Inweekly Jan. 27 2022 Issue

A 2022 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION PRIMER Independent News | January 27, 2022 | Volume 23 | Number 4

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winners & losers

outtakes

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5

news 6, 7

To me, excuse my language, but that's ass backwards.

feature story

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publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

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January 27, 2022

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winners & losers

Sandy Sansing / Courtesy of UWF

winners SANDY SANSING The University of West Florida recently announced a gift commitment of more than $600,000 from Sandy Sansing to support the Sandy Sansing Need-Based StudentAthlete Scholarship and for the expansion of the Darrell Gooden Center to include a new Sports Medicine Center. The new Sports Medicine Center will be named in his honor with this gift.

Sansing, CEO of Sandy Sansing Automotive, was on UWF's first men's golf team, received the first golf scholarship at UWF and graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting. He is a UWF Athletics Hall of Fame member, a UWF Football Founder and currently serves on the UWF Athletics Sword & Shield Council.

WES MORENO Since June, the interim county administrator has done a remarkable job turning around Escambia County government. The stability and professionalism he has brought to the job has been much appreciated. The Escambia County Commission has selected GovHR USA to help recruit the county's next administrator. The company has conducted over 250 top manager-level recruitments and expects to find the new administrator within 14 weeks.

TIGER POINT SPORTS ASSOCIATION

The youth sports association in south Santa Rosa County has just launched a first-ofits-kind program to help foster kids in Santa Rosa County participate in youth sports. Its partnership with Gulf Coast Foster Bridge aims to cover participation and equipment costs for foster children through community support. To date, 50 families have applied for the grants.

LYLE SEIGLER Seigler has been appointed executive director of the Northwest Florida Water Management District. He replaces Brett Cyphers, who resigned to care for his oldest daughter as she undergoes cancer treatments.

Cyphers held the job for eight years, after serving two years as the assistant executive director. Seigler has served as the district's chief of staff for the past two years. Prior to that, he was the director of the district's regulatory division. His appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

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losers HONG KONG HAMSTERS Hong Kong au-

thorities' plans to kill 2,000 hamsters in response to a pet shop COVID-19 infection had unintended consequences. Dozens have been dumped in the streets. A resistance movement, which includes "Hong Kong the Cute Hamster Group," mobilized to stop the mass execution and save the furballs. Some have questioned the scientific basis for the government's decision to euthanize the hamsters. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of animals spreading the virus to people is low.

FLORIDA SENATE The Appropriations Committee approved SB 620, which would allow businesses to file lawsuits if local ordinances cause at least a 15% loss of profits. Rebecca O'Hara, senior legislative advocate for the Florida League of Cities, warned, "Human trafficking, internet cafes, liquor stores, puppy mills, panhandling, short-term rentals, medical marijuana treatment centers—all of these things will be fair game for business-damages claims if local governments are trying to address those activities."

STATE AGENCIES Like most employers, Florida's state agencies are struggling to fill vacant positions and retain employees. Better-paying, less stressful jobs in the private sector are luring state workers. The number of applicants responding to state-government job advertisements dropped by nearly 35% over the past three years, while the number of job postings increased by 7%, according to the Department of Management Services. The state is receiving 11.6 applications on average for each job posting, compared to an average of 37 applications per advertisement in September 2020. Meanwhile, the advertisements for state jobs jumped by more than 62% over the past six months.

MARTIN SHKRELI A federal judge has banned the controversial former pharmaceutical executive from ever working in that industry again and ordered him to return $64.6 million in wrongfully obtained profits. Shkreli is serving a seven-year prison sentence for securities fraud. He had increased the price of Daraprim, a lifesaving drug, by 4,000% and created a scheme to block competition from generic drugs, the judge found. inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

THE SYSA LEGACY On Saturday, Jan. 22, I sat in the Theophalis May Community Center gym stands, watching more than a dozen elementary school kids practice basketball. The week had been a significant one for the Southern Youth Sports Association, for whom the children played.

Coach Lumon May, SYSA co-founder and director, stood on a stage outside the gym with Mayor Grover Robinson, State Rep. Michelle Salzman, Councilman Delarian Wiggins, and several coaches and volunteers on MLK Day. They announced the construction of an additional gym with classrooms that will help SYSA expand its services.

The city had agreed to a long-term lease for the land. Rep. Salzman and the other members of our legislative delegation had gotten some funds from the state. Still, the vast majority of the funding is coming from private donors, the most prominent being Ashley and Troy Rafferty with a $1 million contribution.

Two days later, I interviewed Doug Baldwin Jr., who not only made a significant donation to the Rafferty Center but is trying to clone the SYSA experience with the Family First Community Center in Renton, Wash.

So why did I spend my Saturday morning in a cold gym on Gregory Street? Because I wanted to connect to the role sports can play in children's lives. For four decades, community center gyms in Pensacola have been places that foster dreams and teach life lessons.

My hometown, Greenville, Miss., didn't have community center gyms during the 1960s and 1970s. We played driveway basketball, imitating the UCLA Bruins, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. In games of Horse, we called shots that had to bounce off the limb that hung over the goal. Adults only got involved if an argument broke out that was loud enough to attract dad away from his television and lounger.

SYSA offers instruction that we lacked and provides role models that care about the children. Even though he is now in his 40s, Ter-

rell Hankins still refers to Lumon May and Ray Palmer as Coach Lumon and Coach Palmer (Inweekly, "A Building of Hope," 1/13/21). The same goes for Doug Baldwin. In our interview, he gave his SYSA mentors the same respect.

Last Saturday, Coach May was in the gym, tying basketball shoes, offering words of encouragement and joking with the parents watching the practice. The four coaches were young men whom May had coached. Two of them are currently playing high school basketball. They all want to give back to the SYSA program and continue the legacy.

Baldwin told me that SYSA has always been about being loved. You can feel that love in the Theophalis May Community Center gym. He called SYSA his second home.

"I never forget where I came from," he shared with me. "A lot of the lessons that I've learned and the fortitude and the strength that's propelled me to be able to get through college, being so far away from home and then getting into the NFL as a young man and trying to navigate that world and then being able to be healthy afterward and start a family and all of that started back home in Pensacola, Fla., with SYSA." Basketball isn't an easy sport to master.

Dribbling, passing and shooting take practice.

Teamwork and discipline are essential to playing defense. Mistakes are made but can't be dwelled upon because of the game's pace.

The SYSA players I watched had a long way to go before playing a decent game. They were easily distracted, went off the wrong foot when attempting layups and had trouble not stumbling when dribbling. But they were having fun.

Once they settled down, they listened to their coaches. They encouraged each other.

I could see the makings of a basketball team.

Some may never pick up a basketball again once they reach high school, but they will remember their time in the gym and their coaches.

Some will come back and volunteer. And the SYSA legacy will continue. {in} rick@inweekly.net

For four decades, community center gyms in Pensacola have been places that foster dreams and teach life lessons.

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PATHWAYS TO CAREERS

Pensacola High School Manufacturing Career Academy / Photo Courtesy of FloridaWest

By Tom St. Myer With the unemployment rate in Escambia County back to near pre-COVID percentages at under 4%, employers are challenged to find candidates to fill about 9,500 job openings. What makes the challenge even more burdensome is a shortage of candidates properly trained in skilled trades.

"Our economy is desperate for more people coming out of the school system with the right skillsets and people moving to town," said Scott Luth, FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance CEO/president. "We have more openings than we have people to fill them, so having trained individuals come out of our school system is extremely important right now and that's in all industry sectors."

School districts first established career academies about two decades ago to put students on paths to successful careers and answer the workforce demand from employers. Students develop skills and potentially earn industry certifications that employers covet while taking a mixture of career and academic classes that meet entrance requirements for post-secondary education.

Escambia County School District offers 67 career academies in middle and high schools with paths ranging from health care to first responders to construction. A total of 12,553 students are currently enrolled in career academies with 7,066 in high school and the remaining 5,847 in middle school.

"The need for skilled employees is definitely at an all-time high," said Steve Harrell, director of Workforce Education for the school district.

"I don't want to say dire because I don't know if we're there, but this is a period in my life where I've never seen so many help-wanted signs. I've never seen businesses have to close down portions of their business because of lack of staffing. Career academies and technical education have never been more important."

Agriculture technology, construction, cybersecurity, health care and manufacturing stand out among industries seeking skilled employees according to Jeff Dyer, director of 66

Workforce Innovation for FloridaWest. School districts in the region offer career academies in each of those industries, but the number of graduates falls short of filling the demand.

Data provided by the University of West Florida Haas Center from the 2018-19 school year indicated that 56% of students in career academies in Escambia and Santa Rosa County school districts found employment after graduation.

Half of those students in Santa Rosa and 45% in Escambia continued their education.

The Haas Center data found an alarming trend among the career academies in the school districts. Only 24% of students in Escambia and 18% in Santa Rosa found employment in training-related industries.

"I don't think (career academies) are fully being utilized to the extent they need to be," Luth said.

"We may have some students in some career academies where it's easy to be in them, not necessarily what they want to do for the rest of their lives. As a school system and as a business community, we collectively need to think through, what does that mean? How do we make sure we are better matching the student population with the right career academy and not just a career academy to be in?"

FloridaWest is focusing on recruiting and aligning students with the right career academies. CareerSource Escarosa and FloridaWest seek employer input at business advisory council meetings to ensure career academies properly develop the workforce. Sometimes the only input business owners provide is that they want employees ready to contribute immediately.

"I've seen a couple of career academies where there's no business input," Dyer said. "The decisions are made by the educators in the room, and that's not what we need."

Two examples of successful career academies that FloridaWest partnered with the Escambia County School District to establish are in aviation technology and cybersecurity.

The school district offers cybersecurity academies at Bellview and Warrington middle schools and Pine Forest High School. Military installations that house Department of Defense cybersecurity commands make Northwest Florida a hotbed for high-paying cybersecurity

jobs. Salary.com reports the average entry-level cybersecurity job pays north of $63,000 a year, and the average annual wage for a cybersecurity professional tops $100,000 in Florida.

Washington High School houses the aviation technology career academy. FloridaWest encouraged the school district to establish the career academy after ST Engineering agreed to move to Pensacola. Dyer said ST Engineering offers a job to every graduate of the career academy.

The health care industry dwarfs all others in number of job openings in Escambia County.

Registered nurse ranks first among occupations in active job ads, and Baptist Health Care, Lakeview Center and Ascension Sacred Heart are among the top five employers seeking to fill positions.

