Inweekly Jan. 18 2024 Issue by Inweekly

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TO ODD COLONY’S GROWN-UP BOOK FAIR Sunday • January 21 Independent News | January 18, 2024 | Volume 25 | Number 2

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winners & losers

outtakes

news

6, 7

The best way to make change is through individuals.

buzz

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feature

13, 17

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Joshua Encinias, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Dakota Parks, C.S. Satterwhite, Tom St. Myer

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. © 2024 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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winners & losers

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winners WES REEDER H. Wesley Reeder of Emmanuel

Sheppard & Condon was inducted into the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, a professional association whose membership consists of alternative dispute resolution professionals distinguished by their hands-on experience in the field of civil and commercial conflict resolution. Membership is by invitation only, and all Academy members have been thoroughly reviewed and found to meet stringent practice criteria. Members are among the most in-demand neutrals in their respective states, as selected by their peers and approved by local litigators.

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WEDGEWOOD The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has given Escambia County approximately $3.8 million to support a flood mitigation project in the Wedgewood neighborhood that has battled borrow pits and 0 landfills, 0for decades. 6 , ,0 , 0 mitigation , 3 remedies The 8 84 29 79 42 46 5, , , , , , 6 for, the the2Marie Young Com9 50 acres 6 ,7 86 35 around 8, 2 0, 8, 69 also 8serve 0, as recreational ,6 munity Center may 6 7 areas. Escambia County must provide a 50% match from local option sales tax revenue to receive the resiliency award. GE VERNOVA GE Vernova, formerly GE Wind, announced it would build 674 wind turbines for Pattern Energy for its SunZia wind project, the largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere. GE Vernova's Pensacola factory on Scenic Highway will build the turbines, along with tower manufacturing operations in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. Pattern Energy has secured $11 billion in financing for the project, which includes the SunZia wind farm and an associated multibilliondollar transmission line that will funnel power to populated markets in the western U.S. The Port of Pensacola receives supplies for the GE plant and stores and ships the finished products. UWF The American Council on Education and

the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching selected the University of West Florida to receive the 2024 Community Engagement Classification, an honor designated to 368 institutions nationwide. This is the second time UWF has received this prestigious classification, with the first being in 2015. With this selection, UWF is reclassified until 2032.

losers ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell rejected motions by the school board to dismiss First Amendment claims in the book-banning lawsuit filed by seven parents of schoolchildren, five authors, the publishing company Penguin Random House and the free-speech group PEN America. The lawsuit involves the removal of 10 books and restrictions on access to many more. The judge's decision allows the lawsuit to proceed to a jury trial. The school board has 28 days to file a response. Judge Wetherell dismissed the plaintiffs' claim their equal protection rights under the 14th Amendment were violated.

BLAISE INGOGLIA The Republican state senator from Spring Hill failed to win support from Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner for his proposal (SB 1752) to scale back voting by mail. Ingoglia's bill would allow voting by mail only for people who would be absent from their home counties or who have illnesses or disabilities that prevent them from going to polling places and members of the military stationed overseas. Passidomo pointed out that many seniors in her district prefer voting by mail, which is also true in Escambia County. Renner also swatted down the proposal, saying lawmakers should make voting easy and cheating hard. CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER As many predicted, the former Sarasota County commissioner was removed as the Republican Party of Florida chairman less than 11 months after he was elected. Ziegler, who is under investigation for alleged sexual assault, was removed by a voice vote of more than 250 committee members in a meeting at the Tallahassee Conference Center last week. The committee voted 135-65 to elect Evan Power, the Leon County Republican Party chairman, over Peter Feaman, a Boynton Beach attorney who is in his third term as Florida's Republican national committeeman. Ziegler, who had the backing of Donald Trump, had topped Power for the chairmanship last February. No charges have been filed against Ziegler, who rejected calls to step down. Ziegler did not attend last week's meeting. inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

THE OTHER PARK REFERENDUM Twenty years ago, Pensacola debated whether to build a $40 million park on Pensacola Bay. I'm not talking about the Community Maritime Park. In 2003, the fight was over a waterfront festival park. In 1996, the Pensacola City Council began discussing how to replace the aging Bayfront Auditorium. City leaders also wanted to create a festival park to accommodate the growing number of community events. When they developed a capital improvement plan for the eight-year extension, the council included $9 million for a new park and $5.7 million to replace the auditorium. The city bought the 27.5 acres, known as the Trillium site, across from City Hall on Pensacola for $3.54 million in March 2000. A 43-member committee developed the Pensacola Waterfront Development Plan that called for the park and auditorium to be built on the site. The following year, the city and its urban planners held focus groups and workshops to develop a master plan for the waterfront festival park the council approved, and the design team finalized the construction plans for a 16-acre park and an $18 million auditorium. In November 2002, the City Council approved the project by an 8-2 vote, and the citizens rebelled against its $40 million price tag. Within 60 days, Citizens Against Trillium collected 8,752 signatures to force the city's first referendum to overturn a council vote. On March 25, the Citizens Against Trillium won, with 62% voting down the project. The defeat embarrassed city officials and explains why they mostly sat on the sidelines when Quint Studer fought another referendum against the Community Maritime Park three years later. Why did the waterfront festival park fail to win popular support? The city deliberately and systematically sought public input over three years. The public had ample opportunity to comment on the project, but it failed to win the votes. The problem was that the city narrowed the project scope to a festival park and auditorium at the beginning of the process without enter-

taining other ideas. No one looked at how the 27.5 acres could best be used as a catalyst for revitalizing downtown Pensacola. Our newspaper and leaders like Brian Spencer and Ray Russenberger felt building a public works project that replaced a current building and added another city park wouldn't help downtown. We would be missing the opportunity to do something special that would jumpstart our economy that Hurricane Ivan had rocked. Yes, a faction didn't see the need for anything on the land. They argued the auditorium would make the Civic Center, Saenger Theatre and Culture Center less profitable. They exaggerated the costs, saying they were $63 million, not $40 million. Citizens Against Trillium felt the project was too expensive and too much of a financial burden for a city of 56,000 people. They didn't want any project until a master plan for downtown and its waterfront was developed. They pretty much put out as much misinformation as possible to thwart the project. Many of the same people would later try to stop the Community Maritime Park effort, using the same tactics. But the Community Maritime Park would be a catalyst that the waterfront festival park wasn't. We had researched other Southern cities with vibrant economies and found baseball parks were revitalizing downtowns nationwide. The naysayers tried to dispute our research, but they kept citing multi-million-dollar stadiums built for MLB and NFL teams, which weren't good comparisons. Today, few can dispute the Community Maritime Park's impact on the growth of downtown Pensacola, even though the University of West Florida failed to build a maritime museum and conference center at the park. Since the park opened in May 2012, we have seen retail, commercial and residential add millions to the tax rolls. No growth would have happened if we had built the waterfront festival park. The lesson learned is to make public input as broad as possible without trying to steer the group in one direction. {in} rick@inweekly.net

They pretty much put out as much misinformation as possible to thwart the project.

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SETTING THE TONE

Photo Courtesy of flgov.com

By Rick Outzen The 2024 Legislative Session opened Tuesday, Jan. 9. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, and Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, outlined their agendas for their respective chambers. Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered to a joint session his annual State of the State address by touting Florida's accomplishments since he took office in 2019. Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Davie, and House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, responded to the governor's remarks.

PASSIDOMO'S REMARKS

The senate president told the Florida Senate that her "Live Healthy" proposal does not include expanding Medicaid. "I want to be clear. I'm not going to spend the next 60 days re-litigating Medicaid expansion. I understand the arguments both for and against. We have had the debate several times over the last decade," she said. "Medicaid expansion is not going to happen. It is not a quick fix. It is not a panacea. In fact, if you cannot actually schedule an appointment with a health care provider, Medicaid expansion is nothing more than a false government promise." Instead, the Senate will focus on expanding the health care work force with a package with new opportunities for education, training and retention, enhanced partnerships between hospitals, colleges and universities that train health care workers, and loan repayment options that drive providers to underserved areas. "We are funding provider increases that incentivize health care workers to continue serving in needed fields like mental health, labor and delivery, and helping Floridians with disabilities," Passidomo said. "We are expanding clinical training to include more rural, remote or other locations difficult to access." She added, "In order to care for our growing population and meet the increased demand for health care, we must expand our workforce, increase efficiencies and elevate quality. I look forward to continued feedback and suggestions from the entire Senate." Passidomo also touched on her second favorite topic, the deregulation of public schools. She pointed out that the state has more regulations on school districts annually. 66

"Telling districts what to do and how to do it was supposed to ensure quality, but it can also stifle innovation," she said. "With Learn Local, we do not lose one inch of the accountability measures instituted over the last 30 years. These metrics and measurements provide information to help parents make the best decisions for their children." The senate president explained the mirrors she had given each senator. "Tallahassee is an easy place to find fair-weather, or as I call them, "temporary" friends, who compliment our looks and laugh at all of our jokes," Passidomo said. "When we look in the mirror, we see ourselves for who we really are. We remember where we came from and what we are fighting for.

