WCOA 1370 AM will not have a local morning show. On Nov. 14, the station's owner shut down "Real News with Rick Outzen" as part of a national move to remove local hosts
JOSEPH LADAPO The Florida Surgeon General loves to play politics with our health. He called for a halt to the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, citing "their failure to test for DNA integration with the human genome." He recommended improving "habits and overall health to help manage and reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, risk factors for serious illness from COVID-19."
Just two weeks before voters decided on Amendment 3, which sought to legalize pot for adults aged 21 and older, the Florida Department of Health emailed the guidance, warning marijuana use has increased among children 12 years old and older as more teenagers believe pot is safer to consume than alcohol or other drugs. Last month, Ladapo recommended against community water fluoridation due to the neuropsychiatric risks associated with fluoride exposure.
JOSEPH MALDONADO Songwriter
Vince Johnson won the dismissal of a copyright infringement lawsuit by Joseph "Tiger King" Maldonado. Johnson wrote many of the songs that became popular through the "Tiger King" TV series, but Maldonado wanted people to believe he had written or performed the songs. Maldonado's claims were quickly dismissed with prejudice by the federal judge. The ruling left a breach of contract dispute between the parties concerning ownership rights over certain songs in which Maldonado had previously demanded $8 million in damages. In a court-assisted settlement, Johnson retained exclusive ownership over the songs he had written and owed no money to Maldonado. Shutts & Bowen LLP represented Johnson pro bono.
MOMS FOR LIBERTY Two
former Santa Rosa County chapter officers of Moms for Liberty performed poorly in the Aug. 20 primary. Chapter founder Mariya Calkins finished last in a three-person race for the District 2 school board seat, receiving less than 22% of the votes. Brenda Stephens stepped down as the chapter's treasurer to run for superintendent of schools. She also finished last behind incumbent Karen Barber (49%) and David Godwin (38%). Stephens garnered only 13% of the vote. Only three of the 14 school board
We have hundreds of hardworking friends and neighbors at the Beulah campus, but the national leadership of Escambia County's largest employer continues to be fined for mistreating its members. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has ordered Navy Federal to refund more than $80 million to consumers, stop charging illegal overdraft fees, and pay a $15 million civil penalty to the CFPB's victims relief fund. According to the CFPB, through its "Optional Overdraft Protection Service," the credit union charged consumers $20 for most overdraft transactions, collecting nearly $1 billion in overdraft fees from 2017 to 2021.
MICHELLE SALZMAN
If you were a twoterm Republican incumbent facing a Democrat whom you beat by nearly 24,000 votes in 2022 and who spent $6,249 on her 2024 campaign, how much would you and our political action committee spend on your campaign a year before your next election? $10,000? $100,000? If you're State Rep. Michelle Salzman, it's $477,058. How many checks will she sign for 2026? All of them.
TOWN OF CENTURY
In April, the town council voted unanimously to allow Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. to hire Clear Water Solutions for a period not to exceed one year for a monthly fee of $19,464 — up to $233,568 in one year—to take over the operations of the town's water and wastewater departments. The event happened during the final minutes of the council meeting without providing the public an opportunity to review and comment on the agreement. In October, Gomez violated the town charter by exceeding his spending limit by $161,590, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection notified the Town of Century water system that the utility failed to properly monitor for disinfection byproducts as required over a three-month period. There were also several reports of Florida Sunshine Law violations.
U.S. HIGHWAY
90 The highway's stretch in Escambia County contributed to the county being ranked No. 20 by Convoy Car Shipping for traffic fatalities among counties in the U.S. with populations of 150,000-499,999. The nationwide car delivery service based the list on data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatalities Analysis Reporting System. From 2017-2021, U.S. Highway 90 had 52 fatalities—the most for any Florida county in the top 20 on the list. {in}
Arts & Entertainment
Not Your Grandma's Queer Bar
The result? A space they both call "grandma's funky living room." It's a bar where you can kick your feet up, enjoy a meal, sing karaoke, dance with your friends, bruise your legs on the stripper poles, or even read a book, crotchet a scarf or do a tarot spread. Yep, all of that happens here.