The Escambia County School District offers career academies in middle and high schools that put students on paths to postsecondary education and ultimately careers in the health care industry. The path is more straightforward for other career academies where students earn certifications that position them for immediate employment. Nearly 6,000 students earned certifications last school year.

The construction trade is an example of an industry with certification opportunities and high employment demand in the region. Harrell said, "We have to get more kids swinging hammers and using tape measurers. A lot of people who work in the IT field would take a deep gulp if they heard me say that."

Home Builders Association of West Florida Green Construction Trades Academy operates out of Pine Forest High School. The career academy teaches students construction fundamentals, starting with the basics that previous generations learned in shop classes. The decline in shop classes dates as far back as the 1970s when the emphasis placed on college preparatory classes intensified across the country.

"We've set the bar so high that we forgot we also still want to have a house to live in or a bathroom remodel," said Mary Jordan, Gulf Coast Insurance owner and chair of the HBA Tradesman Education Council. "Those work traits are harder to find. We've got to get them off the game systems, put a power tool in their hands and say, 'Look at what this does.'"

HBA Executive Director Dave Peaden senses educators shifting focus back to skilled trades as the demand for those jobs outpaces the number of qualified workers. Peaden said the average salary for some skilled trades compares favorably with professions that require undergraduate and graduate degrees. For example, the average salary for plumbers in Florida tops $56,000, and some earn over $100,000 per year.

"You want to see a millionaire? Go meet a plumber," Peaden said. "There's hidden wealth among people who own a business. Kids today, if they're good, they'll be paid well. There's no doubt."

Another challenge for career academies is finding properly credentialed instructors willing to share their expertise on a teacher salary, which begins at $43,500. The district closed its pharmacy services career academy due to its inability to keep teachers.

"Finding skilled teachers in workforce education is probably one of the most difficult parts of the job," Harrell said. "It's a constant, exhaustive search. If I can just get them in the door, they'll fall in love with teaching."

FloridaWest understands the vital importance of career academies. Successful career academies develop the workforce to fill job openings and bolster the economy.

"Having the career academies in our school system are critical, especially when they align with our target industry sectors and align with our industries that pay above county average wage and are considered essential," Luth said. "... If we can't find a way to get students into reallife job opportunities, we're continuing to lose an opportunity for hands-on engagement and the little bit of wages that go with that." {in}

ESCAMBIA COUNTY JOB OPENINGS

•Total: 9,634 •Occupations: 497 •Employers: 2,209 TOP FIVE OPENINGS BY OCCUPATION: •Registered Nurses: 581 •Retail Salespersons: 531 •First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers: 356 •Stockers and Order Fillers: 281 •First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: 216 Source: Real-Time Intelligence

ECSD CAREER ACADEMY ENROLLMENT

2018-19 •Middle School Enrollment: 5,596 •High School Enrollment: 7, 419 •Total Enrollment: 13,015 •Total Certifications: 6,606 2019-20 •Middle School Enrollment: 5, 482 •High School Enrollment: 6,062 •Total Enrollment: 11,544 •Total Certifications: 5,304 2020-21 •Middle School Enrollment: 6,236 •High School Enrollment: 7, 459 •Total Enrollment: 13,695 •Total Certifications: 5,922 Source: Escambia County School District Workforce Development

CAREER ACADEMY SUCCESS

2018-19 ESCAMBIA COUNTY •Total Completions: 1,500 •Employed: 842 (56%) •Training-Related Employment: 203 (24%) •Continued Education: 669 (45%) SANTA ROSA COUNTY •Total Completions: 950 •Employed: 534 (56%) •Training-Related Employment: 95 (18%) •Continued Education: 471 (50%) Source: UWF Haas Center inweekly.net

BALDWIN GIVES BACK Wash., where he lives with his wife and children.

"SYSA was my second home when I was a child," said Baldwin. "That was the place that I grew up, spent most of my time after school, during the summer, the summer camps, football camps, basketball, softball, Tball, all of it."

The volunteer coaches were stern with him, instilling the discipline necessary to succeed in sports, academics and life.

Baldwin graduated from Gulf Breeze High School and traveled to the West Coast to play for the Stanford Cardinals, leading the team in receiving yards and touchdowns his senior year.

He went undrafted but signed with Seattle, where he quickly became the most dangerous slot receiver in the NFL. However, his heart is still with SYSA. He said, "Coach Doug Baldwin Jr. / Photo by Grindstone Media Group / Shutterstock.com Lumon (May) and the crew back in the day, they definitely were stern at times, but you always knew that it came from a place of love. And I respect that On Saturday mornings in January, children about them." are playing basketball in community gyms What kind of coach was Lumon May? Baldwin across the country. Besides picking up the chuckled, "He's a fiery guy, and he has his special basic skills of passing, dribbling and shooting, moments, and he has his golden times when he they learn the importance of practice, discican speak life into a young man who needs it pline and teamwork. sometimes. And the one thing I'll say about Coach For kids like Doug Baldwin Jr., the gym and Lumon is that his heart is in the right place." youth sports were his safe haven. It's why he He added, "He's always been dedicated made a major donation to the Rafferty Center, and focused on serving not only the kids but the new community center for Southern Youth the community of Pensacola as a whole."

Sports Association (SYSA) being built at The center will be named for Ashley and Legion Field in west Pensacola (Inweekly, "A Troy Rafferty, but the courts will honor BaldBuilding of Hope," 1/13/21). win's grandfather, Junius Boling.

The former NFL wide receiver and Super "My grandfather was just a special human Bowl champion with the Seattle Seahawks being," said Baldwin. "He came to every one recently talked with Inweekly about the impact of my games; whether it was football, basketof SYSA on his life and how he is trying to ball, T-ball, it didn't matter. He was there and duplicate his childhood experience in Renton, wanted to support the program, so he helped

By Rick Outzen

in a number of different ways, whether it was helping rebuild the press box or concession stand, donating money, food or time. Whatever it was, my grandfather just wanted to be involved."

He shared that his grandfather, grandmother and all of his family were part of that village not only in helping raise him, his younger brother but also the other kids at SYSA. "My grandfather was an integral part of that," said Baldwin. "Being able to name the basketball courts after him, that's going to be a lasting legacy that I hope honors him in the way that he should be honored."

Baldwin has chosen to live outside of Seattle in Renton, where the Seahawks have their practice facility. He has gotten some pushback for not moving back to Pensacola when he retired.

"I get it from all angles, right? And I like to be upfront and honest about it. This coming to Seattle and really establishing myself as an individual here, that's kind of been really big for me," shared Baldwin.

"I lived in Gulf Breeze and played in Pensacola, so it's always been kind of this hybrid experience that I've had and never really felt settled," he said, "But being able to settle and have my roots and establish myself as an adult now in Seattle, it's been really beneficial to my mental and emotional health."

However, he shared that his fondest memories are at SYSA. "I never forget where I came from. A lot of the lessons that I've learned and the fortitude and the strength that's propelled me to be able to get through college, being so far away from home and then getting into the NFL as a young man and trying to navigate that world and then being able to be healthy afterward and start a family and all of that started back home in Pensacola, Fla., with SYSA." In 2005, Baldwin returned to Pensacola to run a football camp at Legion Field for SYSA. The pandemic has made him put off another camp, but he plans to return. He wants to give back to the program that helped him so much.

"SYSA has always been about being loved, so when I have the opportunity to see each one of those kids and look into their eyes and

have a genuine connection and relationship with them, that's what it's always been about," said Baldwin. "That's what was modeled to me, and so, of course, that's what I'm going to do when I get the opportunity to do it."

Baldwin plans to break ground on a community center in Renton in late February or early March.

"When I got here, this community, very similar to the SYSA program, they accepted me," he shared. "They loved on me and accepted me, and that was before they even knew anything about me playing football."

Baldwin continued, "I was this transplant from a different part of the country, and people were just really warm and welcoming and established a lot of great relationships and a lot of people, very similar to Coach Lumon, Coach George, Coach Palmer, Coach Reggie, all these people that kind of made me who I was."

He noticed Renton lacked a community center for kids to come and experience the same things he did with SYSA. Baldwin began working with the City of Renton and used his influence and leverage through the NFL to start a campaign to build the Family First Community Center. The Renton City Council has authorized up to $4 million for the project. The school district has donated land next to an elementary school.

"It's going to be the experience that kids have when they walk in through those doors is going to be a replica of what I experienced as a child," Baldwin said. "I wanted to provide that for the community that I'm now a part of."

He said he's also proud to be a part of the Rafferty Center. "My family and my heart are still there back home in Florida, and I'm still navigating adulthood the best that I can, making my mistakes and learning my lessons, especially now with two babies at home and a wife and trying to build, grow this family, but I want it to be known that I'm grateful for the city, the community, but especially SYSA and all the coaches and the families that have been there that went through there.

Baldwin added, "This is a special opportunity to share the legacy and share in the continuation of the legacy." {in}

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

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NEW EMS DASHBOARD Escambia County

Troy Rafferty presents check to SYSA / Photo by Sena Maddison

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT On Martin Luther

King Jr. Day, the Southern Youth Sports Association (SYSA) announced a new $2.7 million community center on Pensacola's Westside alongside Legion Field and the Theophalis May Center on Gregory Street.

Lumon May, SYSA co-founder and director, announced a group of SYSA coaches, athletes and their families at the May Center.

The Rafferty Center will be funded primarily with private donations and double SYSA's capacity, adding a new basketball court and multiple classrooms. The expansion is spearheaded by a $1 million pledge made by attorney Troy Rafferty of Levin Papantonio Rafferty and his wife, Ashley.

"I've seen firsthand the impact SYSA has with the kids—teaching them not just sports but giving them mentorship that role models leadership and community involvement, all those traits that are so important for kids," Troy Rafferty said. "Ashley and I feel we have an obligation to do everything we can to make sure that all the kids in the community have the opportunity to succeed. SYSA has been a perfect match for us. They are developing the future leaders of our community."

Since it was established in 2004, the SYSA has mentored thousands of boys and girls from Escambia County. The organization not only provides youth sports but also offers after-school care, tutoring and other academic support programs.

"I am very grateful for the support of Commissioner Lumon May, Councilman Delarian Wiggins, Troy and Ashley Rafferty, and all of our private donors who are making this project possible," said Mayor Grover Robinson. "Together, we will be able to enhance the programming and services for our youth, providing 88

even more opportunities for our children to build strong minds and bodies."

There is still work to do. The SYSA is a grassroots nonprofit organization that depends on community support to provide programs that benefit our youth. You can help build the Rafferty Center and support SYSA programs by donating online at sysatigers.org.

