Inweekly July 4 2024 Issue REV

DEEP CU T S

DeSantis'Veto Rocks Arts Community

winners & losers winners losers

COLLEEN HANDBURY The outgoing commanding officer of Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Pensacola received the Meritorious Service Medal at the change of command ceremony in June. Capt. Brian Broadwell, the presiding officer, praised Cmdr. Handbury, "Over the last two years, you have inspired everyone you've encountered to elevate their performance with your passion for what you do." NIOC Pensacola's mission is to execute Cyberspace Operations and Signals Intelligence in support of Naval, Joint Forces, and National tasking authorities.

AMANDA DEXTER The director of respiratory therapy with UWF's Usha Kundu MD College of Health's Health Sciences and Administration Department has been awarded a highly sought-after "Fellow" title by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). Only approximately 125 members are given Fellow status each year nationwide. Dexter is one of about 20 Respiratory Therapists to ever receive a Fellowship award from ACCP, which is usually reserved for practicing physicians. She is working with the dean of the Usha Kundu MD College of Health to design one of the country's first specialized bachelor's degrees in respiratory therapy, which is expected to launch in fall 2025.

JOE BIDEN The first presidential debate did President Biden no favors. He froze midanswer minutes into the debate. When CNN showed a split screen, Biden often stood with a blank expression and mouth open, although some of Donald Trump's wild, fanciful statements were jaw-dropping misstatements of known facts. Biden found his footing later in the debate, landing shots on Trump for bragging about the end of Roe v. Wade and leaving behind a COVID-wrecked economy. Inweekly received over a dozen emails from the Biden for President campaign during and after the debate—a sure sign Democrats are worried about his debate performance.

DAVID PEADEN The Arc Gateway presented Peaden with its Presidential Award at its annual meeting held at Echo Life Church last month. The nonprofit provides services and support to children and adults with developmental disabilities. On his social media, Peaden posted, "Please consider supporting them through donations, volunteering or spreading the word. To me, the clients are a forgotten class and need all of our support to live purposeful lives with dignity."

SALTMARSH FINANCIAL ADVISORS, LLC

Accounting Today recognized the investment advisory firm as a top firm by total assets under management for the fourth consecutive year. As an independent fiduciary, Saltmarsh Financial Advisors establishes longstanding relationships by providing personalized guidance on investing, retirement and estate planning while leveraging combined team expertise to manage tax-efficient portfolios. Accounting Today's annual report recognizes successful CPA financial planners in the country—the top 150 firms by assets under management.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH The Supreme Court overturned the "Chevron deference" doctrine, giving the judiciary more say in what federal agencies can do. In 1984, the Supreme Court in Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council ruled courts would defer to federal agency experts' interpretation of the laws they are charged with implementing, provided their interpretation is reasonable. Chief Justice John Roberts called the doctrine "misguided" because "agencies have no special competence in resolving statutory ambiguities. Courts do." According to the Yale Journal on Regulation, the doctrine has become the most cited Supreme Court decision in administrative law. With the new ruling, more federal rules will be challenged in the courts, and judges will have greater discretion to invalidate agency actions.

JEN O'MALLEY DILLON

Florida Democrats insist Florida is in play in the presidential race, but they forgot to tell Jen O'Malley Dillon, chairwoman of President Joe Biden's reelection campaign. When Puck News asked her if Florida was a battleground state, she said, "No."  Republicans quickly pounced on her comment as another sign Democrats had given up on Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted, "Today, even the Biden campaign acknowledges that those days are over. Florida is not in play in 2024." Undeterred, Florida Democratic Party leaders last week proclaimed their goal for the 2024 election cycle is to erase Republican supermajorities in the Florida House and the Florida Senate.

Joe Biden / Photo by fotocuts / shutterstock.com

Colleen Handbury / Photo byJacky Fisher

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

THE GOOD GUY WON

Last Friday, Judge Jennifer Frydrychowicz denied Bruce Childers' emergency motion for injunctive relief so he could face off against Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender in the August primary.

Childers, a retired attorney and husband of County Clerk Pam Childers, was initially reported as having qualified to be a candidate on the Supervisor of Elections (SOE) website and in local media. However, SOE staff later discovered Childers didn't submit the required Form 6, which provides full and public financial disclosure of his net worth, assets, liabilities, and income. Therefore, he didn't qualify to be placed on the ballot.

For a week, Bruce and Pam Childers and their supporters attacked Bender's character on social media platforms, the daily newspaper and NewsRadio 1620. On YouTube, Bruce said Bender lacked integrity and insinuated the election supervisor disqualified him to get revenge on his wife because she successfully shut down the commissioners' 401(a) retirement option.

They repeatedly said SOE officials told them Bruce needed only to submit the photo of Form 6's page 1 on Pam's laptop to their office. They framed the disqualification as "disenfranchising the people of this county from their opportunity to vote for the supervisor of elections that they feel is best suited to represent them."

Bender refused to engage with the couple or the media. He wanted to wait to tell his office's side until the emergency hearing June 28.

Pam and Bruce were the only witnesses their attorney, Ed Fleming, called to testify. Pam provided more details than Bruce on how they went to the SOE office twice—the first time to submit their Form 6 and other paperwork to become candidates and the second time to pay the qualifying fee after Bruce opened his campaign account. She talked about how she showed Bruce's Form 6 on his laptop during the first visit and was told that was fine because it had a watermark on the page.

Bender's attorney, George Levesque, relied on video of the Childers filing Bruce's papers from a camera labeled "Mosh Pit East," which

I assumed was so named by former Supervisor of Elections David Stafford, and the testimony of Daniel and Vote-by-Mail Coordinator Keelie Sekerka. He also had the SOE office's IT coordinator verify the video's authenticity.

The video showed Pam didn't have her laptop during the first visit to the SOE office. Fleming tried to brush it off as an insignificant lapse in Pam's memory, but Levesque used it to show Pam was an unreliable witness.

Sekerka told the couple on the second visit that the Form 6 photo needed to be a complete financial disclosure statement. She needed the three other pages of the form, especially the fourth page with the signature.