RENNER'S REMARKS

In his remarks to the House, Speaker Renner touted the bills passed in 2023—the abortion restrictions, tort reform, shutting down Enterprise Florida and creating "more affordable housing for hard-working Floridians." He assured the representatives that the House will continue to fund the school voucher expansion lawmakers passed last year. Renner said, "We will also provide our students greater support to reach grade level in the critical subjects of reading and math." The speaker would support Passidomo's health care initiatives. "We aim to bring greater transparency to the price and quality of health care. We will look for ways patients can save money using that information," Renner said. "And we will remove protectionist barriers so health care professionals from outside Florida can move here, relieving critical shortages and providing more health care access to Floridians." However, the speaker stated savings must offset increased costs. He said, "We can fund new initiatives to improve health care, including mental health, but only if we restrain spending elsewhere." Renner expected the House to focus on children and their social media usage. "Children have always faced mean girls and boys, but social media has changed the game and caused unprecedented damage to children's mental health. And here's the truth — the social media companies know this. They also know that they designed social media to be as addictive as possible." The speaker added, "We will take bold steps like age verification to rescue our children from technology that cripples their sense of self-worth and purpose." Under his leadership, the House would extend penalties for anyone who commits violence against law enforcement and end citizen review boards, Renner said had been "weaponized by defund-the-police activists." In his close, the speaker said, "This session, we will continue our work to help every Floridian reach their full potential and make Florida the envy of the nation today and for years to come."

STATE OF THE STATE

Gov. Ron DeSantis' message was: "Stay the course." He added, "The state of our state is strong. Let's keep doing what works. Let's continue to make Florida the envy of the nation." DeSantis pinged the Biden administration and states for record homelessness levels, 62% living paycheck-to-paycheck, and the federal budget deficit. He also brought up the 8 million illegal migrants that have crossed the southern border and the rise in fentanyl deaths. He claimed that the budget deficits, high crime and excessive taxes have led citizens and businesses to relocate from California, Illinois and New York to Florida, which he called "a refuge for freedom and sanity." DeSantis bragged that state leaders had chosen "facts over fear, education over indoctrination, law and order over rioting and disorder, and fiscal responsibility over debt and profligacy." He said, "Our choices have produced results that are second to none," He touted the 2023 session that "enacted the largest expansion of school choice in American history," with nearly 1.5 million students enrolled full-time in various choice programs, including private scholarships, charter schools and choice options within school districts. The governor touched on his 2024 budget. "I am proposing that we return $1.1 billion to the people through sweeping tax cuts that will provide even more relief to families, individuals and retirees just trying to get by during these uncertain times," DeSantis said. "Let's reduce the cost of homeowners insurance, continue our record-setting sales tax holidays, and provide permanent tax relief for small businesses." In his closing remarks, the governor said, "Over the next two months, let's enact policies that focus on Florida's future and that keep faith with our nation's founding ideals. Together, we will keep Florida free and provide hope for a revival of the American spirit throughout these United States."

BOOK'S RESPONSE

Senate Minority Leader Book responded to the governor's remarks, saying that DeSantis' "curated talking point" covered "a much darker reality." She saw the state under threat due to "an increasingly out-of-touch and extreme agenda championed by the Republican Party of Florida." Book accused DeSantis of being more preoccupied with running for president than solving problems in our state. She asserted that Florida's foundations are shaking despite a booming economy. "Our seniors—pillars of our communities, whose hard work and dedication built Florida up to her former glory—now face the grim possibility of losing their homes," Book said. "Our students and young people—who are supposed to be Florida's future—cannot afford to live in the state they grew up in and desperately want to make it better. She added, "Our workers and unions—the fabric of our communities and the backbone of

our economy—are under constant attack and face elimination by their own government." The Senate minority leader said Florida had become the nation's "inflation hotspot." She claimed Republicans had become preoccupied with taking away rights rather than addressing the lack of affordable housing and health coverage access. "Unjust abortion bans opposed by the vast majority of Floridians have stripped our residents of the right to privacy and health care—forcing dangerous pregnancy and birth, or else—with threats to literally jail women and their doctor," Book said. The senate president covered the bills her fellow Democrats had filed, saying they were working to defend rights, restore affordability and solve problems for everyday people. She also pointed out her priorities, "I'm fighting to make sure women aren't jailed over abortion care and low-income seniors stay afloat amidst the ongoing property insurance crisis." She admitted the chances of the Democrats' bills passing were slim. "Unfortunately, Democratic proposals are routinely rejected along party lines in favor of an agenda that prioritizes the interests of the few over the needs of many. But we will not give up." In her closing statement, Book said, "Together, we have the solutions. It is long past time to put those solutions into action for the benefit of all. Florida is only as prosperous, as safe, and as free as the poorest, least protected and least free among us."

DRISKELL'S RESPONSE

House Minority Leader accused GOP lawmakers and Gov. DeSantis of trading "our freedoms, taxpayer dollars, and reputation as a state to advance one man's political career." She argued that lawmakers should focus on "pocketbook issues, not book bans; affordability solutions, instead of abortion restrictions; and create affordable housing, not tax breaks for DeSantis donors." "Abortion is health care. Period. Full stop," Driskell said. "Nobody should be allowed to control what happens to a woman's body without her consent. Nobody should be allowed to control what happens to your body without your consent." She pointed out that Florida was among the only 10 states that still refuse to accept Medicaid expansion and the money that comes with it. If Democrats were in charge, we would expand Medicaid. "Accepting Medicaid expansion dollars would help provide health care to low-income Florida families and save the state a lot of money," Driskell said. "We're talking about saving billions of dollars and countless lives." She added, "Florida House Democrats want to do serious things to solve real problems facing Florida families. We don't want the culture war fights. They don't improve our economy or help anyone's life." Driskell said, "Let's leave kids, library books and 'woke' boogeymen alone this year." {in} inweekly.net

HEAD START AT CROSSROADS

By Tom St. Myer A historic building where educators positively impacted thousands of families for over 100 years sits vacant in the heart of Pensacola. Community Action Program Committee's Head Start has ceased operations in the building after Escambia County Public Schools terminated the lease, effective Dec. 31. The John A. Gibson school building, located at the 700 block of North C Street, originally opened in 1921 as a segregated elementary school and functioned in that capacity until closing in 1974. Its namesake was a teacher and principal at Pensacola schools in the post-Civil War era. Gibson led efforts to recruit and train Black teachers and co-founded the Institute of Colored Teachers of Escambia County. The institute campaigned for national policies to improve education for Black students. Head Start wasted no time transforming the closed school into its headquarters in 1974. The building served as its headquarters for 50 years, and thousands of families utilized the property. In late December, Head Start held a bittersweet commencement ceremony in the Gibson building that celebrated the decades of support the program offered families. Doug Brown, the Head Start executive director, said the ceremony served as a reunion of sorts as former classmates reunited at their former school. "At its height, we had 11 classrooms there with at least 17 families being served in each of January 18, 2024

those classrooms, so the numbers add up to close to 200 families each year," Brown said. Damages to the building from Hurricane Sally forced Head Start to reduce the number of families being served to less than 40 in the past few years. Head Start attempted to find resources to repair the building but failed in its efforts.

"At its height, we had 11 classrooms there with at least 17 families being served in each of those classrooms, so the numbers add up to close to 200 families each year." Doug Brown The school district owns the Gibson building and leased the property to Head Start for a mere $1 a year before choosing to terminate the lease. What exactly the school district plans to do with the building has yet to be determined, according to Cody Strother, the coordinator of communications. "We are still in the process of vacating the building with our tenant," Strother said. "After that, we may or may not be entertaining offers for sale or lease. No decisions have been made at this point." Head Start's departure from the property leaves a sizable void for early learning facilities in the heart of Pensacola, specifically the 32501 zip code, where the average household income of

$69,979 is about $13,000 less than the county average and more than $25,000 less than the city average. The closing of classrooms in the building comes on the heels of losing three Early Head Start classes (ages 2 and younger) at the nearby Dixon School of Arts and Sciences. The school took the classrooms back to accommodate its growing student enrollment. Head Start put measures in place for the rest of the school year to ease the strain put on families in the community. Its staff either transports the children to another Head Start facility or pays gas mileage reimbursement to the families. "We have resources that we have identified for those families, but it's not in the physical location that is ideal for them, which then brings in the need for transportation and other related services that also add a burden to those families that are already trying to make ends meet in many cases," Brown said. He then added, "There's a big hole in the middle of Pensacola where we don't have any direct service for children 0-5. We don't have the facilities." Head Start is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services program that provides comprehensive early childhood education for ages 5 and younger, along with health, nutrition and parent involvement services to low-income children and families. Brown said federal grants fund 80% of its operations, with the remaining 20% dependent on community support that includes leasing facilities at in-kind rates. Escambia Head Start is functioning without a headquarters for the time being. Its staff primarily relocated to the Brigadier Center. Head Start operates out of eight centers across the county and five elementary schools in C.A. Weis, Global Academy, Ensley, Montclair and O.J. Semmes. Head Start controls only three sites and leases the other properties from the school district, Pensacola State College, the county and ChildCare Network.

THE LACK OF CITY CENTERS

Brown said the absence of Head Start centers within the city puts undue strain on families and makes fulfilling the mission particularly challenging. The mission of Head Start is to promote the school readiness of young children from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social and emotional development. Brown said that means being readily available for the families in their communities.