2021 QUALITY OF LIFE Quint Studer and the Pensacola Young Professionals released the 2021 Quality of Life Survey at the CivicCon event held on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Since 2009, Quint and Rishy Studer have paid for the annual survey to measure the attitudes of Escambia County voters on our local economy elected leaders and quality of life.

Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, located in Washington, D.C., has conducted the survey on behalf of PYP and the Studer Community Institute, interviewing 800 Escambia County voters by telephone.

The goal has been to improve the discussion of issues by identifying how the public feels about them, moving away from generalities to specific measurements. On WCOA 1370 AM/104.9 FM, Studer told Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen, "Our whole goal has always been to have respectful, healthy, civic conversations based on facts."

The first survey in 2008 had dismal results.

Though city voters had approved building the Community Maritime Park two years earlier, the project had been mired in red tape, lawsuits and petition drives. The 2008 Quality of Life survey reflected the community's frustrations, with less than one person out of four believing the city and county were headed in the right direction.

After over a year of battling the coronavirus, the 2021 Quality of Life survey found 52%

felt Escambia County is heading in the right direction, while 55% believed the city of Pensacola is doing so. Both percentages are down about 10 points from the 2020 survey.

The job performances for Mayor Grover Robinson (53% excellent or good), Escambia County Commission (33%), Pensacola City Council (37%), School Superintendent (41%) and Escambia County School Board (36%) were about the same as last year. The city council had the largest improvement, 2 points, and the school board had the biggest drop, 7 points.

Respondents rated the economic conditions in Escambia County one point higher than they did in 2020, from 35% saying good or excellent to 36%. In 2008, only 14% believed the county's economy was good or excellent.

The majority saw the economy being the same five years from now, 52%. Fewer people were concerned about job security, dropping from 51% to 49%.

Most years, the economy/jobs were rated the most important issue in the city and county. In the 2021 survey, people saw COVID (16%) as the top issue in Escambia County, followed by education (14%), with crime/drugs and economy/jobs tied (13%). In the city of Pensacola, crime/drugs topped the list (15%), followed by COVID (14%) and economy/jobs (12%). In 2008, economy/jobs received 28% of the votes as the most important issue in both the city and county.

Under Quality of Life factors, the availability of affordable housing had the largest drop, 11 points from 31% ranking it good or excellent last year to 20% in 2021. Public transportation fell 8 points, from 27% to 19%. Public safety and low crime declined 6 points from 37% to 31%.

The 2021 Quality of Life can be found at pensacolayp.com/quality-of-life-report.

Emergency Medical Services has launched its EMS Dashboard to provide the citizens a broader and clearer view of its services.

The EMS Dashboard is a collaborative effort that includes daily information provided by Escambia County Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Communications. The EMS Dashboard will include EMS calls dispatched, transports to local hospitals, on-scene cardiac/ respiratory arrests and overdoses, heart attack events and car crashes.

"It's basically a partnership with the community to build that trust again," Escambia County Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore told Inweekly. "When they call 911, they can have absolute faith that we're going to get out there. We're going to do the very best we can and have the most professional staff out there doing it."

The dashboard is unique for county EMS departments. Gilmore said, "I don't know of any EMS system that has a dashboard like this.

I know there are some fire department dashboards out there that track how many calls they are running, but nothing like this."

He added, "This is our first stab at it. We'll tweak, modify, improve it and get more information out there. And we hope the public goes to it and see just how busy their EMS system is."

The EMS Dashboard can be found at bit. ly/3nLIIsh.

CYBER COHORTS On 1370 WCOA, Dr. Eman El-Sheikh discussed the upcoming cohorts for military veterans and first responders for UWF Center for Cybersecurity's CyberSuccess Program sponsored by the Regions Foundation.

The CyberSuccess Program provides intensive cybersecurity training to help individuals launch or advance cybersecurity careers. The program is free for eligible transitioning military and veterans and first responders.

"UWF was selected to lead the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development program by the National Security Agency," said Dr. El-Sheikh. "It's funded through a $9 million, three-year grant and provides complete 100% scholarships to eligible participants. We're leading a coalition of 10 colleges and universities across the country to train 1,600 veterans and military and first responders over the next three years and help prepare and get them into cybersecurity roles."

The UWF Center for Cybersecurity is accepting applications for the first cohort, which will focus on entry-level positions through Feb. 4.

"This is anybody coming out of the military or a first responder who has interest in IT and cybersecurity," said Dr. El-Sheikh. "We're going to start them from scratch. We're going to give them an intensive six-month training program, completely online that offers five industry certifications, four courses, and helps prepare and connect them to jobs."

The second cohort will be a more adinweekly.net

vanced pathway offered later this spring. Dr. El-Sheikh said, "It's for those with some IT skills who are looking to advance in a cybersecurity career. And one of the great things is that there are so many cyber jobs, not just nationally but right here along the cyber coast.

And we want to help those businesses find the talent right here at home with our transitioning military population."

For more information, visit uwf.edu/regionscybersuccess.

NO IMPACT FEES The Home Builders As-

sociation of West Florida and 11 additional plaintiffs won a major victory on Saturday, Jan. 15, when Circuit Court Judge Darlene Dickey issued Summary Final Judgment in their favor in their battle against school impact fees in Santa Rosa County.

In May 2020, an ordinance by the Board of County Commissioners in support of new funding for the School Board of Santa Rosa County went into effect, setting impact fees of $5,000 on each new home permitted in the county, $4,000 for each mobile home and $2,750 for each multi-family dwelling.

Judge Dickey cited the county and school board's failure to establish the state-mandated "rational nexus and proportionately" standards, which restrict the use of new impact fees to the capital facilities needed to address the impact of new development. She also noted that the methodology used to establish the fee ignored important geographic and demographic factors distinguishing the county's unidentified "north" and "south" ends, did not utilize the most recent and localized data, and contained numerous mathematical errors and inconsistencies.

In a written press release from the Home Builders Association of West Florida, HBA Immediate Past President Blaine Flynn of FlynnBuilt, LLC, called the court's decision a victory for homebuyers who would have to pay the impact tax, adding "this legal challenge is about accountability."

"Filing a lawsuit is the last thing we wanted to do, but we had no other option after the

former superintendent of schools didn't listen to us when we expressed our concern that their ordinance was flawed and incorrect," said Flynn. "The HBA won the Injunction to stop the collection of the fee and won the appeal of the Injunction by the First District Court of Appeal, and now won Summary Final Judgement. We've won at every step in this long process, and I'm proud of our Board of Directors and members for their support in this all-important case."

The Santa Rosa County School Board must decide on its next step—1) move for reconsideration, 2) seek another appeal or 3) accept the decision. A notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days.

The HBA and a group of local businesses that develop residential communities and build apartments in Santa Rosa County are being represented in the legal challenge by a team of attorneys and experts, including Ken Bell, Mike Tanner and Megan Moon of Gunster law firm, a statewide business law firm; HBA Legal Counsel Steve Moorhead of the Moorhead Law Group; and Susan Schoettle of Susan Schoettle-Gumm, PLLC of Sarasota.

Slaymaker, Gulf Coast Foster Bridge's executive director and secretary on the TPSA of directors. Godwin explained, "This came about as a conversation between Becky and the rest of the board. Becky came to us and said, 'Hey, we have foster children that would love to play sports, but we don't have the funds to do it.' So we came up with this initiative, and a company jumped in right off the bat to cover the cost of registration, as well as the equipment."

To date, the sports association has had over 50 applications submitted. Godwin said, "It's our intention to try to grant as many scholarships as possible for kids to play at the park."

"I applaud Tiger Point Sports Association and Gulf Coast Foster Bridge for joining to bring disadvantaged children into the Tiger Point recreation leagues," said Santa Rosa County Commissioner Colten Wright. "Helping families and their children pay for fees and equipment will allow children to play sports, learn social skills and team dynamics, and build their self-confidence—preparing them for success in their adult life. " To sponsor a foster child in sports, please visit tpsports.net.

TIGERS HELP Tiger Point Sports Association

SUNDAY'S CHILD GRANTS Sunday's Child, a Pensacola-area philanthropic group that promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality, held its annual kickoff event virtually on Thursday, Jan. 13. The organization has raised $120,000 among 178 members allowing the organization to offer four grants of $30,000 each to Pensacola Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofits that place value on diversity, inclusion and equality.

Launched in 2014, Sunday's Child individual members or member ensembles donate $1,000 annually, with all funds going toward grant awards. Members vet grant applications, and members' votes determine winners at an annual meeting each year in June.

The Sunday's Child mission is to promote equality and inspire inclusion across the community by awarding grants for significant charitable and economic initiatives with a vision of a fully accepting and inclusive Pensacola Bay

has just launched a first-of-its-kind program to help foster kids in Santa Rosa County participate in youth sports. Its partnership with Gulf Coast Foster Bridge aims to cover participation and equip-ment costs for foster children through community support.

"The program seeks to provide foster children with the same opportunity to play youth sports like any other child," TPSA President Philip Godwin told Inweekly. "We're going to provide free registration and equipment to the kids to play at the park. We estimate that the normal cost to play per season per kid is about $250, and the monthly stipend that a family gets per foster child is about $400, so the cost to play youth sports is at least half of the monthly stipend that the families get from the state."

The program was the brainchild of Becky

area that embraces the LGBTQ+ citizens and their contributions to the community.

Over the past eight years, the organization has raised over $764,000. One hundred percent of dollars raised have funded projects that impacted areas such as child welfare, animal welfare, hunger issues, LGBTQ+ issues, health, adults with disabilities and the arts.

"Sunday's Child is making a difference.

Even though we are a young organization, our members are committed to improving the lives of the citizens of the Pensacola Bay area," said Trudy King, president of Sunday's Child. "We invite you to join us and accomplish even more in the years to come."

Sunday's Child is now accepting letters of intent through Wednesday, Feb. 23. A nonprofit workshop will be held on Feb. 3 for all local nonprofits wishing to learn more about the grants process. Visit sundayschild.org for more information.

NOM CLOSING Nom Sushi Izakaya own-

ers Elizabeth and Brad Jones have decided to close their doors after more than seven years on Palafox. Although still enjoying successful nightly dinner service and a following of loyal customers, the two restaurateurs shared they are ready to take some time to focus on other things.

"This hasn't been an easy decision, but it's one that we're proud of. Nom has been an absolute labor of love and an honor to bring to life," said Elizabeth Jones in a written press release. "We're excited to take this time to focus on growth, health and planning for the future of our business."

Diners still have time to visit and enjoy their favorite sushi, shared plates and signature house-made ramen. With the support of their chefs and wait staff, Nom will continue dinner service, Tuesday-Saturday, from 3-9 p.m. through Saturday, Jan. 29.