Sekerka told Pam the form could not be printed from an Apple iPad, and the website warns users of the issues with using Apple products to complete the form. She told them to print it from another computer and email it to her. Sekerka even offered to give them her email address, but Pam said she had it.

Daniel confirmed Sekerka's testimony. They assumed Pam would email Form 6, so they marked the task completed on the internal candidate checklist and published he had quali fied. Fleming quizzed them about why they did it, and both were sorry for assuming the email would be sent.

Daniel and Sekerka testified Bender played no role in listing Bruce as qualified. Daniel said it was her decision to later disqualify Bruce.

Judge Frydrychowicz found Daniel and Sekerka's testimonies and the video "most compelling." She said Pam Childers and the two SOE employees made incorrect assumptions. Pam assumed she didn't need to email the complete Form 6 when she saw Bruce was listed as qualified, and they assumed Pam would email it.

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However, the judge saw that the laws were clear: the candidate is responsible for the documents submitted. If the Florida Legislature wanted to give judges the power to overrule the SOE decisions, the law would need to be changed. She denied Bruce's motion.

The good guy, Robert Bender, won. {in} rick@inweekly.net

Pensacola Waterfront

Palafox with Parking! 2 story building

Deck on Palafox Marina (dock not included).

Ready for

A STEADY HAND STEPS DOWN

Mayor Reeves knew he had to improve the pay structure if the city wanted to hire and retain high performers. The changes would need to occur in stages over three years to avoid a budget crisis, so he assigned management of the task to his city administrator.

Fiddler supervised the effort that examined each job classification and determined what was a fair, livable wage so the City of Pensacola would move closer to the 50th percentile. The cost for implementation was estimated to be $5,417,703: Year 1: $2,037,600, Year 2: $2,044,091, and Year 3: $1,336,011. Three-fourths of the pay increases went to employees making less than $60,000 annually, accounting for about 242 of the City's 800 employees.

"I thank the mayor for wanting to take on this task. It was a heavy lift," Fiddler said. "We're still not done. From a salary compensation standpoint, it will take three years to get folks to the ranges they should be."

He continued, "It's a challenge everywhere when it comes to retention and recruitment. It was a great project. I'm happy that I was a part of it. You have a lot of cities that are doing it now because, let's just be honest, if you're looking to break the bank when it comes to the public sector, you're not. It takes a special individual to work for the public sector."

Fiddler pointed out the compensation's second year begins Oct. 1. "Folks should be getting their second round of raises, so I'm happy about that."

The city administrator has fond memories of Pensacola and brags about the city when visiting family and friends outside the Panhandle.

In a later interview with Inweekly, the mayor added, "I'm very appreciative and grateful to have had Kerrith as I came on. He had familiarity with the people and the departments and was a steady hand for us as we built our administration over this last year and a half."

In July 2019, Robinson hired Fiddler as an assistant city administrator responsible for neer. Then, I got promoted and went to another municipality as an assistant public works director. From there, I went to Kissimmee as a public works director, and from public works director, I moved up here as an assistant city administrator, and the rest is history."

The move to Pensacola allowed Fiddler and his ex-wife, who was born and raised in Pensacola, to be closer to her family. "I got a chance

around the Southeast.

The salary study revealed the city's compensation for employees fell in the 21st percentile amongst comparable municipalities. The study found that 242 employees earn less than 80% of the average median income (AMI), a key metric in affordable housing that HUD considers the low-income level to be eligible for its Section 8 program.

"Even though Pensacola is small, we have many of the amenities that a larger city has," Fiddler shared. "We have our own airport and port, and we own our own gas utility. Those are some of the things I brag about when it comes to Pensacola. We are just on the cusp of doing so many wonderful things."

He added, "The mayor, his vision, what he's trying to do, and where we're trying to take the city are just wonderful. I hate that I won't be here, but I'm happy that I was here for five years and got to see some things come to fruition that we've been working on for a long time." {in}

Kerrith Fiddler / Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola

Employee volunteers at Inter national Paper Pensacola gathered to assemble more than 500 feminine care kits to end period poverty. This is the third year International Paper has packed feminine hygiene kits for the community. The kits include feminine products and a personalized note in a discrete bag, which were distributed to the Health & Hope Clinic, Pace Center for Girls, United Way of West Florida and Ascension Sacred Heart Women's Care Center.

"Our recent volunteer event, International Paper team members assembling care packages is just one way we're contributing to this vital cause," said Maggie VanHusan, a financial analyst at International Paper. "It's a privilege to collaborate with local nonprofits and provide assistance to those in need."

Period poverty is a term used to describe the struggle many women and girls face because they lack access to adequate menstrual health supplies and education. Each year, more than 500 million people worldwide do not have what they need to manage their periods. It's an issue that leads to several problems, such as school truancy, reproductive issues, health risks and unnecessary shame.

International Paper's fluff pulp is used in more than 100 billion menstrual care pads each year. The Pensacola Mill Menstrual Health packing event illustrates International Paper's commitment to mobilizing people, products, and resources to address a critical need in the communities where IP employees live and work.

CORDOVA PARK BOMB Bruce and Pam Childers did a live interview streamed on YouTube on Tuesday, June 25. During the 75-minute interview that presented the couple's case for the husband to be on the August primary ballot, Bruce mentioned the car that caught fire in his neighbor's driveway wasn't arson but caused by a bomb.

The Childers proceeded to share details about the incident that law enforcement hadn't because the active investigation is still ongoing.

"June 1st, 4:20 in the morning, the people next door to us had their car blown up with the

not determined a link between the incident and County Clerk Pam Childers.

CELLPHONES IN SCHOOLS Escambia County School Board member Kevin Adams discussed with Inweekly the need for parents to be aware of the dangers to children of unlimited and unsupervised cellphone use, especially those younger than 16.

"Over the last couple of years, there has been a lot more noticed about the negatives it has with cell phones, with increased suicides, increased self-harm, increased mental health issues, bullying, the list goes on," Adams said. "What they're recommending right now at the national level is do not get your child a cellphone with a plan where they can access sites on their own before they're 16 years old."

transportation options that will also improve community connectivity and public health.