"This is an issue that doesn't go away," he said. "There are more babies born every year. Be it Head Start or some other entity providing services to families in these counties, we know the burden they've got with transportation, getting families to a location of care. Where we're located is critical." Head Start is limited by a shortage of facilities within city limits and a shortage of educators countywide. Finding enough early childhood educators is virtually impossible. Brown said Head Start is funded through grants to serve 738 children, but the program serves only 420, a mere 57% of its capability, due to the shortage of educators. To complicate matters further, Head Start requires two educators for every one classroom, and the program must hire educators with a bachelor's or associate degree in child development or early childhood education or equivalent coursework. A shortage of educators is an issue for all early childhood education providers, regardless of the prerequisites. Early Learning Coalition Executive Director Bruce Watson said the waitlist for his agency is about 700 children. Early Learning Coalition is flush with classroom space filled with new toys and technology, but a shortage of educators prevents Watson from trimming down the waitlist. "I may have a building that can do two 2-year-old classrooms, two 3-year-old classrooms, two 4-year-old classrooms, but I've only got at best on a given day one person for each one, so the capacity gets cut in half," Watson said. "That is universal across our industry, and it is universal particularly here in Escambia County." Watson is in search of remedies to the educator shortage and potentially found one through a partnership with the Business and Leadership Institute for Early Learning, Florida SBDC at the University of West Florida and Wells Fargo. The agencies will launch a series in February to mentor early childhood providers on how to operate a business. The first cohort will consist of 20 Early Learning Coalition school readiness providers. Anyone who completes the free class will receive a $2,500 achievement bonus stipend and three continuing education units.

"We've got all these opportunities, but the clock is ticking. Head Start is working and winning, but we need help." Brown Head Start is in the market for similar community support. A shortage of educators and not being able to provide direct services in the heart of Pensacola leaves the program at a crossroads. "We've got all these opportunities, but the clock is ticking," Brown said. "Head Start is working and winning, but we need help." {in} 7

CHILDREN'S TRUST UPDATE The Escambia Children's Trust voted 6-3 to set the starting salary for the new executive director, Lindsey Cannon, at $125,000, which is $5,000 more than the advertised salary for the position. Board members Stephanie White and Rex Northrup argued Cannon's experience deserved higher pay, putting her on par with executive directors for similar organizations around the state. Board chair Tori Woods pointed out Cannon is not accepting health insurance, saving the Trust more than $6,000. White, who served on the committee that recommended the salary increase, read a written statement to the board before the vote. "First, I want to address some common misconceptions that I've heard in the public recently. Members of the Trust board, and I'm going to speak for all of us, because I believe this is true, are all aware that we are dealing with taxpayer money," she said. "We all receive the tax bill that comes to our houses every single year. And I know that I look at the costs and do my best with our money to help the kids in our community. It's my money that I work hard for, too, and I want to make sure that we do the best with our money. " She understood that some in the community have resistance to the Trust because they see it as a government agency with high-paying executive salaries, but the Trust needs qualified people to manage its funds and programs. White said she and Woods visited one of the providers. "I was so impressed. I'm proud of our community for investing in your children, and the money that we are investing in these programs will have lasting effects." She added, "Will we see the results next month? No, but we'll see them in six months, maybe. But will we see them in a year? Yes. And in five years, definitely. So, go visit those organizations that your money is going to, and you'll be proud." White argued running the Trust takes skill and leadership, and not anyone should be the executive director. The executive director needs experience in managing a budget of $10 million or more, managing a staff and in the child welfare area. "We found that person in Lindsey Cannon, and even more than the items listed above, she's 88

got a proven track record of executing programs that work with results, the Navigator program and three community partnership schools," she said. Besides mentioning that Cannon opted out of the health insurance, White said the salary offered was less than what other children services councils in the state receive, specifically Leon County, which is comparable to Escambia—and less than other nonprofits in our area with budgets the same size. White closed, "We're doing the best with the money that we've been given, and I'm excited about hopefully moving into the future of the Trust." The board also added new language to the provider contracts based on comments made by board members over the past several months outside of the public meetings. The interim executive director, Tammy Abrams, listed the most significant changes for the board. "The anti-nepotism policy; no overtime pay," she said. "A penalty for late filings of reimbursements and a clawback clause. So, if we find that we're reimbursing for things that are not covered by the scope of work, we can claw back. Return of supplies and equipment at the end of the contract if it is terminated, and a sustainability plan to be developed by each provider." Abrams continued, "And it says in here, too, for no reimbursements to be issued if quarterly reports are past due." The changes passed by a unanimous vote. In December, Kim Krupa, the Trust's director of programs and performance, said, "What we want to move to in year two is to more of a standard instrument that's more quality based. And so, for consistency and accountability, all providers would be assessed and evaluated using the same tool." However, more standard measurements of outcomes were not presented. Krupa also mentioned they were working on a memorandum with the Escambia County Public Schools to give the Trust access to participants, grades, test scores and attendance records, which would help measure outcomes more objectively. The agenda did not have such a memorandum. Maybe these items will be on the February agenda.

LEGACY LETTER Last week, Mayor D.C. Reeves

signed a nonbinding letter of intent with Baptist Health Care to memorialize the intent of the two parties concerning the demolition of the old Baptist Hospital and office towers in exchange for the health care system donating the 37 acres in the West Moreno District to the City of Pensacola. Baptist believes the cost to demolish and remediate the "Legacy Campus" is $16.5 million. Once the City obtains the funding from the state and others to do the work, Baptist will donate the site to the City. If the parties have not entered into a definitive agreement by July 1, either party may terminate the agreement. The mayor explained the letter was necessary to give the Florida Legislature confidence that the property would be publicly owned. He

expects Baptist to contribute some funds to the demolition. Reeves has also had "some great conversations with folks at the county, including Commissioner May." "We're working through a kind of city-county partnership that if we're going to put up dollars in this project, it's going to be tied to some community benefits," Mayor Reeves said. "It'll be things like the Covenant for the Community, where 70% of the jobs would be local jobs and 30% would be minority jobs. It'll be things like attainable housing built that would be offered first to the people in the surrounding community before it's offered to anybody else."

EQUITY PROJECT ALLIANCE The Equity Project Alliance (EPA) has named Dr. Lusharon Wiley its new executive director. Dr. Wiley is a founding member of EPA and has led corporate culture, equity and inclusion efforts at Innisfree Hotels as vice president of corporate culture for the past six years. The press release stated, "Dr. Wiley is a longtime resident of Pensacola and steps in at a time of great growth for the initiative that works with local business leaders to affect change in the northwest Florida area. She will lead the EPA to take on an even bigger role in Pensacola and surrounding areas to continue doing important work on behalf of the communities." Dr. Wiley explained, "This idea grew out of Julian MacQueen's vision for a more unified Escambia County and, indeed, a more unified community. He came up with the idea that he would like to invite other business leaders to join him in trying to make a difference in the community where we live and work." Over the past four years, EPA has hosted several events that included Elizabeth Eckford, who was part of the Little Rock Nine, Bob Zellner, who organized the Freedom Schools in Greenwood, Miss., and the musical "Henry Box Brown." "We came up with a mission and a vision," Wiley said. "The vision is to live in a community of authentic relationships that reflect equity and a deep appreciation of inclusion, and we wanted to be a catalyst to confront systemic racism and promote transformative thinking, unity and equity for everyone." She is excited about EPAs' future. "We think we can do some good things even better and add some more things to our plates that we are doing well. Pensacola has been very progressive in responding to trying to make the community better, and we want to add our voices to that piece." The EPA's next community event is hosting with the Greater Pensacola Tuskegee Alumni Club a concert by the Tuskegee University Golden Voices Concert Choir in March. To learn about EPA, visit equityprojectalliance.com. 24 FOR 2024 At his weekly press conference, Mayor D.C. Reeves gave reporters his 24 for 2024 list. "We've gotten so many irons in the fire about a lot of exciting projects, but I wanted us to have some clarity and certainly some

accountability towards what we're going to get done in 2024," Reeves said. He assured the media the City would continue to focus on its day-to-day operations, such as public safety, picking up garbage and keeping parks clean. "We still have all of the standard things that we need to do as a city to perform well for the citizen." Reeves added, "These are a list of our frontfacing projects, in no particular order. It is just alphabetical to you, but I wanted this personally for us to be able to look back in 2024 and say, 'God willing, if we don't have any storm events or something like that could sidetrack us, this is a list of 24 things that we hope to either have completed or make significant progress on.'" Here is the list the mayor shared with the departments responsible in parenthesis: •American Magic (Port of Pensacola, Engineering, Economic Development) •Attainable Housing Initiatives (Motor Lodge, Malcolm Yonge, new projects) •Baptist Hospital (Economic Development, Engineering, Housing, Community Redevelopment Agency) •Bayfront/SUN Trail mixed use path (Public Works) •Begin $5,000,000 Brownsville Commercial Revitalization Project (Community Redevelopment Agency) •Begin Fricker Center $5.5 million CDBG Renovation Project (Parks and Recreation/ Public Works) •Begin Hashtag Project (Engineering, Public Works, Community Redevelopment Agency) •Code Enforcement Policy & Procedure Overhaul (Code Enforcement/Pensacola Police Department) •Customer Service Center at City Hall (Building Inspections, Parking Management, Engineering, Pensacola Energy, Sanitation Services and Fleet Management) •Hagler Mason/Council Chambers Refresh (Public Works) •Help finalize A&P Mechanics School for Pensacola State College at Pensacola International Airport (Airport, Economic Development) •Hollice T. Williams Greenway (Public Works, Engineering, Community Redevelopment Agency) •Improved Internal Communications (Mayor/ All Departments) •Land Development Code Assessment/Next Steps for LDC (Planning and Zoning/Development Services) •Leadership Training/Development/Evaluation (Human Resources, All Departments) •Low Barrier Shelter (Mayor/Housing) •License To Use - Parking, Sidewalk, Canopy, Business Tax Receipt Overhaul (Development Services) •Mental Health Outreach Officer Implementation (PPD) •Parking Reform (Parking Management) •Parks and Recreation Organizational Assessment + Deferred Maintenance Evaluation (Parks and Recreation) inweekly.net