The Jones promised that Pensacola hasn't seen the last of their creativity, discerning taste and signature style—"It's not goodbye; it's see ya later. Kanpai."{in}

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inweekly.net

A 2022 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION PRIMER

BY JEREMY MORRISON Starting in mid-January, Florida lawmakers entered another 60-day legislative session.

In some ways, this 2022 session will play out as standard, in-state, taking-care-of-business fare. Gov. Ron DeSantis, for example, will be looking for legislators to pass his budget. It's about $100 billion and includes money for areas such as education, environment and law enforcement.

However, other aspects of the legislative session will reflect the national discourse between political camps, complete with all the claws of the national partisan stage. During their time in Tallahassee, lawmakers will discuss nationally trending topics like abortion, election security and "wokeness"—a right-wing trigger phrase DeSantis managed to work into a bill's title.

In this sense, Florida joins other states in serving as a battleground where politically divisive topics with a national partisan appeal will be slugged out. The legislative session might also be read as previews of mid-term elections and the 2024 presidential contest.

Election Security and the "Big Lie"

One issue that nicely illustrates the current divide in this democracy is the matter of elecJanuary 27, 2022

tions themselves. Florida is at the forefront of this debate and will become more mired in such muck over the course of this session.

Last year, state lawmakers passed a collection of election reform measures—enshrined in SB 90—that critics like the League of Women Voters of Florida and the NAACP consider unconstitutional and are challenging in court. The lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in federal court at the end of January.

This year, Gov. DeSantis is doubling down and asking lawmakers to approve an "election integrity unit" to police the state's electoral process. He also has targeted "ballot harvesting"—which is when a person collects and turns in ballots for others—as well as requesting that local supervisors of elections "clean the voter rolls" of ineligible voters.

This focus on election security strikes Jamil Davis, Florida state organizing manager for Black Voters Matter, as unnecessary.

"There's no need for that," Davis said, stressing that Florida's election process is already secure. "There was no voter fraud in the state around our election."

He doesn't think DeSantis's electionrelated asks have too much to do with ensuring

secure elections. Davis refers to the measures, as well as similar bills passed in other states, as "voter suppression" and believes they are designed to bolster the false notion popular in certain GOP camps that President Joe Biden did not win the presidential election and former President Donald Trump was somehow denied a victory due to voter fraud.

"Because we are still committed to keeping the 'Big Lie' going that there was fraud in other states in this country," the political activist said.

To be clear, no one is charging that anything nefarious or consequential happened during Florida's 2020 election process. But proponents contend election reforms are needed nonetheless.

Rep. Alex Andrade represents Northwest Florida's District 2, which includes the cities of Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and much of the southern parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. He supports the reforms, even though the state's elections, especially the 2020 presidential election, have been considered some of the most secure over the past two decades.

Andrade contented his constituents wanted them to be more secure. He added the issue was in part a nod to the national discussion

concerning election security in the context of the 2020 presidential election.

"Florida has done a good job in election security the past several elections," Rep. Andrade said. "The deal is, we're seeing this national debate about what is and is not a fair election."

In a recent radio interview, the state lawmaker said it was important to block potential ballot harvesting without offering any recent examples in the state. Andrade said, "If you have access to several different ballots, you're going to go take advantage of that, potentially, if you don't have the integrity to value our election system."

Legislative Opportunists

Abortion has long fueled partisan debates in this country. The discussion has ebbed and flowed, depending on which party is in the White House and what consequences any pending court cases might have. The debate has reached a fever pitch as a case (Dobbs v.

Jackson Women's Health Organization) before the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that solidified abortion protections.

With other states, such as Texas, already 11

wading into this debate, the Florida Legislature appears ready to follow suit. On the first day of the session, Lakeland Republican Sen. Kelli Stargel filed Senate Bill 146 to ban abortions after a fetus reaches 15 weeks of gestational age.

Florida Planned Parenthood quickly issued a statement, calling the proposal "cruel" and "wrong." Lillian Tamayo, the president and CEO of its south, east and north divisions, said, "Abortion shouldn't be politicized."

Rep. Andrade favors the proposed bill, telling Inweekly the legislature's pursual of abortion restrictions this session only makes sense. Referring to the Dobbs case before the U.S. Supreme Court, he said, "Abortion is being triggered. That opens up opportunities for pro-life legislators like myself."

Andrade understands that pro-choice advocates will never come around to his perspective—nor he to theirs. The difference this session is the Republican leadership in Tallahassee appears to be aligned with passing abortion restrictions.

Summing up his position, the lawmaker said, "I believe that life begins at conception.

I believe most of this abortion debate is a debate about when it's OK to kill somebody. That debate shouldn't even happen."

SESSION LOWDOWN The 2022 Florida Legislative session began Jan. 11 and runs for 60 days through March 11.

Sen. Wilton Simpson, a Republican from Citrus County, presides over the Florida Senate, and Speaker Chris Sprowls (R-Palm Harbor) leads the Florida House.

Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have three House representatives—District 1 Michelle Salzman, District 2 Alex Andrade and District 3 Jayer Williamson. The counties have one state senator—Doug Broxson. All are Republicans. The area's last Democratic lawmaker was Dee Dee Davis (1998-2000).

Each lawmaker in this local legislative delegation has individual bills that they are sponsoring or co-sponsoring, and each also sits on several different committees. In the Senate, Broxson chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and serves as vice-chair on the Banking and Insurance Committee and Reapportionment Committee. He also sits on several other committees, including Ethics and Elections.

In the House, Salzman sits on the Judiciary Committee and subcommittees dealing with health care and education. Andrade serves as the Republican Committee Whip for the Education and Employment Committee. Salzman serves on Finance & Facilities and Local Administration & Veterans Affairs subcommittees. Both Salzman and Andrade are involved in the legislative redistricting efforts, with Andrade serving on the Redistricting Committee and Salzman on the State Legislative Redistricting Subcommittee.

Williamson is also involved in redistricting, serving on the Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee, but perhaps more importantly, he also serves as chair of the Infrastructure, Tourism and Appropriations subcommittees.

He also sits on the Appropriations Committee and Joint Legislative Budget Commission, 212 1

Critical Race Theory Hysteria

Critical race theory also has found its way into the state's legislative debates.

Depending on whom you ask, the term critical race theory means something different. Still, whatever it is, the Florida Board of Education banned it from public classrooms last summer.

And now Gov. DeSantis, as part of his Stop WOKE Act, wants the ban enshrined into state law.

According to Andrade, critical race theory involves anything that "telegraphs to kids of a certain race that they're either always oppressors or always oppressed" or teaches that racism is "baked into every aspect of American life."

For an example of something not allowed under the governor's critical race theory ban, Andrade points to "Ghost Boys," a young adult novel that was pulled from Broward County elementary schools. The book depicts a 12-yearold Black boy with a toy gun who is fatally shot by police.

"The assertion that cops are racist and we have a massive racism problem in the United States is ridiculous because the data doesn't bear it out," Andrade said.

Davis disagrees. "Critical race theory is a dog whistle the GOP is currently using right now as a way of letting people know that what we don't

want taught in school is a genuine retelling of our history," he told Inweekly.

"Because then we have to explain why this country committed the ultimate sin, which is slavery and white supremacy," the activist continued, explaining that such conversations would ultimately lead into territory he isn't sure the country is ready for, such as a discussion about reparations. "What do we do as a country other than just spouting off an apology?"

Whatever critical race theory is, Escambia County School District Superintendent Tim Smith stressed that the district intends to stay out of this "political type of thing." He told Inweekly, "That whole conversation really hasn't been relevant to our school district."

But under Gov. DeSantis's Stop WOKE Act, citizens would be empowered to file lawsuits against any school district they felt was teaching critical race theory. And what is critical race theory again?

"Everybody kind of has their own interpretation. That's where it becomes difficult; different people can interpret that differently," Smith said.

"Is there really a firm definition of what it is?"

Litmus-Test Nation

Florida's school boards are non-partisan by law. All voters cast ballots for board candidates

According to Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida, here are a few other significant issues to watch during the session:

INSURANCE With private insurers dropping policies and customers flooding into the statebacked Citizens Property Insurance Corp., lawmakers will again consider making changes to the property-insurance system. Lawmakers in recent years have tried to address issues such as curbing litigation over insurance claims, but problems persist in the industry.

BUDGET Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed a $99.7 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year that includes funneling money to education, the environment and pay for law-enforcement officers. Florida is flush with cash because of a huge influx of federal COVID-19 stimulus money and higher-than-expected state tax collections as the economy has recovered.

TAXES Buoyed by federal stimulus money, DeSantis has proposed suspending state gasoline taxes for five months, starting July 1.

The governor would use $1 billion in stimulus money to make up for lost gas-tax revenues, which go toward funding transportation projects. Lawmakers also will consider a series of sales-tax "holidays."

EDUCATION Lawmakers will consider a DeSantis proposal to revamp the schoolaccountability system, moving toward what is known as progress monitoring. The Republican-controlled Legislature also could continue years of efforts to expand school choice and will weigh a DeSantis proposal to give bonuses to public-school teachers and principals.

*From "Ten Big Issues to Watch in the 2022 Session" by Jim Saunders, originally published Wednesday, Jan. 5, by the News Service of Florida

giving the local lawmaker an influential seat during budget negotiations.

OTHER ISSUES TO WATCH*

HEALTH CARE AND COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate health care, and lawmakers will consider extending pandemic-related legal protections for hospitals, nursing homes and other providers.

DeSantis also proposed increased Medicaid funding that supporters say could help with staffing problems at nursing homes.

IMMIGRATION DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody have criticized the Biden administration for months about border policies, and DeSantis wants lawmakers to take up a series of immigration issues. DeSantis has called for expanding a law targeting so-called "sanctuary cities" and bolstering use of the E-Verify system to check workers' immigration status.

WAYS TO KEEP UP If you want to stay engaged during the 2022 session—and we hope you do—here are some resources we recommend.

POLITICO'S FLORIDA PLAYBOOK A weekday newsletter that gives an informative rundown of politics throughout the state and includes links for further reading politico.com/newsletters/floridaplaybook JOHN KENNEDY ON TWITTER A reporter for the Gannett Capital Bureau twitter.com/jkennedyreport FLORIDA POLITICS A statewide media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy and lobbying floridapolitics.com PROGRESS FLORIDA A nonprofit organization promoting progres-

without party primaries. That may change this issue as school board meetings have become forums for political debates over mask mandates and other coronavirus precautions. HJR 35 proposes the Florida statutes be amended to require all school board races to become partisan elections with party primaries beginning in 2024.