The competitive and popular RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) program supports a diverse slate of communities with projects of local and regional significance.

Funding is split equally between urban and rural areas, and a large percentage of grants support regions defined as historically disadvantaged or areas of persistent poverty. RAISE discretionary grants invest in critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects that would otherwise not receive the funding needed if not for President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

that. They had, I mean, this wasn't an arson case because I've handled arson cases, and when you use an accelerant, the accelerant burns and chars hotter than everything else, but this was a bomb," Bruce said.

"This guy pulled up in front of the only house on our street that had an active surveillance system that was recording" he continued. "And he pulls up—guy about 5 foot 6 [inches] I guess, and we can see him get out and surveil the situation. He goes back to his van, he pulls something out, we can't see what it is. He goes back over to the people next door to us. Parenthetically, they have a white car. We have a white car–" Pam interrupted him and gave the house numbers.

Bruce said, "Yeah. And long story short, he blows the car up. The fireball went 40 feet up in the air and, well, it woke me up, it woke the neighborhood up."

He mentioned the name of his neighbor who "got kicked off the couch." Pam warned him not to use names.

Bruce continued, "Shoot, I got more rules. Anyway, he heard it and he went out and he called the people across the street and called the fire department first. They were there in no time, put it out. And the FBI showed up, the police showed up. The arson unit shows up that early that morning, and they were very convinced that the bomb was intended for us. They also left a note that said to."

Pam cut him off.

"Are you going there? (laughs) I may have to stop him," Pam said. "Let's just say it was a death threat note. And if you knew the contents, you would know it was for me. It was a missed house."

Bruce said, "Yeah, it was a mess for us. And we were all pretty convinced that it was the guy got the wrong house."

Inweekly checked with the Pensacola Police Department on Thursday, June 27. The investigation remains "very active," and the incident is being investigated as arson. Investigators have

He continued, "In the state of Florida, they passed legislation a long time ago that allows cellphones in the classrooms, and now they're backed off of it So now, by Florida law, you can no longer use cell phones in classrooms unless the teacher asks you to use them. But still, they can use it at breaks and at lunch and different areas."

He said that school districts that don't allow cellphone usage on campus have fewer disciplinary problems, such as bullying, higher grade point averages, and lower absent rates. "I think you're going to see a lot more legislation come down the pike in the state of Florida."

Last month, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy wrote a New York Times op-ed calling for legislation forcing social media platforms to display warning labels about potential harm to teens' mental health. He pointed out that teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media face an increased risk of showing signs of anxiety and depression. Almost half of teens say these platforms make them feel worse about how they look.

The day after the viewpoint was published, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest school district, voted to ban cellphone and social media use during the school day for its more than 429,000 students, beginning in the spring semester of the 20242025 school year.

CERVANTES

GETS GRANT The U.S. Department of Transportation announced a RAISE grant of $4,872,791 for the Cervantes Street Complete Streets Improvements project in Pensacola. This project will fund project development, environmental clearance and preliminary engineering to redesign approximately 3.5 miles of Cervantes Street from North W Street/North V Street to the Bayou Texar Bridge.

The design will include Complete Street enhancements for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit and motor vehicles, as well as lane elimination, speed management measures, tree coverage and Intelligent Transportation System components. The project will prioritize improving the community's safety and environmental health by reducing vehicle speeds in areas of high crash and injury rates and designing non-motorized

GAETZ BACKS BERGOSH Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh has received Congressman Matt Gaetz's endorsement. The District 1 commissioner faces Jesse Casey and Steve Stroberger in the GOP primary.

On X, Gaetz posted, "Jeff Bergosh has served Escambia County very well on the County Commission. We've worked closely together to strengthen our military mission, strengthen our veterans, and keep our streets safe. Vote for Jeff on August 20."

DOZIER BILL SIGNED On June 21, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill that provides $20 million to compensate victims of abuse at Dozier School for Boys in Marianna and another state reform school in Okeechobee County. State Rep. Michelle Salzman sponsored the bill, and attorney Troy Rafferty and the Levin Papantonio lobbied hard to it get through the Florida House and Senate.

"This is a historic legislation that vindicates victims of abuse that lay hidden in obscurity for too, too long," said Rafferty in a written statement. "Beyond financial recovery, this legislation brings survivors an emotional relief from having their truth finally acknowledged."

The money from this allocation will be shared equally among the men who qualify. Between 300 and 1,000 men are still alive. Many of the boys who were sent to the Dozier School in the 1940s, '50s or '60s have passed away since then.

"The pen is mightier than the sword!" Salzman posted on X. "Thank you @Cuderman (Peter Cuderman, Desantis' director of legislative affairs) for making this moment happen and thank you @ Paul_Renner (House Speaker Paul Renner) for being my lion when I was outnumbered."

REMEMBERING JIMMY SR.

Deep South Crane Rentals founder and owner Jimmy White Sr. passed away in Tallahassee on Wednesday, June 19.

In 2004, Jimmy Sr. ran for the District 5 seat on the Escambia County Commission, a race that had five other Republican candidates for the open seat. The other candidates were Steven Barry, Frank Cotton, Jr., Terry Smith, Mark Spitznagel and Kevin White.

Photo Courtesy of International Paper

When asked why he was running, Jimmy Sr. said, "I'm here not to do a job. I'm here to do a mission—to straighten this county out. I don't care about the paycheck."

The wealthiest candidate in the race with a net worth of more than $6 million, Jimmy Sr. raised $23,190. He came in fifth with only 521 votes. Kevin White won the primary with 2,163, narrowly defeating Barry, only 29 and the race's youngest candidate, by 102 votes.

FORM

6 NOT

DIFFICULT

State Rep. Alex Andrade said Form 6 is not "the be-all and end-all of financial disclosures and keeping government officials on the up and up."