•Pensacola International Airport Terminal (Airport) •Recycling Solution (Sanitation Services and Fleet Management) •Solution for Bay Bluffs Park (Parks and Recreation/Public Works) •Strategic Plan Execution (All Departments, Pensacola City Council) Mayor Reeves envisions the Customer Service Center to be in City Hall in the space where Pensacola Energy customers pay their bills. He also wants to add a customer service desk to City Hall's lobby. Permitting, planning and zoning will continue to be handled on the fifth floor. "Our intent is to add someone at the front desk when you walk in the City Hall on the first floor," he said. "And we're going to enhance what is considered the Pensacola Energy customer service. We're going to offer more opportunities, such as paying a parking ticket. You could come put in a 311, and some of that will be digital. We're going to widen the breadth of things offered to customers." He continued, "I have a higher expectation of what the customer sees when they walk in. And so in 2024, what our citizens see should be an easier process."

NEW CITY HIRE Mayor D.C. Reeves hired Jason Wheeler as public information and strategic communications officer. Wheeler will serve as the official spokesperson for the city while leading the municipality's strategic communications initiatives. Wheeler comes to Pensacola after serving more than eight years as the coordinator of communications for Flagler County Schools, located on the east coast of Florida. In his role with the school district, he helped lead communication efforts through three hurricanes/tropical storms and the COVID-19 pandemic. "From day one, I've stressed communication is paramount to telling our city's story," Mayor Reeves said. "Jason's background is ideal in helping us effectively share with all our stakeholders what we're trying to do here. He understands much of this lies beyond the walls of City Hall." Prior to his role with Flagler County Schools, Wheeler was a TV journalist for 17 years, working in newsrooms in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Augusta, Ga. Mobile (WKRG), Ala. and Orlando. AD GIANTS MERGE Pensacola's oldest ad agencies will join forces to create Appleyard Duncan McCall. This formidable new marketing agency combines decades of expertise with a forward-looking approach. In the late 1950s, Pat Dodson and John Appleyard independently pioneered Pensacola's advertising landscape. While Dodson, Frank Craddock and Patricia Thornton Born transitioned ownership to Michael Duncan and Bryan McCall (Duncan McCall) in the mid-1990s, the John Appleyard Agency continued as a family-run business. Despite decades of competition, recent collaborations between Duncan McCall and AppleJanuary 18, 2024

yard Agency revealed synergies in their skills and compatibility in their work styles. Appleyard Duncan McCall aims to be a one-stop shop, offering comprehensive marketing and branding consultation, creative services, media planning and buying, and public relations, all under one roof. By pairing decades of experience in traditional media (radio, TV, print and outdoor) with industry-leading understanding and expertise in web, social and digital media, the new agency is positioned to meet the demands of a fluid advertising landscape. Industry veterans Dick Appleyard, Michael Duncan, Bryan McCall, and Leslie Appleyard Ryan will lead the combined organization and its team of more than 20 dedicated professionals.

IMPACT MEMBERSHIP DRIVE Impact 100

Pensacola Bay Area has begun its membership drive for 2024. Membership is open to any woman, age 18 or older, who makes an annual tax-deductible donation of $1,000 by March 1 of any calendar year. The entire contribution is used to fund grants. Visit impact100pensacola.org for more information and online application. Between now and March 1, Impact 100 hosts several information sessions in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Drop by any of these events to learn more about 2024 membership and the transformative grants awarded by the women of IMPACT 100. •3:30-5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23 Azalea Trace, 10100 Hillview Drive Hosted by: Impact 100 Women of Azalea Trace •5-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25 DeVilliers Square, 321 N. De Villiers St. Hosted by: Delayna Blankenship, Lakesha Davis, Cheryl Etheredge, Lauren Gund, Tara Lewis, Barbara Little, Kara Luckett, Pam Rancifer, Sabrina Simpson, Magi Williams and Erin Wilmer •4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30 Live Oak Plantation, 7874 Beulah Road Hosted by: Sally Bergosh, Mesha Boyle, Tonya Chase, Stephanie Clark, Donna Meeks, Laura Munro, Janet Olliff, Rica Rogers, Lee Salm and Tanya Shaffer •4:30-6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2 Stonebrook Golf Club, 3200 Cobblestone Drive, Pace Hosted by: Impact 100 Women of Milton and Pace •11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6 V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 N. Palafox St. Hosted by: Alicia Ahern, Meri Asmar, Brigette Brooks, Liz Doenlen, Mary Hoxeng, Victoria Mullet, Jan Pacenta & Terri Ramos •4:30- 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12 Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Hosted by: Impact 100 Board of Directors Past and Current •4:30- 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 Pensacola Country Club, 1500 Bayshore Drive Hosted by: Belle Bear, Jenn Bear, Sue Bell, Nann Brewer, Jaime Campbell,Nancy CharlesColumbia, Kim Enikeieff, Jodee Hart, Janet Kahn, Suzanne Kahn, McGee Lorren, Fran Switzer, Linda Terhaar and Cheryl Weir {in} 9

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L L A G N I L C AL & S R E D A E R ! S R E P P O SH

TO ODD COLONY'S GROWN-UP BOOK FAIR By Dakota Parks January 18, 2024

Close your eyes for a moment and let the nostalgia of your childhood come rushing back. The school halls abuzz with excitement, the palpable anticipation of flipping through a Scholastic book catalog, eagerly circling your favorite books with wide-eyed enthusiasm, daydreaming of all the kitschy trinkets and new books you will discover. For many book lovers, these childhood book fairs cemented a lifelong love of reading— and shopping in market type settings. Now, what if we told you there's a chance to relive those cherished memories? Odd Colony Brewing Co. has brewed up the perfect event for reading and market enthusiasts—a grownup book fair where you can rekindle those old school glory days by diving into curated stacks from local bookstores, sipping on craft beer and making your New Year’s reading resolutions feel like a breeze. "Breweries are like the coffee shops of beer, so they make the perfect atmosphere for events like these," said Beth Schweigert, the events coordinator and Odd Colony co-founder. "A lot of our staff and patrons are avid book readers, and we wanted to highlight them, support our local bookstores and engage with the community. With all the technology available today, there's just something about that feeling of holding a real paperback book and the smell of a bookstore." This Sunday, Jan. 21, patrons can peruse curated collections from Open Books, The Idle Reader, Pensacola Pop Comics and Bailey's Produce & Nursery bookstore while discovering book-inspired art, buttons, coffee mugs, vintage fashion and more—reminiscent of the little treasures found at most elementary school book fairs. Local artist Poppy Garcia will be there to help you tap into your creativity with a DIY bookmark station. Attendees can also indulge in a trip down memory lane via their taste buds thanks to food vendors like Nomadic Eats, Sauce Boss Burger Co. and Craft Bakery. Nomadic Eats, for example, is going full "lunch lady" with a menu featuring their take on cafeteria classics like square pizza and Jell-O. Pensacola's longest-running independent bookstore Open Books will curate a selection of books from its vast inventory of more than 10,000 titles available in-store. As a volunteerrun organization, all of its profits go directly toward funding its Prison Book Project, which aims to improve the lives of Florida inmates, and in turn, reduce the likelihood of reincarceration.

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"We think it's important to support independent bookstores because we need to have more choices," explained Scott Satterwhite, Open Books co-founder. "Being independent means that we are less driven by a corporate need for profit over our own desire to contribute to our community. What we do is pretty unique, and we want people to know that when they buy books from us, they are directly supporting the overall mission and helping more people than they could imagine." Open Books has also been on the frontlines of Escambia County's ongoing battle with book censorship, actively giving back to the community by placing banned books into the hands of the public. Through multiple projects aimed at distributing free banned books, the bookstore remains dedicated to making these essential literary works accessible to everyone. "Most of the books from those projects have already been given away. At the book fair, we will likely have some of the books that are being challenged, locally and nationally, but those lists are very large and probably look very similar to what we normally have on our shelves," Satterwhite said. "We joked once that we should just put a sign up in front of our entire literature section that says, 'banned books and future banned books,' because so many are being challenged that at some point nearly every book will be challenged at this pace."