"If you're looking for a space that feels comfortable, where you can take a deep breath, be yourself and have a good time, then this is the place to come," Cameron said. "Especially if you're a little socially awkward, shy or have a hard time going out by yourself, this space has a lot of little, cozy, dark corners you can hang out in."
Beyond the cozy atmosphere, Cameron also talked about the comfort found in working with
"Daisy and I have known each other forever," Cameron said. "I think I was 19 when we met and worked in the service industry a lot together, and then I moved away, and I've been nursing for the past 10 years. When I moved back, Daisy was talking about wanting to reopen a bar, and I was talking about wanting to get out of nursing. Both of us work really well together, so we were like, 'Let's go for it. Let's do it.'"
The two are definitely a dynamic duo, and thankfully their skills complement each other.
"Daisy actually calls me her 'little construction ho,' because Daisy is like the visionary," Cameron said. "We are like yin and yang, you know? Daisy's the razzle dazzle visionary, and I'm like, 'I'll do it. Where are my tools?' So it works really well. We balance each other out."
always booking a little of something for everybody, because queer people don't just like one type of music. We have punk, rap, blues, jazz, EDM, comedy shows, burlesque, drag shows, a puppet show—you name it. I'm just happy to hear music in this space again."
Following in its legacy, chizuko was known for more than just great food and music; it was equally infamous as an unofficial queer bar, a place where lesbians gathered to hang out. With a staggering number of lesbian bars shutting down across the U.S. and Pensacola's two gay bars primarily catering toward gay men, it became crucial to openly identify the space as a queer bar this time around.
"With chizuko, we didn't really need to label it as a queer space; it just became one. Everyone just knew. I never had to say it, but it's so much cooler to just say it," Doyle explained, grinning. "Plus, there aren't any spaces like this in Pensacola, so it felt necessary. I just want a space where you can do whatever you want and just be comfortable here. That's the best part about Betty's is that nobody is judging you here."
Echoing this sentiment, Cameron explained that by clearly defining the space and making it visible, they're drawing in new crowds—people who may have never felt comfortable coming out before.
bar dog makes his rounds, greeting patrons and posing for selfies, and in the courtyard, you can hear a jazz band drifting over from the neighboring historic Bunny Club.
This is the magic of Betty's on Belmont—a place where you never quite know what you're walking into, and that's exactly the point.
If you haven't heard about chizuko reopening as Betty's on Belmont, you're not alone. After closing its doors during the pandemic, the iconic dive bar, vegan restaurant and music venue quietly reopened under a new name last month. What began as a soft launch seamlessly turned into regular hours with the bar relying on
has always defined the space.
At the helm are Daisy Doyle and Lynn Cameron, longtime friends turned business partners, who wanted to create a space where they could not only enjoy working but—somewhere they would love to hang out, too.
"People love secrets and surprises in Pensacola—to feel like they're in the know. chizuko also opened up by word of mouth back in 2017, so we didn't want some grand announcement," Doyle said. "My dream has always been to create a cool place that I would want to hang out in. I knew if I created something I loved, other people would love it too."
The bar's name is still an homage to Doyle's own grandmother, Chizuko Carlisle, who went by the name "Betty" when she moved from Hawaii to Pensacola to raise her family. Doyle's Japanese heritage remains at the heart of the space—where sake and sushi flow nonstop. Well, almost nonstop. The kitchen closes at 2 a.m. The masterminds in the kitchen—Dot, former co-owner of Khon's, and his sidekick Josh—serve up sushi, stir-fries, soups, vegan options and a rotating menu of bold, inventive Asian dishes. Most nights, you can also spot Pretty Baked food truck outside dishing out vegan sandwiches and sweets.
While the elevated food defines Betty's, the music is equally essential. Nestled in Pensacola's historic Belmont-DeVilliers music district, Betty's embraces all forms of alternative music. As an underground venue, Doyle curates diverse entertainment lineups, ensuring there's something for everyone.