"At the same time, it's the bare minimum of what public officials are expected to fill out and submit so that people can be aware of the investments you have in certain different businesses or what kind of interests you have and companies or ownership stakes you have in, land that you may be purchasing," he said, noting he's completed the form nine times.

"It's a four-page document that you have to sign under oath," Andrade said. "It's not the most difficult document to fill out, but it's also not the most difficult document to print and mail in."

He explained the difference between incumbents and other candidates using Form 6, which is available online.

"If you are already an incumbent, there's already an account for you at the Florida Commission on Ethics to fill out your Form 1 or Form 6 financial disclosures, and it'll be publicly available," Andrade said.

"What the Legislature did was say, 'Because we're trying to move all of this online and centralize it at the Florida Commission on Ethics, candidates who don't have an account yet with the Florida Commission on Ethics, they can use that same online platform to fill it out instead of printing one out and filling it out by hand.' That's just for convenience."

He added, "The requirement to turn in your full and public financial disclosure has never changed for candidates, and the requirement for constitutional officers to turn in their full and public financial disclosure to the supervisor of elections in whatever county they're running in has never changed."

According to the state lawmaker, candidates have been announced as qualified and then later found to meet the requirements in the Florida statutes in other counties.

"I wasn't surprised that someone was deemed not qualified during that qualifying during the ratification certification week. That's not out of the ordinary," the lawmaker said. "In fact, I called the Florida secretary of state and asked the same question, 'Did y'all have someone you listed on your website as qualified that turned out not to be qualified?' And they said, 'Yeah, we had a candidate. There was a clerical error, and the candidate didn't turn in all their paperwork, so they ended up not being qualified.'"

In Citrus County, County Commission candidate Jesse Rumson appeared to have qualified

to run. The local newspaper, Citrus County Chronicle, published that he qualified. However, Rumson neglected to check the yes or no line on the candidate oath regarding pending campaign fines. Candidates must check either the yes or no answer; leaving it blank is not an option.

Citrus County Supervisor of Elections

Maureen "Mo" Baird discovered the error after the qualifying deadline. She notified Rumson on Tuesday, June 26, that he would not be on the ballot.

"It was an oversight on our part, but an error by the candidate," Baird told Florida Politic. "I'm the holder of the forms. I'm not responsible for making sure those forms are filled out correctly."

Baird serves on the Florida Supervisor of Elections' executive board. She said she relied on a pair of attorney general opinions that said mistakes caught on candidate qualifying forms must still be enforced even after the deadline has passed.

NO GO FOR CALKINS

The Santa Rosa County Commission rejected by a 3-2 vote Commissioner James Calkins' latest political stunt, a resolution declaring Santa Rosa County does not welcome illegal aliens.

Border security is a major issue for the political consultants advising county commissioner candidates in the Florida Panhandle. Last week, fellow Santa Rosa Commissioner Sam Parker mailed a flyer to Santa Rosa Republicans promising to stop illegal immigrants before they impact Santa Rosa County. Parker voted in favor of Calkins' resolution.

Calkins' resolution cited as a reason for his resolution, "Currently the federal government is intentionally violating asylum laws and spending billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to admit ille gal immigrants, many who are serious criminals."

On WCOA's "Real News with Rick Outzen" last week, Grace Resendez McCaffery, the owner of Latino Media Gulf Coast, talked about the damages of such resolutions.

"It's a terrible waste of time and energy, and I actually have a lot more concerns about safety for our Hispanic community," McCaffery said. "Such resolutions make people feel they have this freedom to bully people in public because we speak Spanish and look a certain way. For whatever reason, they want to mock someone in public; that's probably where it's going to start."

She later added, "One of the biggest concerns I'm hearing from residents of Santa Rosa that have been messaging me is they're concerned their children may start being harassed in school or if they're out and about doing everyday things that they always have, that they're going to start being looked at differently and treated differently and life will begin to not be so good in Santa Rosa County."

Four years ago, when he ran for county com mission, a gun-toting Calkins posted a video on his Facebook page in which he declared, "Thugs, criminals and looters are not welcomed in Santa Rosa County! If you loot, we shoot!" {in}

A reeling arts community is grappling with how to operate after an unprecedented veto by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Last month, DeSantis vetoed $32 million in funding for arts programs across the state, including $1.3 million in Escambia County. Overall, 577 arts programs and 33 facilities in Florida lost their anticipated grants.

"For a governor to veto the entire thing is a complete shock for everyone involved," said Chandra McKern, the Pensacola Opera general director.

Local arts organizations stretch every dollar to offer services to the public. To lose thousands of dollars in state funding is a significant blow for some and crippling for others.

No one feels the sting of DeSantis' veto more than the Pensacola Little Theatre. His veto cost the organization nearly $500,000 in funding, including $430,000 for reconfiguring an area of the historic theater.

Sid Williams-Heath, CEO of Pensacola Little Theatre and The Clark Family Cultural Center, said the reconfiguring of the theater would have increased the footprint of its education and outreach programs to accommodate more students.

"This loss is a half-a-million-dollar blow for funds for our organization that I'd fought for, that I earned, just to try and expand the services and programming that we make available," he said. "I don't mean money to pay staff. I don't mean money to buy costumes. I mean money to support services we provide that many of you won't even know about. Services like offering completely tuition-free classes to students who can't afford it."

Williams-Heath continued, "Taking free performances into Title I schools just to provide access to the arts for students who would otherwise never experience them. Funds to give students food before they leave a class to go to a home that they've confided in us won't have a meal waiting on them when they get there. Funds to accommodate sensory-friendly performances for our friends in the autistic community or to provide ASL interpreters for audiences who often don't get the chance to participate fully in community life."

Williams-Heath also pointed out the economic impact of the veto extends beyond the arts. Their programs attract cultural tourists, who offset local county taxes. He estimated the return on investment for the county is "tenfold" what the arts receive in grants.

DeSantis axed state funding entirely in the cultural and museum grants category after the state legislature had already taken a few hacks.