"The best way to keep small bookstores alive is to buy more books." Precious Murphy The Idle Reader, Pensacola's latest addition to the literary scene, shares the same fervor as Open Books, fueled by a passion to ignite a love for reading in the hearts of more people. Opened in fall 2023 within the cozy confines of Mrs. Jones Coffee Bar on Nine Mile Road, The Idle Reader represents the lifelong dream of owner Precious Murphy. A substantial part of the shop's inventory is drawn from the personal home library of Precious and her husband, Michael Murphy. Specializing in "curated collections for the curious," The Idle Reader may not have every genre on its shelves, but it

boasts a thoughtful selection of both wellloved and new books. "Our name, Idle Reader, was inspired by the first line of Don Quixote, which is a classic, satirical, funny, social commentary that perfectly captures the attitude of our shop," Precious Murphy said. "We stock a lot of classics, science fiction and affordable children's books, but really, we're interested in curating collections that allow readers to follow their curiosity. We want to be a third space for people, away from their home and their office, that allows them to gather for book clubs and social events while feeling like they're in a cozy living room." Murphy explained one of the hardest hurdles for independent bookstores is competing with large online sellers with low prices and speedy delivery windows. She plans to travel around the country this year with her husband, visiting other indie bookstores to gain insights into their strategies and experiences in overcoming this obstacle. "The best way to keep small bookstores alive is to buy more books," Murphy said. "I personally don't judge how anyone buys their books or what they choose to read, because I just want people to read more books. However, you are helping your micro-economy and your community when you shop at indie bookstores. We have at least seven small businesses alone in our shop, selling plants, bookmarks and other goods." Events like this book fair also serve as a dynamic avenue for supporting this local micro-economy, as well as fostering personal growth and change through the power of reading. Whether you're striving to meet a new Goodreads goal, eager to connect with fellow book enthusiasts or simply want to enjoy a good book with an adult beverage in hand, this family-friendly book fair offers a little of something for everyone. "Books have become a really emotionally charged topic across the country right now, but we hope to provide the books that we think need to be in school systems and the books that belong in people's personal libraries," Murphy said. "The best way to make change is through individuals. Individuals change when they read, and people read when they have access to books. I think that's important, and we're excited to share a small piece of our collection at the book fair." {in}

VENDOR LINEUP PARTICIPATING BOOKSTORES Open Books @openbookspcola The Idle Reader @theidlereader_bookstore Pensacola Pop Comics @pensacolapopcomics Bailey's Produce & Nursery Bookstore @baileysproduce

NOSTALGIC FOOD, TREATS & WARES Nomadic Eats @nomadiceats Sauce Boss Burger Co. @saucebossburger Craft Bakery @craftbakerypensacola Lindsey Bakes @lindseybakes_ Obsolete Heat @obsoleteheat Nate Geo @nate.geo Thorn + Thistle @thornandthistle.collective Sporadic Vintage @sporadicvintage Parcel Vintage @parcel.vintage UWF Book Club + more

ART CORNER DIY bookmarks with Poppy Garcia @thepoppygarcia

GROWN-UP BOOK FAIR

WHAT: A market featuring local bookstores plus nostalgic food, clothing and art vendors WHEN: Noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21 WHERE: Odd Colony Brewing Co., 270 N. Palafox St. DETAILS: oddcolony.com, @oddcolonybrewing

inweekly.net

WEEK OF JANUARY 18-24

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

Refined Grunge on the Rise By Elizabeth Royappa

Marigold's Apprentice / Courtesy Photo

Marigold's Apprentice started on Snapchat. Lead singer and guitarist Kaylan Richbourg has always been musical, but in the summer of 2022, they had an epiphany: "I literally have notebooks full of songs, all of these melodies and ideas, and I want to play to people." So they posted a simple message on their Snapchat story: "Who plays bass?"—and waited for the vision to take shape. One and a half years later, Pensacola-born grunge band Marigold's Apprentice is freshly returned from recording their first EP in a Miami studio. The trio is now composed of Richbourg, bassist Sean Rush (who responded to the Snapchat story) and drummer Heather Proskovec. They have numerous packed-out gigs under their belt at both local and out-of-town venues. January 18, 2024

The band's musical chemistry was obvious right away; Proskovec described the band's first practice as "magical." "Our second time playing together was when we recorded our demos that are on Spotify right now, with a singular microphone in the middle of the room using GarageBand," Richbourg recalled. "We were so surprised we didn't suck." The demos were a great way to get Marigold's sound, which Richbourg describes as "refined grunge," into the world. Pretty soon, though, the bandmates knew it was time to replace those preliminary recordings with a polished EP. "DIY can give you a really cool sound, but we were looking for something a little bit more

refined," Richbourg said. "Now we listen to (the demos) and we're like, 'Oh my god, that needs to go.'" Fast forward to June 2023. They had been struggling to find just the right person to produce their first record, but when they played The Handlebar alongside Miami-based indiegrunge band MOLD!, the perfect recording opportunity organically appeared. "We watched them play, they watched us play, and then all of the MOLD! guys went back to my apartment afterwards," Richbourg said. "We hung out and just kind of drank some beer and talked for three or four hours, until like 3 in the morning…they're such cool guys, I couldn't say better things about them. They're such an inspiration to me; they live, eat and breathe music." That post-show hangout eventually led to the band's recent big city recording experience. "To me, it's really important that the person recording you understands your music and understands what you want out of it," Richbourg said. "Because they're the ones that are, you know, capturing the sound of it." "I was just kind of explaining all that to (MOLD! member Carlo Barbacci) and he was like, 'Why don't you come down here? I'll record you guys,' and he let us stay in his house." That conversation, which happened over Instagram DMs after The Handlebar show, led to the band spending its first week of December working long hours at Young Musicians Unite Studio with Barbacci. It was a transformative few days. Proskovec said they left Miami feeling like they were "vibrating with creative energy." "It was a lot of fun and went much smoother than we thought it would," Rush added. "Carlo was very knowledgeable and patient with us." "Carlo was a godsend. He kept us on time, he was flexible…didn't get aggravated with us for still learning," Richbourg added. The trio's first encounter with a high-end recording studio taught them a lot about the science of mixing and producing. The resulting EP is set to drop in early 2024. Marigold's Apprentice also told Inweekly about their songwriting process, and all three bandmates agreed Richbourg usually brings the beginnings of a song, and Rush and Proskovec use that as a launchpad. "One of us, usually Kaylan, will come up with a riff and then everyone else will find something to go with it and the song evolves from there," Rush said. "Kaylan is the mastermind behind the songs," Proskovec said. "I follow that flow, and I like to accept the vocal melodies with fills and

cymbals. Sean and Kaylan have started songs together, figuring out harmonies, then I keep the song tied together by the strings of a beat." Richbourg says they're always striving for a "fuzzy, gritty sound with the instrumentals" that complements their folk and blues-style vocal tone. The band members' inspirations range from Nirvana and Alice in Chains to Janis Joplin. And when asked about their prominent lyrical themes so far, Richbourg had a clear answer. "The main overall theme with each song is a feeling of like, rejection." "I was bullied for so long for being weird and a little bit out there, and once I kind of like, really sat down and told myself I needed to stop caring so much about other people's opinions of me, I was like, 'You know what, I'm just going to turn that into songs,'" Richbourg said. "Our song 'Impotent' that's going to be on the EP is a song that's totally inspired by people refusing to listen to me," they added. "Instead of biting back in unproductive ways, I just turn it into songs and music. If you've ever been mean to me, you get a song about you. It's like Taylor Swift of grunge." Performing at Pensacola's iconic Lady Fest in 2023 hastened Marigold's ascent into the ranks of beloved local femme-fronted bands. This year, they're excited to play live even more and build on their record of past local performance success. "I think with the rise of a society that's kind of driven by algorithms, it's really important to start investing in local music and art," Richbourg said. "Pensacola's music and art scene has so much incredible depth…There are so many talented bands coming out of this small, Southern, coastal town." "Because of the amount of heart and passion in the scene here, more people should definitely pay attention to Pensacola and what it has to offer the world in regards to art and music," Richbourg added. "We're not stopping now. The music's not going anywhere." {in}

MARIGOLD'S APPRENTICE

WHAT: Marigold's Apprentice with Feed Lemon, Jumping the Gun, Nervous Pulp and Wild Charge WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25 WHERE: The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. COST: $10 in advance, $15 at the door DETAILS: @marigoldsapprentice, thehandlebar850.com 13

a&e happenings

Hangout Music Fest 2024 Lineup

MARDI GRAS MAMBO Flo Rida will headline

the inaugural Pensacola Mardi Gras Mambo 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 with Mardi Gras-themed food and beverages. Other acts include the DeLuna Brass Band, The New Orleans Ramblers and Mr. Big and the Rhythm Sisters. All ages are welcome. Mardi Gras Krewe attire is encouraged. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.

MILTON MARDI GRAS PARADE The City of Milton Mardi Gras parade is 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27 starting in Berryhill. Fireworks begin at 7 p.m. A free afterparty is at Jernigan's Landing with live music, vendors, food trucks, kids' activities and more. Visit facebook.com/steampunkpiratekrewe for details. Photo Courtesy of Hangout Music Fest

Zach Bryan. Lana Del Rey. ODESZA. Cage The Elephant. Dominic Fike. Renée Rapp. And that's just some of the headliners. Hangout Fest is not messing around for its 13th year, and we're beyond excited to see badass females like Lana and Renée topping the bill, plus up-and-comers like Chappell Roan and Flyana Boss. Here's the complete lineup (as of Friday, Jan. 12): Zach Bryan Lana Del Rey ODESZA The Chainsmokers Cage The Elephant Reneé Rapp Dominic Fike Jessie Murph Subtronics Dom Dolla A Day To Remember Doechii Nelly Koe Wetzel Alison Wonderland Megan Moroney Sexyy Red NLE Choppa All Time Low Chappell Roan David Kushner Matt Maeson Qveen Herby Disco Lines Chromeo (DJ) Daily Bread The Beaches

MARDI GRAS EVENTS

CORDOVA MALL BALL The Cordova Mall Ball is 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 at Cordova Mall, 5100 N. Ninth Ave. Tickets are $80-675. A portion of proceeds benefits the Children's Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart. Purchase tickets at eventbrite.com. PIRATES OF LOST TREASURE FLOTILLA BOAT PARADE The boat parade is 10 a.m.-

2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, with proceeds supporting The Pirates' Secret Santa Charity. Spectators can watch from Holiday Harbor 414 1

Kasbo Paul Russell Wyatt Flores Del Water Gap Dylan Gossett Alana Springsteen Austin Millz BUNT. Eliza Rose Flyana Boss G Flip hemlocke springs Le Youth LF SYSTEM Little Stranger Odd Mob x OMNOM: HYPERBEAM The Stews VNSSA B2B Nala Westend Brenn! Jaime Wyatt Laci Kaye Booth Linka Moja Tanner Adell The Taylor Party Willow Avalon Tickets are on sale now, and you know they tend to sell out, so you better act fast if you want to go.