Superintendent Smith said he wasn't sure how that would play out on the ground.

"I think with non-partisan you take some element of politics off of the table," Smith said.

"We live in a nation of litmus tests.

That's the way that voters want to communicate. We live in partisan times." Alex Andrade Rep. Andrade also said that "in a perfect world," a non-partisan school board election might make more sense but that he was inclined to give voters what they're asking for—"I don't think it solves anything, but I'm not sure it hurts anything either."

"We live in a nation of litmus tests," Andrade said. "That's the way that voters want to communicate. We live in partisan times." {in}

sive values through digital organizing, media outreach and collaborating with Florida's leading progressive organizations progressflorida.org LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FLORIDA A nonpartisan political organization that publishes regular "Capitol Reports" lwvfl.org LEGISLATIVE TRACKING ACCOUNT The Florida House of Representatives has a legislative tracking system that allows users to identify and track specific bills, members and committees throughout the legislative process. myfloridahouse.gov (just click on the "Tracking" tab to create an account)

CONTACT INFORMATION We included Facebook links to help you stay up to date with what Broxson, Salzman, Andrade and Williamson are posting. We also included email and office addresses in case you want to contact them about certain bills and votes during the session.

SEN. DOUG BROXSON •facebook.com/dougbroxsonfl •broxson.doug.web@flsenate.gov •418 W. Garden St., Room 403; (850) 595-1036 REP. MICHELLE SALZMAN •facebook.com/thepeoplesconservative •michelle.salzman@myflorida.gov •3101 W. Michigan Ave., Ste. G; (850) 941-6091 REP. ALEX ANDRADE •facebook.com/votealexandrade •alex.andrade@myflorida.gov •226 S. Palafox, Ste. 401B; (850) 595-0467 REP. JAYER WILLIAMSON •facebook.com/repjayerwilliamson •jayer.williamson@myfloridahouse.gov •4519 Woodbine Road, Pace; (850) 889-4974 inweekly.net

WEEK OF JANUARY 27-FEBRUARY 2

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

Rainbow Girls Go South

By Sydney Robinson

Rainbow Girls / Photo by Bradley Cox of Giant Eye Photography

"The short of it is, we're a gang of sweet angels punching you in the heart," said Vanessa May while opening for The Dead South. May is one of three members of Rainbow Girls, who will be in Pensacola handdelivering heart-punches next week.

"We did the thing," proclaimed May, Erin Chapin and Caitlin Gowdey on the final video release for their latest album "Rolling Dumpster Fire."

With the release of "Roads Must Roll," the most optimistic-sounding song about the end of the world arguably ever made, the full album went live. Now, the group is ready to share those songs on tour.

"We write music that is in ways a reflection of ourselves, but too, it speaks to the joy, the sorrow, the joke of being alive," said May. The group's harmony-driven sound, full of power and yearning, is built on the 10-year relationship between its members.

"It's rooted in folk music, contemplative folk," said May. "The spine of that is the harmony."

Though the voices of the trio are beautiful, the substance of their lyrics deal in sometimes heavy and haunting themes, an attempt to harness the energy of the last two years.

"They're representative of us at this moment and hopefully other folks too," said May. "That's the goal—to kind of be able to capture

not only your emotional spirit or feelings but to have other people see themselves reflected back."

The seven-song album meditates on toobrief love, overthinking and, in reflecting on the hopelessness of our era, an almost wistful acceptance of the finality of it all.

Of course, not everyone was able to find such creative energy in the pandemic.

"Really, it's a success to just get anything out into the world right now," said May. "You had an opportunity to pause and reflect and think about where you've been, where you're going, what you're supposed to do, what you are doing. And there was room, at least for us, to grow there."

Marching to the beat of a different drum, the tour includes two shows in a row on most stops, including Pensacola.

"There's one night playing original music, and the following night is the night of covers," explained May. For a band that saw their popularity grow significantly due to their cover of "Down Home Girl," Rainbow Girl fans will want to attend both nights to get the full spectrum of talent from this trio.

"I tend to joke with our audiences that by the end of the show, they'll know much more about us than they want to," said May. "So it'll be double that."

After a year hiatus in 2020, Rainbow Girls have slowly returned to the stage and have done limited shows in the last year, including sharing the stage with John Craigie and playing a sold-out venue in Alaska. This tour, though, marks their official return.

In a state with leadership who make it especially difficult to play it safe, The Dead

South show will require either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test with entry, a common-sense measure that helps to protect performers and their audiences.

"My work is traveling, and I'm gonna be in this place and that place and the other place," said May. "And not only do I hope to continue to be able to do my work, I hope to be responsible around other people that also need to do their work, you know?"

The past two years have had the unfortunate effect of making musicians like May sometimes feel that their art is expendable.

"In essence, what happened was society told the arts that it has no value," said May. "You know, it was like, we're gonna maintain essential services, but nothing that had to do with the arts was essential."

"To me, excuse my language, but that's ass backwards. You know, the arts are the things that get us through moments like these, moments of identity crisis, social crisis, medical crisis. And so really, we're just trying to remind people that this is an important thing." {in}

RAINBOW GIRLS

WHAT: The Dead South with special guest opener Rainbow Girls WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31, and Tuesday, Feb. 1 WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox COST: $28.50 (plus fees) or $53 (plus fees) for both shows DETAILS: vinylmusichall.com, rainbowgirlsmusic.com

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genemitchell.org 13

a&e happenings This annual juried exhibition seeks to generate community dialogue, foster creative expression and recognize the support and talent of our members. Artists can win cash prizes with $150 to first place, $125 to second place, $100 to third place and $75 to people's choice.

The Members Show will be extended through the month of May. The exhibition is open to PMA members working in all media and subject matter. The submission deadline is Sunday, Jan. 30, at 11:59 p.m. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details and submission form.

ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBITORS FOR JAZZFEST Jazz Pensacola is calling arts and

crafts exhibitors to submit applications for the 2022 Pensacola JazzFest, taking place 10 a.m.7 p.m. Saturday, April 2, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday, April 3, at Seville Square.

Application form can be found at jazzpensacola.com/pdf/2022-JazzFest-ArtsCrafts-App.pdf.

Only original art and handmade crafts will be accepted. No commercial/mass-produced products will be accepted. Please read the complete contract, particularly concerning refunds.

All entries are $200 for a 10-by-10 canopy or smaller. All fees go to support Pensacola JazzFest, a free event for the community.

REGIONAL WRITING CONTEST SEEKS "IN FOCUS FLASH MEMOIR" ENTRIES

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT & KITTEN ADOPTIONS Every Saturday in January from 11

a.m.-3 p.m., meet cats and kittens looking for their forever home at Pet Supermarket, located at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. Visit aaflorida.org for more information.

JOIN THE PAW-RADE AND SUPPORT PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY Join

Pensacola's Pawdi Gras event and support the Pensacola Humane Society. The pet parade is 2 p.m. on Feb. 13. Floats can be created using wagons, carts, strollers, decorated leashes— anything with wheels that does not have a motor. Only the first 150 dogs to register for the parade will receive a goodie bag, so pre-registering is recommended. There will be a $10 donation cost for each pup and up to four total human escorts. All proceeds will be donated to Pensacola Humane Society. The donation also gets your pup(s) into the pet costume contest to win some fun prizes. Visit pensacolahumane.org to learn more and pre-register.

SUNDAY'S CHILD SET TO AWARD $120,000 IN GRANTS IN 2022 For 2022,

Sunday's Child organization raised $120,000 among 178 members, allowing the organization to offer four grants of $30,000 each to Pensacola Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofits that place value on diversity, inclusion and equality.

Grant applications are vetted by members, and winners are determined by the votes of members at an annual meeting in June of each year. The Sunday's Child mission is to promote equality and inspire inclusion across the com414 1

munity by awarding grants for significant charitable and economic initiatives with a vision of a fully accepting and inclusive Pensacola Bay area that embraces the LGBTQ+ citizens and their contributions to the community.

Sunday's Child is now accepting letters of intent through Wednesday, Feb. 23. A nonprofit workshop will be held on Feb. 3 for all local nonprofits wishing to learn more about the grants process. Visit sundayschild.org for more information.

WUWF HOSTS STORYCORPS FOR LOCAL STORYTELLING OPPORTUNITIES Sto-

ryCorps, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs, comes to Pensacola Feb. 17-March 11 to record interviews, in-person and virtually, as part of its Mobile Tour.

Participants have the option of recording in-person or via StoryCorps' Virtual Recording Booth, a video-conferencing platform that can be accessed remotely using an internetconnected device. Participants can learn more about safety precautions for in-person recording at storycorps.org.

Reservations to record will be available at 10 a.m. on Feb. 3 and can be made by calling StoryCorps' 24-hour toll-free reservation line at (800) 850-4406 or visiting storycorps. org or wuwf.org/storycorps.

CALL TO ARTISTS

PMA MEMBERS SHOW The Pensacola Museum of Art invites artists, makers, designers and creative thinkers from its member community to submit artworks for The Members Show.

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

Luke Wallin, professor of creative writing, former editor of The Louisville Review and award- winning author of national acclaim who lives in Rhode Island, will serve as a guest judge. The judging panel will be looking for entries that distill a personal experience and share the heart and essence of it in order to impact readers with a keepsake take-away.

Contest entries will be read with the name of the writer concealed. Contest Facilitator Claire Massey asks writers to "share your moments of truth, the crossroads and rest stops on your journey, the images that define who you were and who you are."

Contest entries will be accepted electronically in January. Any resident of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton or Bay counties in Florida or Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties in Alabama who is 18-years or older is eligible to participate. Members of West Florida Literary Federation and the Florida Writers' Association are also eligible to enter.

Non-members pay a $10 submission fee. For more questions, email Massey at westfloridaliteraryfederation@gmail.com or visit wflf.org.

ARTS & CULTURE

WHAT'S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART Oscar-nominated short films

will be showing starting Feb. 25 on Fridays and Saturdays. All showtimes are at 1 p.m. PCA is located at 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $10 cash only. Now streaming, "Hive," based on the true story of a wife whose husband goes missing during the war in Kosovo. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for more information.

MATT & BEN Before "The Office," Mindy Kaling co-wrote the play "Matt & Ben" with Brenda Withers about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck before they were famous. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $14-$20. For tickets, visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.

POINTS OF DEPARTURE: FOUNDATIONS EXHIBITION The Art Gallery (TAG)

at the University of West Florida presents "Points of Departure: Foundations Exhibition." This exhibition displays the excellence achieved in the foundation courses in the Department of Art &. Design at UWF. The exhibition runs through Friday, Jan. 28, in TAG, located on the UWF Pensacola Campus in The Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Bldg. 82.