"The music is so important," Doyle explained. "It has to be the center of what we do. Other businesses have failed in this space because they didn't focus on the music. So, I'm
"Not only are people excited to return to the old feeling of chizuko, but as a visibly queer and trans-friendly space, it attracts different crowds who feel safer walking through these doors. We're not afraid to vocalize that we won't tolerate hatred in any form. As long as everybody treats each other with respect, otherwise, you're fucking out of here!" Cameron yelled, motioning toward the door. {in}
BETTY'S ON BELMONT
WHERE: 506 W. Belmont St.
DETAILS: @bettys_on_belmont
UPCOMING EVENTS AT BETTY'S ON BELMONT
Saturday, Dec. 28 Haus of Delphinium's Burlesque Showcase
Tuesday, Dec. 31 New Year's Eve Panty Dropper Party featuring DJ Hale, Pauper's Grave, drag and more Saturday, Jan. 4 A Bluegrass show featuring Yes Ma'am, Ponch Bueller and Maray Fuego
Wednesday, Feb. 1 Valentine's Goth Night
a&e happenings
a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 at Laguna's Adventure Park, 460 Pensacola Beach Blvd. Details are at lagunaspb.com/holiday-fun.
NEW YEAR'S EVE AT SPLASH CITY Take the family to a kid friendly New Year's Eve party 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Splash City, 6709 Pensacola Blvd. There will be NYE trinkets, plenty of fun and a sparkling grape juice toast and ball drop at 1 p.m. Cost is $19.99 a person. Details are at splashcityadventures.com.
KAZOO'S ROCKIN' NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY
The Blue Wahoos will host a familyfriendly New Year's Eve Party 5-8 p.m. at Blue Wahoos Stadium, 352 W. Cedar St., with activities, ballpark concessions, photo booth, fireworks and live music from Jessie Ritter. General admission is $5 and can be purchased online at bluewahoos.com.
FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ NEW YEAR'S EVE SERVICE Five Sister's Blue Café, 421 W. Belmont St., will be open for lunch and dinner service Tuesday, Dec. 31. Lunch service is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with the standard menu. Dinner service is 4-10 p.m. with a special menu. Details are at greatsouthernrestaurants.com.
RING IN THE NEW YEAR AT FISH HOUSE New Year's Eve dinner seatings are 6 and 9 p.m.
(850) 287-0200 or online at opentable.com. Walk-in service is also available all evening with the standard menu.
CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR AT ANGELENA'S Angelena's Ristorante Italiano will offer three seatings for a special New Year's Eve dinner at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. Chef Ian Gillette will offer a fixed price, four-course menu. Cost is $125 a person and includes party favors and complimentary parking. Details are available at angelenaspensacola.com.
NEW YEAR'S EVE AT 86 FORKS Enjoy
Asian-inspired dishes, craft cocktails and more for a special New Year's Eve dinner at 86 Forks, 11 S. Palafox St. STE B. Reserve your table at 86forks.com/reservations.
NEW YEAR'S EVE AT DRIFT Enjoy a prix fixe dinner with a celebratory champagne toast Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Drift, 41 Fort Pickens Road. Cost is $120 per guest. Reserve your spot at driftpcola.com.
FLORA-BAMA ANNUAL BEW YEAR'S EVE
BASH Enjoy live music, party favors and a midnight champagne toast. Fun starts 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Flora-Bama, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. Details are at florabama.com/new-years-eve.
DRINK 'TIL IT DROPS NYE ROLLBACK
PARTY Take part in specialty brews, draft cocktails, a memory time capsule and midnight ball drop starting 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Coastal County Brewing, 3041 E. Olive Road. Entry and parking are free.
SILVER 25 JUBILEE Ring in the New Year in your best silver attire 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Casks and Flights, 121 S. Palafox St. Admission is $25 and includes a complimentary champagne toast. Details are at casksandflights.com.
PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR Before the fireworks, watch the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra with guest artists, jazz singer Sydney McSweeney and vocalist and trumpeter Byron Stripling. Event is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.
NEW YEAR'S EVE AT O'RILEY'S UPTOWN
TAVERN Enjoy a midnight balloon drop, live DJ and drink specials at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Details are at orileystavern.com.
NEW YEAR'S EVE FIREWORKS AT PENSACOLA BEACH Fireworks will be set off midnight Tuesday, Dec. 31 over Santa Rosa Sound along Pensacola Beach Boardwalk. Watch from your favorite spot on Pensacola Beach.