HANGOUT MUSIC FEST 2024

WHEN: Friday, May 17-Sunday, May 19 WHERE: Gulf Shores, Ala. TICKETS: On sale now DETAILS: hangoutmusicfest.com

PENSACOLA PAWDI GRAS Krewe of Hip Huggers and WolfGang will host the third annual Pensacola Pawdi Gras with vendors, costume contest, music and, of course, parade of pups. Event is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28 at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. More information is at facebook.com/wolfgangparkandbrews.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Scenic Hills Country Club, 8891 Burning Tree Road. The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. The full bar and restaurant offer special adult beverages just for bingo nights. You must be 18 to play. For more information, visit facebook. com/animalalliesflorida.

ARTS & CULTURE

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

LOST KEY LIGHTED NIGHT MARKET The Perdido Key Area Chamber brings a first-of-itskind Lighted Night Market to the Lost Key 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18 at Villagio in Perdido Key, 13700 Perdido Key Drive. Visit business.visitperdido.com/events for details.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Minis-

GALLERY NIGHT The next Gallery Night is 5-9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19 with the theme Lunar New Year. Enjoy live performances, art vendors and more throughout downtown South Palafox Street. Visit gallerynightpensacola.org for details.

every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

try is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens at 10 a.m. and has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.

OCTANE AND EXOTICS: CARS AND PAWS Marina, The Oyster Bar, Big Lagoon State Park, Galvez Landing and FloraBama Docks. Afterparty begins 2:30 p.m. at the FloraBama. Follow Pirates of Lost Treasure – Perdido Key for details.

Alfa Romeo Maserati Pensacola, located at 5600 Pensacola Blvd., will collect pet food donations and showcase luxury cars 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 20, with free coffee from Coffee Guy and live music.

KIDS AND KRITTER'S PARADE The Pen-

CALL TO ARTISTS

sacola Beach Kids and Kritter's Parade is 1:30-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 starting from Casino Beach, 41 Fort Pickens Road. Enter your kritters in the parade for $10 each pet. Kids' entry is free. Prizes are for best costumed pet and best mini float made from wagon or stroller. Visit pensacolamardigras.com for details.

31, 2024. If selected, the completed submission deadline is Feb. 28, 2024. The poster design should reflect the deep, rich and 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 used in the final artwork and during the design process. The poster must include the name of the festival: 2024 Pensacola JazzFest. Rough drafts or sketches can be submitted, but, if selected, the final art must conform to the submitted draft or sketch. Substantial deviation from the submitted sketch or draft will result in forfeiture by the artist of the cash prize and the selection of a new winner by Jazz Pensacola. 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 phone 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.

JAZZ PENSACOLA'S JAZZFEST POSTER

Jazz Pensacola invites fine artists and graphic designers to submit renderings for the official 2024 Pensacola JazzFest poster. The commission is $500. The Jazz Pensacola Board of Directors will consider all renderings and make a selection. Initial drafts are due by Jan.

HEATHER MCMAHAN: THE COMEBACK TOUR Actress, stand-up comedian and pod-

caster Heather McMahan will perform 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets start at $39. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for details.

JAPANESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION The Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida (JAS) will usher in the "Year of the Dragon" with its 30th annual Japanese New Year Celebration noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 at the Wright Place, 80 E. Wright St. JAS members and children younger than 3 are admitted for free. Admission for non-members is $10. For more information, visit jasnwfl.org or facebook.com/jasnwfl. AN EVENING UNDER THE STARS Check out the night's sky with telescopes and binoculars Saturday, Jan. 20 at Big Lagoon State Park, 12301 Gulf Beach Highway. More information is at floridastateparks.org. GROWN-UP BOOK FAIR Enjoy sifting through stacks of books from local bookstores and make your own bookmark with artist Poppy Garcia at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. The book fair is inweekly.net

a&e happenings equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are held 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Para-

normal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with actual ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com. Photo Courtesy of The Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida

noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21. Details are available at facebook.com/oddcolony.

GALLERY TALKS: LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR Pensacola Opera will present a short

performance and presentation of its upcoming production "Lucia di Lammermoor" 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21. Details at facebook.com/pensacolaopera.

BODACIOUS BOOKSTORE FANTASY BOOK CLUB Join the book club as they discuss

"Divine Rivals" by Rebecca Ross. The group meeting is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23 at Bodacious Bookstore and Café, 110 E. Intendencia St. Visit facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore for details.

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR Pensacola Opera

presents "Lucia di Lammermoor" 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $25 and up. More information at pensacolaopera.com.

BTB COMEDY Watch live standup comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. every Monday at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates. COMEDY SHOWCASE AT SUBCULTURE

BTB Comedy presents a comedy showcase the

January 18, 2024

first Thursday of every month at Subculture Art Gallery, 701 N. V St. Follow facebook.com/pensacolasubculture for updates.

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little

Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers the second Saturday of every month. The next date is 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features 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. CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret

Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open at 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pen-

sacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Shop small and

buy art at Pensacola Arts Market 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every fourth Saturday of the month at Cordova Square, 1101 N. 12th Ave. Enjoy a local artisan and farmers market with more than 50 vendors, food trucks, plants, vintage clothing and décor, live musical performances, kids' crafts and games. This is a free event. Pensacola Arts Market is set up 4-9 p.m. every first Friday of the month and 2-6 p.m. every third Sunday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave.

BODY, MIND, SPIRIT MARKET AT EVER'MAN Local vendors, artisans, holistic

practitioners, speakers and more come together 10 a.m.-4 p.m. the first Saturday of the month at Ever'man Downtown, 315 W. Garden St. This is a free indoor and outdoor event with door prizes, entertainment and children's activities. For a vendor table, call (850) 941-4321 or go to empowermentschoolhouse.com.

PERDIDO Through photographs, lo-fi projec-

tions, found-objects and paintings, Perdido explores the artist's changing relationship with Florida's Gulf Coast. Artist is Richard McCabe. Exhibit is on view through Jan. 20 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

CANVAS AND CLAY RECEPTION The new

member show "Canvas and Clay" is at Quayside

Gallery, 17 E. Zaragoza St. Visit quaysidegallery. com/publicevents. Exhibit on view through Feb. 12.

70TH ANNUAL YOUTH ART FOCUS The

Pensacola Museum of Art and Escambia County Public Schools presents artistic achievements from students in grades kindergarten through 12. The exhibition is on view Jan. 19-Feb. 25. An awards ceremony is 5-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

FOOD + DRINKS

BOARD GAMES AND BREWS Visit Sir Richard's 2719 E. Cervantes St. Get deals on bottled beers and buckets while playing classic board games all day Friday, Jan. 19. THE 2024 WINTER BEER OLYMPICS Beer

Olympics featuring all the frat house favorites is noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 at Coastal County Brewing, 3041 E. Olive Road. Top three winners will take home cash prizes. Registration is $25 and includes a free round for each participant. More information is at coastalcountybrewing.com.

BOURBON, BACON & BREWS O'Riley's

Irish Pub is bringing back the Bourbon, Bacon & Brews event 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 at 321 S. Palafox St. Price is $30 for general admission and $60 for VIP admission. For details, visit orileyspub.com.

1980S MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATER Find out who the killer is at the

1988 Adams High School homecoming dance. Event is 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $65 and includes choice between two entrees. Get tickets on Eventbrite.

THIRD ANNUAL PUPS, PINTS & PAJAMAS Bring your puppy and compete in a

pet costume contest at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Get 15% off your tab if you dress in pajamas. Details at perfectplain.com.

WINE DINNER WITH KATHY KELLET En-

joy a six-course meal with local wine expert Kathy Kellet 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. Tickets are $55 and available via facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

a&e happenings GREAT SOUTHERN RESTAURANT WEEK

Chefs from Great Southern restaurants will prepare a three-course, fixed-price dinner menu utilizing the best in local and seasonal ingredients, showcasing their culinary expertise, for $33 per person, per restaurant. Menus will be available at each restaurant beginning at 5 p.m. Jan. 22-28. Visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com for menus and details.

espressos and bottomless mimosas until 1 p.m. Sundays at Café Single Fin, 380 N. Ninth Ave. Live music begins at 10 a.m. Visit cafesinglefin. com for details.

Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials

Take part in trivia nights 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

a six-course meal with local wine expert Kathy Kellet 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. Tickets are $55 and available via facebook.com/bodaciousshops.