TAG is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

PENSACOLA OPERA PRESENTS: THE MAGIC FLUTE The Magic Flute transports au-

diences on a mystical journey filled with genies, spirits and the hilarious antics of a creature who is half man and half bird. The classic elegance of Mozart's music enthralls us as a young man discovers his humanity during his quest for the truth. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, at Pensacola Saenger, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets start at $25. Visit pensacolaopera.com for more information.

TREE HUGGER TRIVIA Join Keep Pensacola Beautiful Youth Advisory Council for Tree Hugger Trivia on Friday, Jan. 29, from 7-9 p.m. at Voices of Pensacola, 117 E. Government St. Tickets are $10-$15. Visit keeppensacolabeautiful.org for more information.

PENSACOLA PSYCHIC, METAPHYSICAL AND HEALING ARTS FAIR This annual

psychic fair brings speakers, tarot readers, mediums, healers, metaphysical gifts and UFO enthusiasts. The event is Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 1-5 p.m. at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Readers and vendors can sign up by calling (850) 941-4321. For more information, visit pensacolapsychicfair.com.

NATE BARGATZE: THE RAINCHECK TOUR Comedian Nate Bargatze will bring his

clean and relatable comedy to the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3.

Tickets are $39.75-$69.75. For more information, visit pensacolasaenger.com.

THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE This

dark comedy will be brought to the Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., with showtimes Fridays, Feb. 4 and 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Feb. 5 and 12, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays, Feb. 6 and 13, at 2:30 p.m. A Thursday performance will be Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $27-$33 and $9 for students in select seats. For more information, visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.

GOING SOLAR PRESENTATION FROM 350 PENSACOLA Join three local homeinweekly.net

a&e happenings owners as they share their stories of adding solar energy systems to their homes 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 8, at Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. For more information, email 350pensacola@gmail.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Enjoy shop-

ping for a variety of handcrafted wares at Pensacola Arts Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 1401 W. Intendencia St. Enjoy art, espresso, vintage goods, baked treats, handcrafted unique gifts and more. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket.

EASY GOING GALLERY ART MARKET

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

YOUTH ART FOCUS AT PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART The Pensacola Museum

of Art, in partnership with the Escambia County School District, is proud to present the 68th Annual Youth Art Focus exhibition highlighting the best work from art students and educators from Escambia County Schools.

Pensacola Museum of Art is located at 407 S. Jefferson St and open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from noon-4 p.m.

For more information about the Pensacola Museum of Art, call (850) 432-6247 or visit pensacolamuseum.org.

VISIONARY APONTE: ART AND BLACK FREEDOM Visionary Aponte: Art and Black

Freedom is from creator José Antonio Aponte, a free black carpenter, artist and former soldier who was also the leader of an ambitious antislavery conspiracy in Cuba in 1812. The exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art through March 27.

Visit pensacolamuseum.org for more information.

2000 MEN: BLACK POLITICIANS DURING RECONSTRUCTION A new exhibit at the Pensacola Museum of History shares the stories and histories of Black politicians during the Reconstruction period. The Pensacola Museum of History is located at 330 S. Jefferson St. For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.

UWF HISTORIC TRUST 9/11 EXHIBIT An exhibit honoring victims lost and others impacted by the tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, is now on display on the second floor of the Pensacola Museum of History. The University of West Florida Historic Trust curated the exhibit, 9/11 Remembered, which runs through January, with items on loan from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York and the History Museum of Mobile. The gallery includes a section of the I-beam from one of the World Trade Center towers and a helmet and other items worn by first responders who responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Visitors can also view a video of newsreels from 20 years ago on projectors and a video from NAS Pensacola that features January 27, 2022

military members who responded to the 9/11 attacks. For more information on UWF's Historic Trust, visit historicpensacola.org.

FINDING 1821 Finding 1821 is part of the

UWF Historic Trust's Suddenly American exhibit. Using historic newspapers, maps and documents, it is possible to locate where businesses stood in the 1820s. From taverns to parasol shops, each site on the Finding 1821 trail reflects a local establishment that was near that location 200 years ago. Outside each business is a QR code that links to a corresponding advert from an early 1820s newspaper. Over a dozen sites have been identified so far. Take a stroll around town, visit local shops and explore the history of Pensacola through today's technology. Visit historicpensacola.org for more information.

SCRIPTEASERS WITH PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Scripteasers, Studio 400's

and Pensacola Little Theatre's Script Reading Club invites you to monthly script readings at PLT, 400 S. Jefferson St. Want to bring your scripts for the group to read and discuss? Contact Pensacola Little Theatre to get in queue.

The group reads prospective scripts for future seasons as well as new scripts that need a table read before the next edit. Not a playwright but love to read out loud? This is your easy, fun theatre night. Fascinated by the play selection process? Sit in for a listen and usually a lot of laughs. Visit facebook.com/pensacolalittletheatre for more information and the latest dates.

OPEN MIC AT THE GORDON Show off

your talents on the second Thursday of every month at The Gordon's Open Mic showcase from 7-10 p.m. Admission is free. The Gordon is located at 306 N. DeVilliers St. Visit thegordon.org for more information.

OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or enjoy some homegrown talent every Monday at 7 p.m. for Open Mic Comedy at Big Top Brewery, located at 21 W. Romano St. Everyone gets five minutes depending on the number of sign-ups. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.

NEW CLASSES AT MIXON MAGIC PERFORMING ARTS Mixon Magic Performing

Arts (MMPA), a boutique performing arts studio located at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 238, will be offering a limited class schedule this fall. MMPA offers professional dance, fitness and "Mommy and Me" instruction for all ages and skill levels with weekly classes including, but not limited to, Creative Movement, Ballet/ Jazz Combo, Broadway, Tap, Showstoppers, Acting and Voice. Classes will be provided for children as young as 2 years old (with a parent or guardian) through adult.

MMPA is dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of all students and families and has implemented protocols based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Masks are required for entry into the building and studio. More information about Mixon Magic Performing Arts can be found at mixonmagic.com, by contacting hello@mixon-

magic.com or emily@mixonmagic.com or by calling (850) 221-7438.

GENDER PORTRAITS Gender Portraits is

a project from artist Drew Riley of the Austin Creative Alliance. The nonprofit organization supports sex and gender minorities using art as a foundation for education, activism and advocacy. The exhibit is on view at Voices of Pensacola, located at 117 E. Government St., through January. For more information, visit historicpensacola.org.

BLACK CITIZENSHIP IN THE AGE OF JIM CROW "Black Citizenship in the Age of

Jim Crow," a traveling exhibition from the New York Historical Society Museum & Library with additions from the African American Heritage Society of Pensacola, is now on view at Artel Gallery. To learn more about it, visit africanamericanheritagesociety.org. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.

CRAFT CLASSES AT STUDIO SOUTH ON NINE MILE Learn a new craft or meet up with other makers at Studio South. Tuesday is Knit Night 4-7 p.m., and Sit & Stitch is Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Both classes are free. For a full calendar of events, visit studiosouthon9mileroad.com. Studio South is located at 955 E. Nine Mile Road.

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS AT FIRST CITY ART First City Art Center offers a wide

range of classes and workshops for artists of all levels. Classes include glass blowing, ceramics, painting and drawing, kiln-forming, stained glass and more. For a complete list of classes and times, visit firstcityart.org.

FITNESS + RECREATION

•Oct. 2: Bayview Park •Nov. 6: Community Maritime Park •Dec. 4: Community Maritime Park

PUBLIC SKATING Pensacola Bay Center hosts public ice skating sessions through April.

All public skate sessions last one hour. Sessions typically occur on the weekends and after Ice Flyers Home games. Capacity is limited for each session, so get your tickets early. Cost is $12 for adults and children including skate rental, $9 for children with no skate rental and $10 for adults and children in groups of 15 or more.

UPCOMING DATES: •1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6 ISLAND FIGHTS Don't miss Island Fights 71

live at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Pensacola Bay Center, located at 201 E. Gregory St. By tickets at pensacolabaycenter.com.

MULADHARA SOUND BATH & MEDITATION Join Marni & Rin Ley for an evening of

Chakra Alignment & Grounding starting with The Root at 2400 Executive Plaza Drive at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 30. Cost is $25. Bring a yoga mat, small blanket, bottled water, crystals and pen and journal. For more information and for tickets, visit facebook.com/asherandbeeapothecary.

F3 NATION FREE WORKOUTS FOR MEN

F3, a national network of free, peer-led workouts for all men, has expanded its outdoor workouts to Pensacola. The three Fs stand for Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. Classes are free of charge to all men 18 and older or 16 with an adult guardian.

Each class ends with a circle of trust. Class times are 7-8 a.m. Saturdays and 5:30-6:15 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Maritime Park, located at 351 W. Cedar St. Visit f3pensacola.com.

PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS GAMES The Pensacola Ice Flyers home games are at Pensacola Bay Center, located at 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets start at $15. Purchase yours at pensacolabaycenter.com.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES: •7:05 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4 •7:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5

OVER 50 DANCE CLUB Take part in the Over

FREE YOGA IN THE PARK SCHEDULE RELEASED FOR 2022 Breathe Yoga and

gers Cribbage Club 396, the local Grass Roots Club affiliated with American Congress of Cribbage, is seeking new cribbage players for the group. The club meets weekly on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Sonny's BBQ, located at 6702 N. Ninth Ave., to play six games of cribbage.

Wellness Center in partnership with the City of Pensacola will offer free one-hour yoga classes to citizens on the first Sunday of every month at 9:30 a.m. in Bayview Park, located at 2001 E. Lloyd St., and Community Maritime Park, located at 301 W. Main St. All ages and levels of experience are welcome. Participants must bring their own mat and other accessories they would like to use.

Participants are asked to bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated, as water will not be provided.

DATES: •Feb. 6: Bayview Park •March 6: Bayview Park •April 3: Bayview Park •May 1: Bayview Park •June 5: Community Maritime Park •July 3: Community Maritime Park •Aug. 7: Community Maritime Park •Sept. 4: Bayview Park

50 Dance Club at Sanders Beach Resource Center, located at 913 S. I St., Tuesdays from 6:30-9 p.m. The dress code is dressy; cover is $5-$10. This club is tobacco- and alcohol-free.

For more information, call (850) 623-5013.

PENSACOLA PEGGERS CRIBBAGE CLUB LOOKING FOR MEMBERS Pensacola Peg-

WEEKLY FRIDAY DANCE Get moving every

Friday night with a dance sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Enjoy food from 6-7 p.m.