The Division of Arts and Culture evaluated

grants on merit and economic impact and initially recommended spending $77 million, not $32 million. Organizations qualify for up to $150,000 in funding each year, but the legislature allocated only 47% of that amount. The reduced allocation upset a significant portion of the arts community but certainly topped the zero they wound up with after DeSantis vetoed the total amount.

DeSantis' office released a statement to defend his decision to cut $26 million in cultural and museum funding and $6 million in cultural facilities. Overall, $950 million in state grants and programs.

"The governor reviews every bill and appropriation that comes across his desk and uses his authority under the Florida Constitution to make veto decisions that are in the best interest of the state of Florida," according to the press release.

What the governor considers to be in the state's best interest is certainly not in the best interest of its arts organizations. Democrat Carlos Guillermo Smith, a former Orlando representative recently elected to the Florida Senate, voiced his frustration in an interview with Florida Politics.

"Each of these grantees went through an extensive and onerous vetting process," Smith said. "Those 577 grants, frankly, were more vetted than individual member projects and appropriations in the budget will ever be … Member projects that are funded in the budget are about who you know. It's about flexing political power."

'FEELING THE PINCH'

Last year, the Choral Society of Pensacola received about $9,000 in state funding. Artistic Director Peter Steenblik said the organization "will be feeling the pinch" from the lost funding. Ticket sales only account for a small portion of the funding required to produce a concert. The amount lost could have been used to hire an orchestra, attract out-of-state soloists or bolster programs.

Steenblik said its board is considering all viable options to handle the budget cuts, including possibly raising ticket prices, increasing dues or cutting a portion of the orchestral forces or soloists. Other options include initiating a fundraising campaign or setting aside celebratory plans already in place to commemorate its 90th season.

"I am disheartened by the lack of vision and cultural understanding exhibited by our current state leaders," Steenblik said. "They misunderstand the value of the arts in general. Imagine if the reaction of the arts community was to shut off all arts for every state-sponsored event over the next year—no music, lighting, graphic design, entertainment, etc. The impact of the arts on our communities would be immediately noticed."

DEEP CU T S

DeSantis'Veto Rocks Arts Community

By Tom St. Myer

The Pensacola Opera is feeling the sting, too. The organization received $67,000 in state funding in 2023 and expected about the same amount this year. Its board of trustees already approved a budget that included the expected state funding.

McKern said the Opera is searching for new funding sources to avoid laying off or cutting employees' wages. The Opera employs six full-time staff members and a part-time accountant and pays dozens of contractors, including musicians, costume designers, wig and makeup artists, and technical crew.

"What a lot of people don't realize, at least for the Opera, is 80 to 90% of our budget is providing jobs for people," McKern said. "Ultimately, this is going to affect programming, education programs and community engagement. I just think these cuts are a big blow not just to our organization but hundreds of others."

The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra (PSO) took a six-figure hit. Last year, funding from the state totaled just over $100,000 for the organization.

Following DeSantis' veto, PSO Executive Director Bret Barrow said the organization immediately began looking for solutions to ensure continued access to music for the thousands of people who attend its free events in schools, libraries and pediatric health care facilities, as well as those who attend concerts at Saenger Theatre.

The Symphony board is seeking support for its endowment fund to ensure the organization provides the same high-quality musical experiences the community has come to expect over the past 99 years.

"Representing 6.5% of our annual budget, this loss of this funding represents a considerable challenge as we seek to fulfill our mission of providing accessible and meaningful musical experiences for our community," Barrow said. "We are currently evaluating our planned expenditures and identifying areas where we can maximize other income sources and conserve resources while still providing valuable service in our community."

The sobering truth is that organizations will grapple with choosing the lesser of two evils. Those that generate revenue will survive, and those that operate at an expense will be on the chopping block.

"This is the part that no one wants to hear, but programs that do not generate revenue are the first thing to be cut to bridge the gap in funding, as well as unfortunate increases to ticket prices, tuition costs and a limitation of scholarship opportunities," Williams-Heath said. "That's the reality.

We strive to remain affordable and accessible, but we have to operate."

He added, "Our insurance expenses each year are more than that entire grant program was going to afford us. This is a big deal for us, and it should be a big deal for you. Even if you aren't a theatergoer, this impacts you."

Steenblik predicted the public will notice the aggregate effect on the arts. He said, "Perhaps the public won't take much notice of the setback to a single organization, but the global view is staggering." {in}

HOW TO SUPPORT

All the organizations quoted in this story will be negatively impacted. Their plea to the public is to support the arts in any way possible if you're able to.

CHORAL SOCIETY OF PENSACOLA choralsocietyofpensacola.org

Peter Steenblik: "If you feel lucky to live in a city where such organizations exist collectively, make a donation, buy a subscription, attend an event, advertise in a program. You can help us all continue providing the quality of work that the community has come to expect."

PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE pensacolalittletheatre.com

Sid Williams-Heath: "Invest in a scholarship. Sponsor a student. Donate to the production costs so that we continue to let volunteer artists perform on our stage completely for free. Put your name on a chair. Enjoy the drama of our fundraisers. Just show up, and then show out to make sure that we are using our voices collectively to make sure this never happens to nonprofits again."

PENSACOLA OPERA pensacolaopera.com

Chandra McKern: "Any donation helps. You can visit our website and donate that way. If you call, we'll take donations. If you stop in, we'll take donations."

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA pensacolasymphony.com

Brett Barrow: "By donating or attending an arts event, you can make our community stronger through the arts."

Arts & Entertainment

What the Photographers are Doing

a "wide angle," aka from a nonjudgemental, welcoming perspective to amateur and professional photographers alike—no matter their camera of choice. The group began informally in 1988 and became a nonprofit in 2019.

The organization's openness extends to its annual trademarked Power of Photography (POP) Show. The overall winner of last year's show was a local man who had captured an exceptional picture of his dog on a whim.

"Just absolutely beautiful setting, lighting, everything," Brooks said. "And he really didn't consider himself a photographer; he just thought he had a cool picture and entered it and ended up Best of Show."

Wide Angle Photo Club is amid its Call to Artists for the 31st annual POP Show and Exhibit, offering any photographer near or far the chance to digitally submit unlimited original photos with an entry fee until 11:59 p.m. Aug. 18.