SOBER CRUISE FOR NEW YEAR'S Take in
a New Year's fireworks cruise around Little Sabine 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. Cost is $45.99. Booking details are at fareharbor.com.
PHASES OF FUNK NYE CELEBRATION
Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St., will host a funky New Year's party with beer releases, DJ Tony D and complimentary Saison and champagne pours at midnight. Event is free admission. Details are at facebook.com/oddcolony.
NYE MIDNIGHT MASQUERADE Perfect
Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St., will host a masquerade ball with open bar, burlesque performances, stilt walkers, live music, midnight balloon drop and more. Event is 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. Tickets are available at ticketsilver.com/perfectplain/tc-events/midnightmasquerade-nye-2024.
NEW YEAR'S EVE STUDIO 54 PARTY Go back in time while ringing in the New Year at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. The Studio 54-themed party includes DJ, laser shows, aerial circus performers, photo booth and more. Event starts 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. Tickets start at $65 with VIP tickets available. Details are at vinylmusichall.com.
ARTS & CULTURE
PENSACOLA MARDI GRAS KICK-OFF The 2025 Mardi Gras Kick-Off Celebration is 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. with a processional and Second Line with the New Orleans Ramblers and costumed krewes in downtown Pensacola. Details are at pensacolamardigras.com/kick-off-celebration.
WISHES PRESENTED BY FIRST DANCE
BALLROOM Watch dance performances to music from animated classics 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.
COASTAL WEDDINGS EXPO Connect with more than 100 bridal vendors at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Event is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5. Tickets are available at pensacolabaycenter.com.
SWAN LAKE: STATE BALLET OF UKRAINE Watch the State Ballet of Ukraine with a live symphony orchestra perform Swan Lake 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.
TREEHOUSE PLAYHOUSE Enjoy a script reading club for students. Group will meet the first Tuesday of the month. The first meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Details are at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
SWEETWATER INTEGRATION EXPO See the industry's best audio/visual equipment and watch demonstrations on audio, lighting, acoustics and more. Event is Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 7 and 8 at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are available at pensacolabaycenter.com.
PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features
a&e happenings
local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.
CELEBRATING 70: A HISTORY OF COLLECTING Enjoy a Pensacola Museum of Art exhibit with works from its permanent collection on view through Jan. 5 at 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for hours.
RISING TIDE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN DEPP Enjoy this exhibit on view through April 4 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for hours.
FOOD + DRINKS
ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS: JACK DANIELS BONDED SERIES Two classes are available at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2 at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. Cost is $30 a person. Seating is limited. Reservations can be made by calling (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@goodgrits.com.
WINTER IN STARS HOLLOW: A GILMORE GIRLS DINNER EXPERIENCE
Dinner is 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 at Bodacious, 407D S. Palafox St. Tickets are at eventbrite.com.
WINTER COOKIE WORKSHOP Class is 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Cost is $40. Tickets are at eventbrite.com.
TROLLEY BAR TOUR Five Flags Trolley Co. hosts this hop-on/hop-off tour of the favorite bars in downtown Pensacola. Dates are through Dec. 31. For tickets and information, visit pensacolawinterfest.org/pub-and-party-trolley-indowntown-pensacola.
LIVE MUSIC
THE PURPLE MADNESS PRINCE TRIBUTE
Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20-$25 and available at vinylmusichall.com
GASOLINA: REGGAETON PARTY Show is 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at vinylmusichall.com.
GNARLED, RED BEARD WALL, BLIGHT, INNERWOUNDS, DECAYING EUCHARIST
Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are available at thehandlebar850.com.
COMMUNITY JAZZ JAM Jazz Pensacola event is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Admission is free. Visit jazzpensacola.com.
SIX FEET UNDER Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are available a Ωt thehandlebar850.com.
WUWF PRESENTS RADIOLIVE The next RadioLive is 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 at the Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. Enjoy performances from The Lubben Brothers, Shelby Kemp and Lou Hazel. Tickets are $10 and available at radiolive.org.
LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ Enjoy live music on select days at Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St.