Dancing is from 7-10 p.m. A variety of bands and music provide the tunes. Cost of admission is $6.

Dances are located at 105 Kenmore Ave. in Pensacola. For more information, call (850) 476-5696.

PENSACOLA PARKRUN The Pensacola Rec Plex North parkrun is 7:30 a.m. Saturdays.

The weekly timed 5K run or walk takes place at the University of West Florida and is open to everyone, regardless of fitness level. For more information, visit facebook.com/rpnparkrun or email recplexnorth@parkrun.com.

15

a&e happenings WFPL MOLINO TRACK CHALLENGE Put on your walking shoes and join the walking challenge at the Molino library. Just visit Molino's track, turn on your favorite fitness tracker app to log your progress, dial up your tunes or an audiobook and start walking. When you finish, come into the library and log your progress with staff on our track challenge board. The top walker in this program will win The Coldest Water Bottle. The Molino Branch Library is located at 6450-A Highway 95A. For more information, visit mywfpl.com.

RELEASE & RENEW AT FITNESS IMPACT TRAINING At 8:15 a.m. on Mondays,

Wednesdays and Fridays, release into a yin yoga flow centered around low-stress training for high-stress individuals. The focus will be on the basics of breath and openness in the shoulders, hips and spine. For more info, go to mindandmetta.online. Cost is $12 per class, and the location is 375 N. Ninth Ave., Ste. B. Limited space available. Ask about membership pricing.

GULF COAST BREWERY RUN Thursdays

at 6 p.m., join Pensacola Runners Association for a 5K fun run. Enjoy a free beer after the run and complimentary games such as cornhole, ping pong and more. Gulf Coast Brewery is located at 500 E. Heinberg St. For more information, visit facebook.com/gulfcoastbrewery.

BEER GARDEN YOGA Join Coastal County Brewing Company Saturdays at 9 a.m. for the

new Yoga in the Garden Series. Classes will be led by Tara Taylor, a highly experienced instructor from Breathe Pensacola. All skill levels are welcome. Cost is $10 and includes a pint of beer after the class. Coastal County Brewing Company is located at 3041 E. Olive Road. For more information, visit facebook.com/coastalcounty.

SOUL FLOW YOGA AT BEAUTIFUL YOU STUDIO Every Tuesday at 7 a.m., flow and

vibe with some soulful music to start the day. This hour-long class will center around engaging the core through smooth yet strong yoga sequences. Cost is $10 per class or $99 for an unlimited 30-day pass. Located at 513 W. Intendencia St. For more info, go to mindandmetta.online.

YOGA CLASSES AT EVER'MAN Beginner Yoga with John is 10 a.m. Thursdays, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and 12:15 p.m. Wednesdays. Funky Yoga Flow is 6 p.m. Tuesdays. And Vinyasa Yoga Flow is 6 p.m. Thursdays. All classes at Ever'man, 327 W. Garden St. For a full calendar of events, visit everman.org.

OCEAN HOUR BEACH CLEAN-UPS Ocean

Hour has picked up its weekly beach cleanups in the Pensacola area Saturdays at 8:45 a.m. On Saturday, Aug. 28, volunteers will be at Philip A. Payne Bridge. Supplies will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own. For locations, visit oceanhourfl.com.

LIVE MUSIC

THE DEAD SOUTH The Dead South will be

playing at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox, at 8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 31. Tickets are $28.50$53. Proof of negative COVID-19 test or proof of full vaccination required for. Visit vinylmusichall.com for more information.

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT The University of West Florida's Dr. Grier Williams School of Music will present an afternoon of chamber music on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at noon at Old Christ Church in Historic Pensacola, 405 S. Adams St. All performances in the series are free and open to the public with no tickets required. For more information, please contact the Dr. Grier Williams School of Music Office at (850) 474-2147.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Blues Society of Northwest Florida and Seville Quarter present Monday Night Blues, the longest running weekly Blues Jam in Florida, starting at 7 p.m. with an opening and followed by the Blues Jam at 9 p.m. Seville Quarter is located at 130 E. Government St. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT RED FISH BLUE FISH PENSACOLA BEACH Head to Red Fish Blue Fish for live performances from local bands all day on Fridays and Saturdays. For musician lineups, visit facebook.com/redfishbluefishpensacolabeach.

SCHISM: TOOL TRIBUTE BAND Tool fans

JOE OCCHIPINTI JAZZABOUTS Catch Joe Occhipinti and guests at Alice's Restaurant & Wine Bar, 1504 W. Intendencia St., Wednesdays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and at Calvert's Restaurant & Bar, 670 Scenic Highway, Sundays from noon-3 p.m.

BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY The Black Jack-

SAXOPHONIST JIM ANDREWS AT ALICE'S RESTAURANT Saxophonist Jim An-

unite for Schism at 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 4, at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $20-$40.

For more information, visit vinylmusichall.com.

et Symphony will perform The Beatles "White Album" at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4. Tickets are $30-$35. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for more information.

CITIZEN COPE Citizen Cope will be perform-

ing at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox, at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8. Tickets are $46. For more information, visit vinylmusichall.com.

drews will be performing at Alice's Restaurant, located at 1504 W. Intendencia St., on the first Friday of every month from 6-9:30 p.m.

JAZZ BY THE BOOK Join Joe Occhipinti and the Jazzabouts at the Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St., every Tuesday from 1-3 p.m. for classic jazz favorites.

A CRAFTY SOUTHERN PUB WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER MON-THUR 4-9 AND FRI-SAT 11-10 TUESDAY NIGHT: BURGERS AND BORDEAUX

UNIONPENSACOLA.COM

309 SOUTH REUS ST. | 850.607.6320 616 1

inweekly.net

a&e happenings RAY COLEY AT CAZADORES MEXICAN RESTAURANT Ray Coley performs oldies

BODACIOUS BRUNCH: SHRIMP AND GRITS Brunch at Bodacious and will feature

CURT BOL JAZZ QUARTET Visit Five Sis-

SUPER MARIO BROS. TRIVIA NIGHT AT PERFECT PLAIN Visit Perfect Plain Brewing

mix with jazz and blues every weekend with keyboard, horn and flute. Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. and a jazz set on Sundays from 12-3 p.m. on the patio at Cazadores Mexican restaurant, located at 8183 W. Fairfield Dr. Weather permitting.

ters Blues Café, located at 421 W. Belmont St., Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and listen to Curt Bol Jazz Quartet. Visit curtbolband.com for more information.

OPEN JAM AT ARTEL GALLERY Artel Gal-

lery is open from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays for open jam with Pensacola Folk Music Society. Feel free to visit and listen to music.

Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.

KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS Sing your

heart out Sundays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway, or just enjoy drinks friends with $4 Smirnoff and $6.50 domestic pitcher drink deals from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/mugsjugs.

LIVE MUSIC AT HUB STACEY'S Sit back with good food and live music at Hub Stacey's, located at 312 E. Government St. For a full calendar of bands, check hubstaceys.com.

a three-course brunch. Two mimosas are included with ticket purchase, and you have the option of ordering bottomless mimosas upon arrival. Brunch is at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox, on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 11 a.m. Cost is $50. Visit bodaciousshops.com for tickets.

Co., 50 E. Garden St., 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, for trivia and beer. Dress as your favorite character and receive happy hour beers all night long.

Winning team walks away with $100 gift card.

Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for more information.

CHAT AND CHEW: A BASEBALL DEMONSTRATION AND Q&A DINNER Join Execu-

tive Chef Travis and Chef Carl to celebrate 10 years of Blue Wahoos Baseball and the creative dishes they have crafted. Menu is TBA. Class is 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3. Tickets are $75. Visit bodaciousshops.com for more information.

DINNER AND AN ARIA AT JACKSON'S STEAKHOUSE Enjoy a delicious meal while

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues Soci-

ety of Northwest Florida bring the "Blues" back to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District, located at 130 E. Government St. every Monday night in End O' the Alley starting at 7 p.m. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

Pensacola Opera's artists in residence serenade you at the 13th annual Dinner and an Aria on Thursday, Feb. 3. In addition to our full dinner menu, which will be available for the evening, Chef Miller has prepared a special feature— 14-ounce Delmonico Jumbo lump crab, roasted fresh wild mushrooms, and BG 196 mustard sherry cream reduction sauce. There are two seatings at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Make your reservations by calling (850) 469-9898. Jackson's Steakhouse is located at 400 S. Palafox. For more information, visit jacksonsrestaurant.com.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious

CREATIVE COOKING: BUILDING HEALTHIER HABITS IN 2022 Join Chef

Allen and The Funk Heads every Tuesday night at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, located at 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m.

Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

FOOD + DRINKS

GREAT SOUTHERN WINTER RESTAURANT WEEK Chefs from each Great Southern

restaurant will prepare a three-course, fixedprice 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 through Sunday, Jan. 30, beginning at 5 p.m., along with our standard dinner menus. Visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com for more information.

PLANT BASED JUNK FOOD IN PENSACOLA Join Odd Colony and Vulture Food

for vegan comfort food such as vegan crispy chik'n sandwiches and loaded fries from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for more information.

OYSTER BASH Join Alga Beer Co., located at

2435 N. 12th Ave., for raw and chargrilled oysters, beer and live music from Boudin Boyz from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29. Admission is free.

January 27, 2022

Jernigan Harris as he demonstrates how to cook creatively in the kitchen to help build healthier eating habits in 2022. Class is 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. Cost is $50. Visit bodaciousshops.com for tickets.

VINO MAGNIFICO Visit V. Paul's, 29 S.

Palafox, at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, for their monthly wine tasting. Sample five wines and mingle with fellow wine enthusiasts.

Tickets are $15 per person. RSVP is required.

Reserve your spot at vpauls.com.

SUNDAY FUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE WELL The Well, located at 42 E. Garden St., has

expanded its offerings with a Sunday Funday Brunch cocktail menu including items such as Spicy Paloma made with Mezcal, a Cold Brew Cocktail with Irish whiskey, a Cucumber-infused Spritz, a Bloody Mary spiced with house-made hot sauce and garnished with fresh pickled vegetables. Price range is $9-$12. Brunch hours are Sundays from noon-4 p.m. Other small plate offerings are available Thursday-Saturday from 4 p.m.-one hour before closing. For more information, visit facebook.com/thewellpensacola. for more listings visit inweekly.net 17

free will astrology WEEK OF JANUARY 27 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Author

Helen Hunt Jackson said that one component of happiness is "a little less time than you want." Why? Because you always "have so many things you want to see, to have, and to do" and "no day is quite long enough for all you would like to get done before you go to bed." I propose you experiment with this definition in the coming weeks. According to my astrological analysis, you will have even more interesting assignments and challenges than usual—as well as a brimming vitality that will make it possible for you to accomplish many but not all of them. Your happiness should be abundant!