Send It award.

"So I love to share the story, and I get the impression that people want to hear the story because they ask a lot."

Timothy Brooks

The judges will select 325 photos for exhibition at the 2024 Pop Show & Exhibit on Nov. 1-3, during the same weekend of the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival.

Among the longer list of categories are animals, landscapes, portraits, still life and transportation. One of the club members will likely submit photographs of the Blue Angels, Brooks said.

Cellphone photos aren't off the table, he said.

"A woman submitted a really fascinating,

again, you don't have to have a big fancy camera to enter the show."

"If you've got a great picture and you want to submit it, you want it to get judged and see what other people think about the image, it's a perfect place to do that."

What Brooks loves about photography is sharing the experience.

"If I look around here, every picture on my wall there's a story behind it—and usually if it's good enough to put on the wall, I remember the story pretty well," Brooks said. "So I love to share the story, and I get the impression that people want to hear the story because they ask a lot. So I think [it's] the idea of sharing the journey."

Brooks' specialty is wildlife photography, but all types can spark interest, he explained.

"The fact that somebody took that amazing photograph up close of that bee on a flower

that's taken with the perfect lighting and the perfect background and the perfect settings, that becomes a topic of discussion, too," Brooks said. "So the picture creates conversation, which I think is cool."

New this year alongside the free POP Show & Exhibit is Pensacola Through the Camera, a free lecture series funded through a Foo Foo Fest grant about the historic aspect of the camera and old photographs of Pensacola. It will be a neat opportunity to learn about Pensacola, Brooks said.

"We'll do some old history too—the camera didn't come around until maybe like 1820, 1830—we will talk about older Pensacola and have some historians talk about the five flags and how the city became The City of Five Flags," Brooks said. "A little bit different—not Lightroom and Photoshop and all that. But we're venturing a little bit out of our comfort zone, doing something a little different that might attract the non-photographer over to see what the photographers are doing."

Aside from POP-related events, Wide Angle Photo Club hosts monthly meetings with snacks, a small-scale photo contest and a lecture hosted by a photographer about a dedicated topic. They also partake in photo walks and tours throughout the month in various indoor and outdoor venues.

"We actually had Frank Patti take us in the back of the seafood place [Joe Patti's Seafood] and did a shoot one time," Brooks said. "So it's just anything that's a little different … We went out to shoot the Milky Way the other night, but the weather didn't cooperate. So it's just a group of people that like to take pictures and explore what they can do with their camera."

Brooks joined 12 years ago, becoming hooked to the variety of photography displayed amongst its members and the camaraderie established because of it. He encourages Pensacolians to stop by a meeting and see what it's all about. He's made many friends in the Club.

"Not just camera people, but people I do things with," Brooks said. "I had dinner with a camera buddy and his wife with my wife the other night … We meet a lot of people. I'm getting ready to go to Iceland in a couple of weeks, and a Club member just went so they're telling me about what they did and what was fun. So it's not just the camera." {in}

For information about Wide Angle Photo Club, the Power of Photography (POP) Show & Exhibit and photo submission details, visit wideanglephotoclub.org.

a&e happenings

and registration are at runpensacola.com/ event/4th-of-july-5k.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION AT O'RILEY'S IRISH PUB Swing by O'Riley's Irish Pub Downtown, 321 S. Palafox St., during the Fourth of July weekend for a park-side brunch with themed drink specials including their American Mule.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION AT SIR RICHARD'S PUBLIC HOUSE Stop in to Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St., during the July Weekend for a full food truck menu along with themed drink specials. On Thursday, the Fourth of July, enjoy BOGO Budweiser and Bud Light bottles all weekend long.

NOT YOUR DAD'S BACKYARD BBQ Seville

Quarter is throwing a patriotic party with a classic American cookout 4-7 p.m. Thursday, July 4 with happy hour drink specials and live music at 130 E. Government St. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

SYMPHONY SPARKS & STARS The annual Pensacola Symphony Fourth of July concert is 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4 at the Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar St. The concert is free and open to the public.

BLUE WAHOOS SUMMER CELEBRATION

Get a general admission ticket to watch the Pensacola Symphony and Sertoma Fireworks on the Fourth of July at Blue Wahoos, 351 W. Cedar St. Upgrade to VIP for a full dinner and cash bar. Details are at bluewahoos.com.

FOURTH OF JULY DINNER

Enjoy a fourcourse wine dinner and fireworks at 9 p.m. at Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. Table reservations are for 7 p.m. Thursday, July 4. Tickets are $125 a person. Reservations can be made by calling (850) 287-0200 or emailing taylor@ goodgrits.com.

Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390

COMMUNITY EVENTS

PENSACOLA BEACH AIR SHOW Watch the world-famous Blue Angels perform over Santa Rosa Island. The weekend kicks off 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 10 with "Breakfast with the Blues." The full practice show is 2 p.m. Thursday, July 11, a dress rehearsal is 2 p.m. Friday, July 12, and the official air show is Saturday, July 13 with civilian acts beginning at noon and the Blue Angels at 2 p.m. For a list of events, check out visitpen-

FREE

Z TUESDAYS WITH ZARZAUR LAW

Stop by the corner of Palafox and Romana streets for free snow cones by Sneaky Tiki Shaved Ice courtesy of Zarzaur Law, P.A. 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays through July 31. One Free Z per person, no refills.

JOE ZARZAUR TAYLOR SWIFT TICKETS

PENSACOLA OPERA AT THE LIBRARY Pensacola Opera's soprano Bizhou Chang, soprano Sheila Dunn, baritone Jack Chandler, accompanied by Cody Martin on keyboard, will perform 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at the West Florida Public Library, 239 N. Spring St. The concert is free and open to the public. Details are at facebook.com/pensacolaopera.