•John Wheeler 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26
•Harrison Avenue 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27
•Glen Parker Band 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28
FITNESS + RECREATION
FLORA-BAMA 37TH ANNUAL MAKE IT TO THE LINE RUN/WALK Run, jog, walk or crawl to the line at our 4-Mile Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run. The first 400 participants will receive run packets that include t-shirts and other goodies. Race is 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Dec. 28 at Flora Bama Lounge, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. Details are at florabama.com/makeit-to-the-line.
CYCLE SUNDAY Hosted by Emerald Republic Brewing and Bike Pensacola, Cycle Sunday starts with a community bike ride 3-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29 leaving from 1414 W. Government St., and from 3:30-5 p.m. is a bike talk and beer. Details are at facebook.com/bikepensacola.
FLORA-BAMA POLAR BEAR DIP Take a plunge in the Gulf of Mexico noon Wednesday,
Jan. 1 at Flora-Bama, 17401 Perdido Key Drive. Details are at florabama.com/polar-bear-dip.
POLAR BEAR PLUNGE Start 2025 with a dip in the water at Paradise Inn/Bar& Grill, 21 Via de Luna Drive. Event is noon-3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1. Registration begins at noon and the fee is $15 cash a person and participants will receive a Polar Bear Plunge t-shirt or a $10 registration donation to participate without the t-shirt and $5 Cub Club for ages fifth grade and younger. All proceeds go to the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce.
PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS Games are at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets and information are at pensacolabaycenter.com. Upcoming dates:
•7:05 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26
•7:05 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28
PUBLIC ICE SKATE Tickets are $15 for adults and kids with skate rental or $12 for adults and kids with their own skates. Season passes and private sessions are also available. Skate sessions are located at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St.
Upcoming dates:
•9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26
•2, 3:30, 5, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27
•9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 28
•2, 3:30, 5, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29
•2, 3:30, 5, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30
•2, 3:30, 5, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31
free will astrology
WEEK OF DECEMBER 26
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In 2025, I would love for you to specialize in making new connections and deepening your existing connections. I hope you will summon extra creativity and panache as you regularly blend your beautiful energies with others' beautiful energies. I predict you will thrive on linking elements that should be linked but have never been before. What do you think, Aries? Does it sound fun to become a playful master of mixing and combining? Would you enjoy generating splashy unifications that serve your dreams?
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "Confidence is 10% hard work and 90% delusion," declared Tina Fey, a Taurus comedian. But I believe you will disprove that assessment in the coming months. The work you do will be unusually replete with grace and dynamism. It will be focused and diligent work, yes, but more importantly, it will be smart work that's largely free of delusion. That's why I'm inclined to revise Fey's formula for your sake. In 2025, your brimming levels of confidence will be primarily due to your fine, conscientious, effective work.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): In the 1960s, a Swedish journalist tried an experiment. He wanted to see if art critics could distinguish between abstract paintings made by skilled artists and those created by a four-year-old chimpanzee whose pseudonym was Pierre Brassau. Surprise! Many of the critics treated all the paintings with equal respect. One even gave special praise to Brassau, describing his strokes of color as having "the delicacy of a ballet dancer." I'm authorizing you to unleash your inner Brassau in the coming months, Gemini. Be an innocent rookie, a newcomer with great instincts, an exuberant amateur who specializes in fun experiments. Do you know what beginner's mind is? You approach every experience with zero assumptions or expectations, as if you were seeing everything for the first time. For more, read this: wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Ohio's Cuyahoga River used to catch on fire regularly. The cause was pollution. For 100 years, industries had poured their wastes into the waterway.
By Rob Brezsny
The surface was often dotted with oil slicks. But after a notorious river fire in 1969, the locals decided to remedy the situation, aided by the newly established Environmental Protection Agency. Today, the Cuyahoga still isn't 100% clean, but it's far better. It hosts kayaking, fishing and paddle boarding. I propose we use its rehabilitation as a symbol for you in 2025. You will have welcome opportunities to clean up messes that have lingered for far too long. Please take full advantage of these cosmic invitations to sweep karmic debris out of your life.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Steve Jobs, founder of Apple computers, said, "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." I propose you make this one of your mottoes in 2025. More than ever, you will have exceptional power to transform the environments you share with others. You will have an enhanced ability to revise and reinvigorate the systems and the rules you use. Don't underestimate your influence during the coming months, Leo. Assume people will be listening especially closely to your ideas and extra receptive to be affected by you.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): People in India were the first to discover diamonds buried in the earth. Most historians believe it happened in the fourth century B.C.E. For the next two millennia, India remained the only source of diamonds. Finally, new stashes were found in Brazil in 1725 and in South Africa in the 1870s. Let's use this 2,000-year gap as a metaphor for your life. I suspect far too many months have passed since you have located a fresh source of a certain treasure or bounty you crave. That will change in 2025. Here come long-delayed blessings!