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Born under

the sign of Taurus, Ethel Smyth (1858–1944) had considerable skills as a composer of music, an athlete, an author, a passionate lover and an activist working for women's rights. She was successful in all of them. I propose we make her one of your role models for the coming months.

Why? First, because she did more than one thing really well, and you are now primed to enhance your versatility, flexibility and adaptability. Second, because she described a formula for high achievement that would suit you well.

She said, "Night after night I went to sleep murmuring, 'Tomorrow I will be easy, strong, quick, supple, accurate, dashing and self-controlled all at once!'" (P.S. I suggest you make "supple" your word of power in 2022.)

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): According

to author Olivia Dresher, "Feelings want to be free. Thoughts want to be right." Well, then, what about intuitions? In a sense, they're hybrids of feelings and thoughts. They're a way of knowing that transcends both feelings and thoughts. When intuitions come from the clear-seeing part of your deep psyche rather than the fear-prone part of your conditioning, they are sweet and fun and accurate and humble and brisk and pure. They don't "want" to be anything. I'm pleased to inform you, Gemini, that in the coming weeks, your intuitions will be working at peak efficiency.

It should be relatively easy for you to distinguish between the clear-seeing and fear-prone modes of intuition.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

By Rob Brezsny

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): "If you are

going to do something wrong, at least enjoy it," wrote humorist Leo Rosten. I offer his counsel to you right now because I want you to have fun if you wander away from your usual upstanding behavior. But may I make a suggestion?

As you depart from normal, boring niceness, please remain honorable and righteous. What I'm envisioning for you are experiments that are disruptive in healthy ways, and dares that stir up interesting problems, and rebellious explorations that inspire beauty and truth. They'll be "wrong" only in the sense of being mutinies against static, even stagnant, situations that should indeed be prodded and pricked. Remember Bob Dylan's idea—"To live outside the law, you must be honest."

As you depart from normal, boring niceness, please remain honorable and righteous.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Leo actor Anna

Kendrick bragged, "I'm so humble it's crazy.

I'm like the Kanye West of humility." I'd like to see you adopt that extravagant approach to expressing your magnificence in the coming weeks. I hope you'll add another perspective to your repertoire, too—this one from Leo actor Mae West. She exulted, "Too much of a good thing can be wonderful!" Here's one further attitude I encourage you to incorporate, courtesy of Leo author Rachel Pollack—"To learn to play seriously is one of the great secrets of spiritual exploration."

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Sammy Davis Jr. (1925–1990) was multi-talented: an actor, singer, comedian, and dancer. One critic described him as "the greatest entertainer ever to grace a stage." He didn't think highly of his own physical appearance, however. "I know I'm dreadfully ugly," Davis said, "one of the ugliest men you could meet. But ugliness, like beauty, is something you must learn how to use." That's an interesting lesson to meditate on. I think it's true that each of us has rough, awkward, irregular aspects—if not in our physical appearance,

then in our psyches. And yet, as Davis suggested, we can learn to not just tolerate those qualities, but use them to our advantage. Now is a favorable time for you to do that.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): "It is the nature

of love to work in a thousand different ways," wrote the mystic Saint Teresa of Avila. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you're due to discover new and different ways to wield your love magic—in addition to the many you already know and use. For best results, you'll have to be willing to depart from old reliable methods for expressing care and tenderness and nurturing. You must be willing to experiment with fresh approaches that may require you to stretch yourself. Sounds like fun to me!

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "If you are

drilling for water, it's better to drill one 60-foot well than 10 6-foot wells," advised author and religious scholar Huston Smith. He was using welldrilling as a metaphor, of course—as a symbol for solving a problem, for example, or developing a spiritual practice, or formulating an approach to psychological healing. The metaphor might not be perfectly applicable for everyone in every situation. But I believe it is vividly apropos for you and your current situations.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): A well-worn proverb tells us, "All good things come to those who wait." There's a variation, whose author is unknown (although it's often misattributed to Abraham Lincoln)—"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left behind by those who hustle." I think that's far more useful advice for you in the coming weeks. I'd much rather see you hustle than wait. Here's a third variant, which may be the best counsel of all. It's by author Holly Woodward—"All good things come to those who bait."

description Stowe articulated. You'll be at the peak of your power to elevate the daily rhythm into a stream of subtle marvels. You'll be quietly heroic. If you're not fond of the designation "Saint," you could use the Muslim equivalent term, "Wali," the Jewish "Tzadik," Buddhist "Arhat" or Hindu "Swami."

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Since the iconoclastic planet Uranus is a chief symbol for the Aquarian tribe, you people are more likely to be dissenters and mavericks and questioners than all the other signs. That doesn't mean your departures from orthodoxy are always successful or popular. Sometimes you meet resistance from the status quo. Having offered that caveat, I'm happy to announce that in the coming weeks, your unique offerings are more likely than usual to be effective. For inspiration, read these observations by author Kristine Kathryn Rusch—"Rebels learn the rules better than the rule-makers do. Rebels learn where the holes are, where the rules can best be breached. Become an expert at the rules. Then break them with creativity and style."

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Piscean

author Juansen Dizon tells us, "Don't find yourself in places where people have it all figured out." That's always good advice, but it will be especially germane for you in the coming weeks and months. You need the catalytic stimulation that comes from associating with curious, open-minded folks who are committed to the high art of not being know-it-alls.

The influences you surround yourself with will be key in your efforts to learn new information and master new skills. And that will be an essential assignment for you throughout 2022.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: What is the feeling you want to have the most during 2022? newsletter.freewillastrology.com.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Author

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote, "To be really great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid details of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization." I agree, which is why I authorize you to add "Saint" to the front of your name in the coming weeks.

There's an excellent chance you will fit the

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news of the weird GOVERNMENT AT WORK In the United Kingdom, as of Jan. 29, flouting a new highway code rule will cost you up to 1,000 pounds, the Mirror reported. The rule requires someone inside a car to open the door with the hand farthest from the door, employing a technique known as the Dutch Reach. In other words, if you're driving (on the right side of the car), you would use your left hand to reach around and open the car door. (The technique is borrowed from the Netherlands, thus the name.)

Rule 239 reads: "This will make you turn your head to look over your shoulder. You are then more likely to avoid causing injury to cyclists or motorcyclists passing you on the road, or to people on the pavement." If a person in a car injures someone by opening with the wrong hand, a fine will be levied. Cycling UK estimates that more than 500 people are injured every year by car doors.

WAIT, WHAT? Cameron Newsom, 42, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was treated for stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma on her tongue in 2013, the New York Post reported.

Removing the tumor meant also removing part of her tongue, which doctors replaced with skin and muscle taken from her thigh. Through all of her experiences in treating the cancer, she said, "The weirdest part ... was when I felt a rough texture on the 'thigh' part of my tongue—and when I looked in the mirror, it had started growing leg hair!" Newsom had to learn to speak again and still finds eating a challenge, but she's back to being a gymnastics coach, even with her fuzzy tongue.

IT'S A LIVING Xavier Long, 20, of Yerkwood, Alabama, has discovered a way to profit from human jealousy and insecurity, the Daily Mail reported. Suspicious partners pay Long to flirt on social media with their loved ones as a loyalty test, and Long rakes in the proceeds: In one week alone, he made over $2,000. Long said he receives about 100 requests for help every day and charges a minimum of $10. If a woman he's paid to flirt with gives him any of her personal contact information, he considers her a "fail."

"I'm helping people, so I feel like it's a good thing in a way," Long said. "Doing these tests has allowed me to stop working a 9-to-5 job."

WHEN PIGS SWIM Veteran surfer Ingrid Seiple was catching a wave on Dec. 18 off Oahu, Hawaii, when she saw something floating like a log in the water, KITV reported. She at first thought it was a Hawaiian monk seal, but, she said, "That's when I realized it was a pig, and it saw me. It started swimming toward me as fast as it could! It was very close and getting closer.

I pushed the board between the pig and I and it bit my board." Seiple thinks the wild boar was chased into the ocean by hunting dogs.

"It looked like it had an injury on its face," she said. Seiple escaped the boar without harm, but no word on the pig's condition.

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

DON'T SEE THAT EVERY DAY Motorists on I-59 in Tennessee on Jan. 12 got a closeup look at the world's largest cast-iron skillet as it made its way on a flatbed truck to the future Lodge Cast Iron Museum in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. The big fry pan measures 18 feet from handle to handle and weighs more than 14,000 pounds, United Press International reported. It will be used outside the museum, which is set to open in late summer. Get your selfie stick ready!

FAMILY VALUES Teacher Kerry Lyn Caviasca, 36, of Watertown, Connecticut, was arrested on Jan. 15 and charged with two counts of risk of injury to a child and second-degree reckless endangerment, WFSB-TV reported, stemming from an incident in November. According to the arrest warrant, Caviasca's ex-husband informed police that she had left their two children, both under age 12, home alone for two days while she went on vacation to Florida with her boyfriend. When the father checked one of the children's phones, he saw texts between the child and Caviasca, including exchanges about what they should eat, to which she replied, "Just eat candy." She also instructed them to stay in the basement so they wouldn't be seen. The children told police they were alone in the house, except for their dog.

JUST REWARDS Mayor Chen Qimai of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, has ordered a clever punishment for people convicted of drunk driving in his community. Oddity Central reported that offenders will have to clean funeral parlors to give them the experience of being close to death. In January, 11 drunk drivers spent hours cleaning a mortuary, refrigeration unit and crematorium. "I had never been close to death, and it felt disturbing," one offender said. When they were finished, they reportedly expressed their deep remorse and said they wouldn't drive drunk again.

UNDIGNIFIED DEATH Newsweek reported that a man in Spain perished on Jan. 20 while he was working in an agricultural warehouse.

The unnamed 34-year-old was buried when a large quantity of carrots fell on him, emergency services said. The man died at the scene.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY Police were called to investigate on Jan. 15 after a motorist on the M11 in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, spotted what they believed were the sneakered feet of a dead person rolled up in a carpet in another car. A law enforcement spokesperson explained, however, that the feet belonged to "a mannequin dressed as Prince Charming who was on his way to a themed birthday!

Thankfully, this was a false alarm." Metro News reported that the driver was advised to "avoid such circumstances occurring again." {in}

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

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com January 27, 2022

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