PENSACOLA MESS HALL TO HOST MOON LANDING CELEBRATION The Pensacola MESS Hall is hosting a 21 and older celebration of the first landing of people on the moon 6 p.m. July 18. Enjoy cheese platters and charcuterie boards, along with wine and Moonwalk cocktails. Tickets are $30 and include all activities and refreshments. More information and tickets are available at pensacolamesshall.org/national-moon-landing-celebration/.

CELEBRATING 70: A HISTORY OF COLLECTING A new Pensacola Museum of Art exhibit runs through Sept. 29 featuring highlights of PMA's permanent collection at 407 S. Jefferson St. Details are available at pensacolamuseum.org.

FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS CRUISE

Watch the Pensacola Beach fireworks show from the water with Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours. The fireworks cruise is 7:45-9:15 p.m. Thursday, July 4. Details are at friskyboattours.com/friskymermaid-dolphin-cruise/fireworks-cruise.

PENSACOLA'S FOURTH OF JULY The Pensacola fireworks display is 9 p.m. Thursday, July 4. Watch from William Bartram Memorial Park, 211 Bayfront Parkway.

PENSACOLA BEACH FOURTH OF JULY The Pensacola Beach Fireworks show is 9 p.m. Thursday, July 4 over the Santa Rosa Sound and will be simulcast on Cat Country 98.7.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal

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

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN

ADOPTION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens at 10 a.m. and has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups.

Zarzaur Law, P.A.'s second of three on-location Swiftie-themed events as part of its five-month "The Eras Giveaway" is 6-9 p.m. Thursday, July 11 at The 5 Barrel, 121 S. Palafox St. Taylor Swift fans will once again have a chance to enter to win during the "Taylor Swift Trivia Night" complete with photo booth, friendship bracelet wall, hair tinsel station, music, karaoke, giveaways, special Swift-inspired cocktails, Taylor Swift trivia contest and a chance to win two VIP suite tickets to see Taylor Swift's "The Eras" tour concert Saturday, Oct. 19 in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium. Visit zarzaurswiftgiveaway.com for complete contest rules, event details and more information.

CALL TO ARTISTS

2024 POP SHOW & EXHIBIT The Wide Angle Photo Club has opened registration for the 2024 Power of Photography show in November. All amateur and professional photographers are welcome to participate and compete for cash prizes and sponsor merchandise. Photographers may enter unlimited photos online. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Aug. 18. The early entry is through July 15 with a $10 cost, and late entry is July 16-Aug. 18 with a fee of $15. For details, visit wideanglephotoclub.org/contest.

ARTS & CULTURE

BLUES BEACHSIDE BAZAAR Enjoy this outdoor market featuring more than 15 food and craft vendors. The market is 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13 located near show center east of the Gulfside Pavilion. For more information, visit pensacolabeachchamber.com.

MARK NORMAND: YA DON'T SAY TOUR

Comedian Mark Normand will perform 7 p.m. Saturday, July 13 at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

PENSACOLA VINTAGE FEST Vintage vendors will fill the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway, for one of the biggest vintage events on the Gulf Coast. Event is 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, July 14. Details are at facebook.com/penascolavintagecollective.

SILENT BOOK CLUB AT BODACIOUS

Sundays are for quietly reading at Bodacious Bookstore & Café, 110 E. Intendencia St. Join the Silent Book Club 10-11 a.m. Sundays. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL This exhibit is on view through July 15 at Quayside Gallery, 17 E. Zaragoza St.

PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.

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

KINGS AND QUEENS OPEN MIC COMEDY The floor is open for standups 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Tuesdays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

COMEDY SHOWCASE AT SUBCULTURE

BTB Comedy presents a comedy showcase the first Thursday monthly at Subculture Art Gallery, 701 N. V St. Follow facebook.com/pensacolasubculture for updates.

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/ downtownpensacola.

CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret

a&e happenings

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

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST

TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pensacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are held 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with actual ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Shop small and buy art at Pensacola Arts Market. The next date is 4-9 p.m. Friday, July 5 at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave.

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

FOOD + DRINKS

RED, WHITE, AND BLONDE BAR CRAWL

Legally Blonde-themed bar crawl is 4-10 p.m. Saturday, July 6 beginning at Perennial, 50 E. Garden St. Tickets are $15 and include a donation to HONOR Her. Must be 21 or older to participate. Email mae@perfectplain.com for more information.

CCB SUMMER LOVIN' COUPLES' CHALLENGE Couples can test their compatibility with this challenge 4-6 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at Coastal County Brewing Co., 3041 E. Olive Road. Up to 20 couples can compete. Registration is $10 per couple. Sign up at coastalcountingbrewing.com.

PINT FOR A PINT BLOOD DRIVE AT GARY'S BREWERY OneBlood will be on site noon-5 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. All donors get a free pint of beer coupon, $20 eGift Card and a Fourth of July T-shirt. Details are at facebook.com/garysbrew.

VINO MAGNIFICO The next Vino Magnifico is 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 at V. Paul's, 29 S.

Palafox St. Sample five different wines and socialize with other wine lovers. Cost is $18 a person. RSVP at vpauls.com.

VIVA LA FRANCE WINE AND FOOD EVENT

A Bastille Day wine and food tasting is 5:30 p.m. Sunday, July 14 at Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St. Cost is $75 a person and includes four wines and five courses. Seating is limited. Reserve your spot by calling (850) 469-9898 or visiting jacksonsrestaurant.com.

COOKING WITH CHEF IRV MILLER This class will feature dishes inspired by Florida regional ingredients and small farmers. Classes are 5 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 at Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St. Cost is $55 a person. Reservations are required. Make yours by emailing jessica@goodgrits.com or calling (850) 686-3149.

GREEN THUMB WINE TASTINGS Join

Green Thumb Wines for a wine tasting 6-8 p.m. every first Friday of the month at 9 E. Gregory St. Cost is $15, which can be applied to a bottle purchase of your choice. For more information and tickets, visit greenthumbwines.com/collections/events.