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): In my vision of your life in 2025, you will dramatically enhance how togetherness works for you. Below are four questions to help guide your explorations and breakthroughs. 1. Is it feasible to change yourself in ways that enable you to have a more satisfying relationship with romantic love? 2. Will you include your intimate relationships as an essential part of your spiritual path—and vice versa? 3. What work on yourself can you do to heal your old wounds and thereby make yourself a better partner and collaborator? 4. Can you help your best allies to heal their wounds and thereby become better partners and collaborators?
els in 2025, Capricorn. May he mobilize you to use your stature and clout to perform an array of good works that are of service to your world.
What is your overarching purpose here on earth, and how are you fulfilling it?
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Aquarian author Virginia Woolf extolled the virtues of cultivating a supple soul that thrives on change. She pledged to be relentless in her commitment to be authentically herself and not succumb to groupthink. I recommend you make these two of your featured themes in 2025. To inspire your efforts, I will quote her radical perspective at length: "Movement and change are the essence of our being; rigidity is death; conformity is death: let us say what comes into our heads, repeat ourselves, contradict ourselves, fling out the wildest nonsense and follow the most fantastic fancies without caring what the world does or thinks or says."
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): I will give you four related terms to describe your key motif in 2025: 1. Your Soul's Code. 2. Your Master Plan. 3. Your Destiny's Blueprint. 4. Your Mission Statement. All four are rooted in this epic question: What is your overarching purpose here on earth, and how are you fulfilling it? The coming months will be a time when you can make dramatic progress in formulating vivid, detailed visions of the life you want to live. You can also undertake robust action steps to make those visions more of a practical reality. I encourage you to write your big-picture, longrange dreams in a special notebook or a file on your tech device. Keep adding to the text throughout the coming months.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): In Japanese, the word for "frog" sounds similar to the word meaning "to return." That's one reason frogs have been lucky in some circles of Japanese culture. They symbolize the blessing that occurs when travelers return home safely, or when health is restored, or when spent money is replenished. I bring this to your attention, Sagittarius, because I suspect 2025 will be a time when satisfying and enjoyable returns will be a key theme. Consider keeping the likeness of a lovable frog in your living space.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Since 1985, musician David Gilmour has led Pink Floyd. The band has sold more than 250 million records. He's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in both the U.K. and U.S. But my favorite thing about Gilmour is he's a passionate activist who has crusaded for animal rights, environmentalism, poverty and human rights. A few years ago, he auctioned off 120 of his guitars, raising more than $21 million for an environmentalist charity. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose we make him one of your inspirational role mod-
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In 1992, two friends promised each other if either of them ever won the lottery, they would share it with the other. Twenty-eight years later, that's exactly what happened. In 2020, Thomas Cook bought a ticket that turned out to be the winner of the Powerhouse jackpot in Wisconsin. He called Joseph Feeney with the good news. After paying taxes, both men were $5.7 million richer. I am not predicting the exact same sequence for your future, Pisces. But like Cook and Feeney, I expect you will glean pleasing rewards generated from seeds planted in the past.
HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Make the most positive prediction about your future that you can dare to imagine. {in}
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news of the weird
SAVING SANTA Ho-ho-ho-no: One of Santa's helpers had to be rescued off the side of a building, reported USA Today on Dec. 10. Firefighters were called to the scene of the Holiday Extravaganza in Norwalk, Connecticut, when a man dressed as Santa Claus got stuck 60 feet off the ground. The man was rappelling down the 13-story building when part of his costume became entangled in the rigging. The rescue crew pulled him to safety through a 6th-floor window; no injuries were reported. (Had it been the real Santa, of course, the reindeer would have flown to his rescue right away.)