GAMER/JACKBOX NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA O'Riley's Tavern hosts trivia 8 p.m.-midnight Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

WINTER LOW COUNTRY BOIL O'Riley's

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of Bingo 6-8

WINE DINNER WITH KATHY KELLET Enjoy

and live music is 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

Gamers unite 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

Uptown Tavern will host a winter-themed low country boil with live music and drink specials 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27 at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

GREEN THUMB WINE TASTINGS Join Green

BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S Visit O'Riley's

Thumb Wines for a free wine tasting 6-8 p.m. every first Friday of the month at 9 E. Gregory St. For more information, visit greenthumbwines.com.

Irish Pub for Bar Bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SATURDAY SIPS ON THE SIDEWALK Stop

Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for themed trivia nights 7-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at 50 E. Garden St. Visit facebook.com/ perfectplainbrewingco for details.

by Green Thumb Wines, 9 E. Gregory St., every Saturday for wine selections. Visit greenthumbwines.com for details.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN Partake in brunch specials, full café menu,

616 1

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA Visit

TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's

LIVE MUSIC

ERIC LINDELL Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $20-$25 and available at thehandlebar850.com. RODNEY UEBEROTH BENEFIT SHOW

This show will feature The Glorious Flaws, Deadly Fists of Kung Fu and more. Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Suggested donation is $10.

TRIVIA AT WISTERIA Trivia is 6 p.m. Thurs-

HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND Performance is 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $15 and available vinylmusichall.com.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

KEEP MY SECRETS, GOLDEN SOUL DYNASTY AND MORE Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20

days at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

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

TRIVIA AT SIR RICHARD'S Flex your trivia

knowledge 8-10 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $15 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

HERAKLEION, VOID, ANEURYSM, INFERNEM Show is 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21 at

The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

DOPAPOD Performance is 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool and play bar bingo 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details at orileystavern.com.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

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a&e

By Dakota Parks

Behind the Lens with Kirsten Hines

Kirsten Hines / Photo by James A. Kushlan

Kirsten Hines is on a mission to make wildlife conservation and education more accessible. Armed with her camera and cellphone for jotting down field notes and using her background as a biologist to guide her, Hines spent the better part of three years patiently tracking, documenting and photographing 150 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects that call Florida home for her new book "Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey." Unlike a typical academic biology book, however, Hines intertwines personal narrative, creative writing, natural history and wildlife photography to bring readers into the field with her, as if they are traipsing in the woods beside her to locate a salamander, fox or even a wild horse. "I shifted into hands on conservation work because I wanted to do something a little more creative, and I didn't like the academic writing or textbook style writing that is expected from a biologist," Hines explained. "My goal has always been to share my passion for nature and to hopefully help people realize how important Florida's ecosystem is and the importance of coexisting with nature." While embarking on her quest to document both native and non-native species, Hines intricately unveils the abundant biodiversity of Florida, including the high number of endemic species that

are found nowhere else in the world. She sheds light on the perils that animals face due to human activities, including land development and climate change—emphasizing the potential for positive change through human intervention to safeguard at-risk species. "Florida is incredibly biodiverse because of its climate and history," Hines said. "The Panhandle has always been connected to temperate North America and still has a direct connection to the Appalachian Mountains through the Apalachicola River, so it's a hotspot for temperate biodiversity with salamanders you can't find anywhere else in Florida. In Central Florida, we have scrub habitat and dry prairie, then you have South Florida with its tropical biodiversity. This habitat makes for a unique mix of temperate, tropical and endemic species that makes Florida so special." Photographing 150 species is no easy feat though. Hines taps into her background as a biologist, conservationist and environmental educator to help her locate, track and patiently wait for animals in their natural habitat as well as non-native species in their adapted habitats. Her understanding of animal behavior is a key asset in capturing the perfect shot with the perfect timing. "I used to be a very opportunistic photographer, capturing photos on a walk in the woods, very serendipitous, but I had to learn a new level of patience and almost got meditative about it for this project," she explained. "I do a lot of reading of signs and digging in the literature to understand habitats and behavior to help me know where to look. I also have a lot of friends who are interested in natural history that gave me some good advice as I made my way through my list of target species." At certain junctures throughout the project, characterized by long hours away from home and numerous field expeditions without encountering a target species, Hines contemplated giving up. However, unexpected encounters with a legless lizard, an Everglades mink, or other unanticipated species would rejuvenate her spirits. In fact, the experience was so impactful she ended up rewriting the entire book after finishing her photographic odyssey. "As soon as I got the contract, I started writing the book," Hines explained. "But by the time I finished taking all the photos, I ended up just deleting

everything that I had written so far, and I started all over. It was partly because I had this different and deeper understanding of Florida, but it was also because I just wanted people to come out in the woods with me, which is how I tried to write it." Reading "Wild Florida" is akin to perusing the intimate field notes of a biologist. On one page, Hines meticulously chronicles the history of red foxes in Florida, the invasive spread of Burmese pythons or the overhunting of American crocodiles. On another page, her narrative shifts, and readers can almost feel her heart pounding in the woods during a close encounter with a wild stallion. Each entry serves as a didactic guide, skillfully imparting knowledge to readers about the habitat, animal behavior, historical context or the consequences of human activity on key species. Despite the wealth of stories and images contained within the book, some species proved more elusive to track down than others. Among the most challenging for Hines to document is a species abundant in Northwest Florida: the Florida black bear. Although often taken for granted as they freely roam through yards in neighboring parts of Santa Rosa County, capturing them on camera required weeks of patient waiting. "I spent so much time trying to find bears that I started to take it personally," Hines said. "Everyone told me, 'Just go to Ocala National Forest, they're everywhere.' But it was a comedy of errors. Like I would spend 10 days at a woman's house waiting in her backyard only for the bears to show up the day I left. But when I finally got the bears, it was boom, they're having sex right in front of me. It was so rewarding and adrenaline shaking, like I couldn't believe my luck." When photographing any animal, especially one that may be considered dangerous, Hines always gives them a wide berth and pays close attention to any signs of discomfort or uneasiness and backs off when necessary. "My attitude with all animals is that they're in charge—even if it's something that can't hurt me, I don't want to hurt it either," Hines said. "But the truth is that in Florida, even our panthers and crocodiles, they're really timid and shy. They've been over hunted for a long time, and they're quite scared of humans. When photographing the panthers, I also used my Jeep as a blind, so the animal

doesn't see you as prey until you leave the vehicle. I felt safe even with all my windows down." Similar to her approach with the bears, Hines doesn't merely photograph animals in their natural habitat; she captures them in human spaces— backyards, zoos, cemeteries, parks and even outside airports. Through her lens, she advocates for a narrative of coexistence with wildlife. Hines extends an invitation to not just observe but actively participate in the conservation of Florida's natural treasures. With a keen eye on solutions, she highlights the simple steps everyday Floridians can take to protect their state's animals. "Climate change is kind of hard to conceptualize because it's affecting the ecosystem in so many different ways," Hines said. "The biggest threat to Florida is habitat loss due to development, and I think having reserves allows us to be more resilient to that. There are also opportunities to develop smarter, including water treatment for marshes. By incorporating these areas into our water treatment process, like making manmade marshes, we're not only using nature to clean our water, but we're providing habitat for animals within urban areas and places for people to improve their mental wellbeing and exercise." Throughout "Wild Florida," Hines provides success stories of human intervention and incorporates small ways for the average person to make changes, like adding native plants to your garden, wearing reef-friendly sunscreen and voting for environmentally focused and climate mindful political leaders. "Even the smallest changes can ultimately have a very big impact," Hines said. "Even areas that seem really remote to us still have human influence, so just being aware of what our impact is on nature is important. It's all interconnected, and there is no one place that is just wildlife or just for people, and I hope my book shows that." {in}

'WILD FLORIDA' BOOK EVENT

WHAT: A book talk and signing with author and photographer Kirsten Hines WHEN: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 WHERE: Barnes & Noble, 1200 Airport Blvd. DETAILS: kirstenhines.com

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free will astrology WEEK OF JANUARY 18 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Aries chemist Percy Julian (1899–1975) was a trailblazer in creating medicine from plants. He patented more than 130 drugs and laid the foundation for the production of cortisone and birth control pills. Julian was also a Black man who had to fight relentlessly to overcome the racism he encountered everywhere. I regard him as an exemplary member of the Aries tribe, because he channeled his robust martial urges toward constructive ends again and again and again. May he inspire you in the coming weeks, dear Aries. Don't just get angry or riled up. Harness your agitated spirit to win a series of triumphs. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Taurus actor

Pierce Brosnan says, "You struggle with money. You struggle without money. You struggle with love. You struggle without love. But it's how you manage. You have to keep laughing, you have to be fun to be with, and you have to live with style." Brosnan implies that struggling is a fundamental fact of everyday life, an insistent presence never far from our awareness. But if you're willing to consider the possibility that his theory may sometimes be an exaggeration, I have good news: The coming months could be less filled with struggle than ever before. As you deal with the ease and grace, I hope you will laugh, be fun to be with and live with style—without having to be motivated by ceaseless struggle.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Gemini author and activist William Upski Wimsatt is one of my role models. Why? In part, because he shares my progressive political ideals and works hard to get young people to vote for enlightened candidates who promote social justice. Another reason I love him is that he aspires to have 10,000 role models—not just a few celebrity heroes, but a wide array of compassionate geniuses working to make the world more like paradise. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to gather new role models, dear Gemini. I also suggest you look around for new mentors, teachers and inspiring guides. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): I want you to fulfill your desires! I want you to get what you want! I don't think that yearnings are unspiritual

By Rob Brezsny

indulgences that divert us from enlightenment. On the contrary, I believe our longings are sacred homing signals guiding us to our highest truths. With these thoughts in mind, here are four tips to enhance your quests in the coming months: 1. Some of your desires may be distorted or superficial versions of deeper, holier desires. Do your best to dig down and find their heart source. 2. To help manifest your desires, visualize yourself as having already accomplished them. 3. Welcome the fact that when you achieve what you want, your life will change in unpredictable ways. You may have to deal with a good kind of stress. 4. Remember that people are more likely to assist you in getting what you yearn for if you're not greedy and grasping.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): I regard Leo psychologist Carl Jung (1875–1961) as a genius with a supreme intellect. Here's a quote from him I want you to hear: "We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect; we apprehend it just as much by feeling. Therefore, the judgment of the intellect is, at best, only the half of truth, and must, if it be honest, also come to an understanding of its inadequacy." You may already believe this wisdom in your gut, Leo. But like all of us, you live in a culture filled with authorities who value the intellect above feeling. So, it's essential to be regularly reminded of the bigger truth—especially for you right now. To make righteous decisions, you must respect your feelings as much as your intellect.