YAY, SCIENCE! A Chicago middle schooler brought some goose droppings to science club—and landed in the middle of a biomedical breakthrough. The club is supervised by researchers from the University of Illinois as part of an initiative to "involve young learners in the search for new antibiotics," reported ScienceAlert on Dec. 5. Students were instructed to "explore their neighborhood for new bioactive compounds." Hence, goose poop from a local park. With the help of the pros, the student safely isolated a bacterium from the droppings that showed antibiotic activity—an incredibly rare and important feat, say the experts. Not only that, but the bacterium also produced a never-before-seen natural compound which, in lab tests, slowed the growth of certain cancer cells. The student is now listed as a co-author of the peer-reviewed paper on the discoveries.
IT'S COME TO THIS From the "But Why Would You Want To?" file: The New York Post reported on Dec. 4 that Miller High Life has released a new cologne, just in time for the holidays. Dive Bar-Fume evokes the smells of a bar counter, leather stools and tobacco so you can be in your favorite dive bar whenever you want. It also includes sea salt (for the "basket of fries and popcorn") and Champak blossom, which of course smells like Miller High Life. It'll set you back $60 and comes in a fancy gift box. One commenter asked, "Does it smell like shattered dreams?" Touche.
QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENT Amanda Joudrey LeBlanc of Blandford, Nova Scotia, found a dog sitter she liked and booked them several times over the summer, the CBC reported on Nov. 19. That is, until she discovered a video of the sitter advertising an account on OnlyFans. LeBlanc immediately recognized her own home in the background—her bathroom and her outdoor pool. She bought a subscription to the service and discovered more explicit content filmed in her house. "I am still shocked by it to be honest with you," LeBlanc said. "Everyone can do whatever they want. I don't care. I just don't want it done in my home." The dogs were not featured in the videos.
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
Fox News reported. An American Airlines Boeing 777 was being towed when its wing clipped the wing of a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 that was parked at a gate, the Federal Aviation Administration said. There were no injuries reported to passengers, but all passengers exited the planes, and American removed its plane from service. Frontier said all passengers would receive a $100 travel voucher, as well as the option to rebook on Frontier or receive a full refund. An airport spokesperson called it a minor incident.
•On Nov. 16, aboard United Airlines flight 502 from Austin, Texas, to Los Angeles, one traveler lost his composure and started beating up ... his seat. The New York Post reported that the unnamed man, dressed in sweats, stood on his seat and repeatedly kicked its backrest as bystanders watched and took video. "The flight attendant walked by a couple times, nobody was doing anything," said witness Gino Galofaro. He and two other passengers decided to take matters into their own hands, zip-tying the irate passenger's hands and feet and strapping him into a seat. About an hour later, as the flight landed, law enforcement met them at the gate. United Airlines said he has been banned from future flights.
GREAT ART The duct-taped banana "artwork" just won't turn brown and mushy and find its way into the bin. On Nov. 20 in New York City, Sotheby's sold the latest iteration for $6.2 million to Justin Sun, founder of the cryptocurrency platform TRON, WFAA-TV reported. Bidding started at $800,000. Sun said the art "represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes and the cryptocurrency community. ... In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture." Lucky for Sun, he technically bought the rights to duct-tape any other banana to any other wall and call it "Comedian," as it was dubbed in 2019 by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan.
WHO KNEW? Fox News host Jesse Watters has laid down the law regarding man-to-man birthday etiquette, the Independent reported. On his show, "Jesse Watters Primetime," on Nov. 20, the host said he would have wished President Joe Biden a happy birthday, but that would break his "rules." "Men don't wish men happy birthdays," he said. He revealed the rule earlier this fall, when he said wishing another Fox host happy birthday "would not be manly." Watters also apparently has rules about men eating soup and ice cream in public—"It's not a good look." {in}
THE
GOLDEN AGE OF AIR TRAVEL On Nov. 25 at Boston's Logan International Airport, two planes got a tad too chummy on the tarmac,
From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2024 Andrews McMeel