To make righteous decisions, you must respect your feelings as much as your intellect. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Poet Rainer Maria Rilke exalted the physical pleasure sex brings. He mourned that so many "misuse and squander this experience and apply it as a stimulant to the tired spots of their lives and as a distraction instead of a rallying toward exalted moments." At its best, Rilke said, sex gives us "a knowing of the world, the fullness and the glory of all knowing." It is a sublime prayer, an opportunity to feel sacred communion on every level of our being.

That's the erotic experience I wish for you in the coming weeks, Virgo. And I believe you will have an expanded potential for making it happen.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Even if you are currently bonded with a spouse or partner, I recommend you consider proposing matrimony to an additional person: yourself. Yes, dear Libra, I believe the coming months will be prime time for you to get married to your own precious soul. If you're brave enough and crazy enough to carry out this daring move, devote yourself to it with lavish abandon. Get yourself a wedding ring, write your vows, conduct a ceremony and go on a honeymoon. If you'd like inspiration, read my piece "I Me Wed" at tinyurl.com/SelfMarriage. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Talking about a problem can be healthy. But in most cases, it should be a preliminary stage that leads to practical action; it shouldn't be a substitute for action. Now and then, however, there are exceptions to this rule. Mere dialogue, if grounded in mutual respect, may be sufficient to dissolve a logjam and make further action unnecessary. The coming days will be such a time for you, Scorpio. I believe you and your allies can talk your way out of difficulties. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Sagittarian cartoonist Charles M. Schulz wrote, "My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?" I suspect in 2024, you may go through a brief phase similar to his: feeling blank, yet quite content. But it won't last. Eventually, you will be driven to seek a passionate new sense of intense purpose. As you pursue this reinvention, a fresh version of happiness will bloom. For best results, be willing to outgrow your old ideas about what brings you gladness and gratification. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): We all

go through phases that feel extra plodding and pedestrian. During these times, the rhythms and melodies of our lives seem drabber than usual. The good news is, I believe you Capricorns will experience fewer of these slowdowns than usual in 2024. The rest of us will be seeing you at your best and brightest on a frequent basis. In fact, the gifts and blessings you offer

may flow toward us in abundance. So it's no coincidence if you feel exceptionally well-loved during the coming months. P.S. The optimal way to respond to the appreciation you receive is to ratchet up your generosity even higher.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): In the fall of 1903, The New York Times published an article that scorned human efforts to develop flying machines. It prophesied that such a revolutionary technology was still at least a million years in the future—possibly 10 million years. In conclusion, it declared there were better ways to apply our collective ingenuity than working to create such an unlikely invention. Nine weeks later, Orville and Wilbur Wright disproved that theory, completing a flight with the airplane they had made. I suspect that you, Aquarius, are also primed to refute an expectation or prediction about your supposed limitations. Afterward, try not to gloat too much.

Your sweat and tears are being rewarded with sweets and cheers. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Your sweat

and tears are being rewarded with sweets and cheers. Your diligent, detailed work is leading to expansive outcomes that provide relief and release. The discipline you've been harnessing with such panache is spawning breakthroughs in the form of elegant liberations. Congrats, dear Pisces. Don't be shy about welcoming in the fresh privileges flowing your way. You have earned these lush dividends. HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Indulge in "Healthy Obsessions"—not "Melodramatic Compulsions" or "Exhausting Crazes." {in}

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news of the weird UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPONRY The Laconia (New Hampshire) Daily Sun reported on Jan. 5 that police were called to the Market Basket supermarket in Tilton the day before after a "fruity fracas" broke out in the produce section. Social media posts indicated that a watermelon had been used in an assault, and Sgt. Andrew Salmon of the Tilton Police Department confirmed that his department is investigating. Salmon said one person went to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries "from being struck by a produce item." A worker who answered the phone at the Market Basket said, "We have been instructed not to say anything." AWESOME! King, a rescue dog at the Lost Our Home Pet Rescue in Tempe, Arizona, enjoyed a brief reign among his shelter buddies, Fox10-TV reported on Jan. 11. Sometime around midnight, King managed to break out of his kennel at the shelter and busted out several other dogs. He also found a stash of food and enjoyed a little feast. In the meantime, alarms were triggered; Jodi Polanski, the shelter's founder, looked at video from the scene and saw the mess. "The police actually came because he set the alarm off," Polanski said. The unnamed responding officer cleaned up after King's free-for-all and got the dog settled back in bed. "I was just like, wow, amazing man that he did that," Polanski said. The rescue's website indicates that King is no longer looking for a home. •Rodney Holbrook, a 75-year-old retired postman from Wales, had been noticing for a couple of months that small messes in his shed were being mysteriously tidied overnight, the BBC reported. So he set up a camera and caught a little mouse picking up pegs, corks, nuts, bolts and bird food. Holbrook aptly named the rodent Welsh Tidy Mouse. "Ninety-nine times out of a hundred the mouse will tidy up throughout the night," Holbrook said. "I don't bother to tidy up now, I leave things out of the box and they put it back in its place by morning. I've added different things to the desk to see if they can lift it," he said. GOALS LuLu Lotus of Mississauga, Ontario, has earned a Guinness World Record for an impressive, if dubious, skill: She blew a 44.1-decibel whistle through her nose. United Press International reported on Jan. 9 that Lotus visited Aercoustics Engineering Ltd. to have her whistle measured in a special room. She said her 5-yearold son has recently discovered he, too, has a nose-whistling ability: "It would be a dream come true if he beat my record one day," Lotus said. HIGH TECH The story about the Alaska Airlines plane that lost a panel while flying at 16,000 feet is all over the news. But it's the little human-interest stories that really capture us: When the panel flew off and the hole gaped open midair on Jan. 5, someone's iPhone got sucked out and landed on a roadside in Washington state, Yahoo! News reported. Sean

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

Bates, who found the phone, posted a photo on X showing the phone's intact screen and a battery life of 44% remaining: "Pretty clean, no scratches on it, sitting under a bush," he posted. Jennifer Homendy of the NTSB said all found phones would be returned to their owners. INAUSPICIOUS AWARD Kathleen Murray of Sandford, Tasmania, credits bandicoots for helping her win the first-ever World's Ugliest Lawn competition, The Guardian reported on Jan. 11. The marsupials, Murray said, have "actually liberated me from ever having to mow it again. I'm all for guilt-free weekends, especially since my ex-husband left with the lawnmower back in 2016." (That must have been a goodlooking Toro!) The contest began as Gotland's (Sweden) Ugliest Lawn, which was conceived to encourage water-saving and environmentally friendly gardening in 2022. "All of (the lawns) were hideous and well worthy of winning, but the winning entry was really, really bad," said Gotland's Mimmi Gibson. "It brings me a lot of joy to see all the little creatures who now feel safe to come out during the day in my yard," Murray said. WHAT'S IN A NAME? Or a word? Wayne State University in Michigan has announced its 15th annual list of 10 "long-lost" words that should be resurrected, United Press International reported on Jan. 10. The Word Warriors program has identified "blatherskite" (nonsense), "curglaff" (the shock felt upon diving into cold water), "rawgabbit" (a person who speaks confidently but ignorantly), and "pawky" (having a cynical sense of humor), among others. Let's get together and twankle during our kaffeeklatsch! BUT WHY? On Jan. 8, as an Air Canada flight prepared to leave Toronto for Dubai, a passenger who had just boarded opened a cabin door and stepped out, falling about 20 feet to the ground. CTV News reported. The passenger was injured, and emergency services were called, the airline said. The flight was delayed but eventually took off. There was no explanation for why the person jumped out. CRIME REPORT A 32-year-old woman who had been arrested for assault in Boone, North Carolina, took her aggression out on the police car's backseat on Jan. 2, The Charlotte Observer reported. Boone Police Sgt. Dennis O'Neal said a "substantial amount of padding" had been chewed away, adding up to $650 in damages. The department's Facebook post suggested they "may need to invest in Kevlar seat covers." Authorities were still deciding whether to charge her in connection with the car's damages. {in}

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com January 18, 2024

Independent News | January 18, 2024 | inweekly.net