MEN'S NIGHT AT WISTERIA From 3 p.m. to close Mondays, guys can play free darts and enjoy $6 craft tallboys. There are more than 150 craft beers to choose from. Wisteria is located at 3803 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

FIGHTER GAME NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Gamers unite 5 p.m.-close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SIN NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S SIN Night is 11 p.m. to close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

TRIVIA NIGHT AND SIN Trivia is 9-10:30 p.m. Mondays, and SIN is 11 p.m.-3 a.m. at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of Bingo 6-8 p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

DOUBLE MONDAYS Enjoy Double Mondays 8 p.m. to midnight and SIN Night 11 p.m. to close at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

75 CENT OYSTERS AT ATLAS Enjoy 75-cent oysters 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. For more information, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.

MUSIC BINGO Test your music knowledge 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Take part in half-price bottles of wine and $5 canned cocktails. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

POKER NIGHT AND BINGO AT O'RILEY'S Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for poker starting at 6:30

p.m. and bar bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings on the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.

DOLLAR NIGHT Enjoy Dollar Night 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays, at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA Visit

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

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night is 8 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details at orileystavern.com.

TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

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

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT

AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music is 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA Get deals on pitchers 8 p.m. to midnight at O'Riley's Tavern. Trivia is 9 -11 p.m. Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night with DJ starts 8 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

TRIVIA UNDER THE TREES Trivia is 6 p.m. Thursdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

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

TRIVIA AT SIR RICHARD'S Flex your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

POKER NIGHT AT SIR RICHARDS'S Poker

Night is 6 p.m. Saturdays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

a&e happenings

WEEKLY SATURDAY BRUNCH Brunch is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SHAMROCK SATURDAY Shamrock Saturday is 9 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool all day and play bar bingo 9-11 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN

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

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT ATLAS OYSTER HOUSE Sunday Brunch is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. View menus at atlasoysterhouse.com.

LIVE MUSIC

BANDS ON THE BEACH Weekly concert series is 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. July 9 is Still Standing: A Tribute to Elton John and July 16 is On the Rox. For details, visit visitpensacolabeach.com/ whats-happening-bands-on-beach.

LIVE MUSIC AT 5 SISTER'S Five Sisters Blues

Café is located at 421 W. Belmont St.

•John Wheeler 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July 4

•Rocky Denney Brotherhood 6-10 p.m. Friday, July 5

•Glen Parker 6-8 p.m. Saturday, July 6

•Curt Bol 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, July 7

•John Wheeler 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 9

•John Wheeler 6-8 p.m. Thursday, July 11

RITUAL 6: A GOTH/INDUSTRIAL DANCE

PARTY Event is 8 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets are at thehandlebar850.com

GASOLINA: REGGAETON PARTY Event is 9 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $15 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

EYES SET TO KILL, SECRETS, LOST IN SEPARATION Show is 6 p.m. Monday, July 8 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets at thehandlebar850.com.

FELLY Show is 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 9 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $25 and BOGO. Details are at vinylmusichall.com.

FREAKY, MORBEATO, NOXIOUS, SILENTSYN, AND V-TRAIN Show is 8 p.m. Saturday, July 13 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Details and tickets are at thehandlebar850.com.

DANNY WORSNOP WITH JERICHO ROSE Show is 6 p.m. Sunday, July 14 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $20-$25 and available at thehandlebar850.com

THE MOSS Show is 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $23-$26 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

THE VOMIT SPOTS Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, July 18 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD

COLONY Music pickers of all levels are invited to play 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook. com/oddcolony for details.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE

QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious Allen and The Funk Heads on Tuesday nights at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

KARAOKE AT O'RILEY'S UPTOWN Sing your heart out 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays at O'Riley's Uptown, 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY

Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia 6 p.m.

every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/ garysbrew for details.

KARAOKE AT THE HANDLEBAR Karaoke is 9 p.m. Wednesdays at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Visit thehandlebar850. com for details.

KARAOKE AT WISTERIA Wisteria Tavern hosts karaoke 7 p.m. Wednesdays at 3808 N. 12th Ave. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.

WHISKEY WEDNESDAY KARAOKE Karaoke starts 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

KARAOKE NIGHTS AT SIR RICHARD'S Bring your singing talents Monday and Thursday nights at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Festivities are 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

HAPPY HOUR LIVE MUSIC AT O'RILEY'S Drink specials and live music are 4-7 p.m. Fridays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

LIVE MUSIC ON THE PATIO AT SIR RICHARD'S Enjoy live music outside 8-11 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

PENSACOLA UNDERGROUND A-Z is a MASSIVE, RIDICULOUS, INCLUSIVE exhibit opening at the 309 Punk Project in September— a “big tent” gathering of this city’s many countercultures, celebrating their history up to the present day.

EVERYTHING is going up on the walls alphabetically. This is a way to show off our archives, but we need your help. There are gaps in our collection, including recent events and groups which left behind little physical proof. THIS IS A CALL FOR ARCHIVAL MATERIAL to be considered for the show and our permanent collection. We need photos, fliers, artwork, meeting minutes, matchbooks, set lists, newspaper clippings, demo tapes, and business cards—but also odd, one-of-a-kind items that capture the spirit of the times. We are not seeking material on loan, only permanent donations to the 309 archives. We need physical objects, not digital files. PLEASE SEND MATERIAL on the following organizations, individuals, bands, artists, and events— as well as any that are not on the list, based on your own definition of what underground means.

THE FOLLOWING IS JUST A TINY SAMPLING OF THE HUNDREDS OF SUBJECTS THE EXHIBIT WILL COVER: AMERICAN SERVICEMAN’S UNION, APATHETIC BAND, ART ON THE TRACKS, BACKDOOR POETS, BEAVER SKATES, BELMONT AND DEVILLIERS, BIG LO, BMX BANDITS, BOX CUTTER, BREAD BOX PUPPET TROUPE, BROKE YOKELS, BUGGHOUSE, CHIZUKO, COMPANY OF GHOSTS, CONCERNED OFFICERS MOVEMENT, DISTANT SILENCE, DIXIELAND ROCKS, DMZ, DON SHIRLEY, EAST HILL CD EXCHANGE, EMERALD CITY, EMMA JONES SOCIETY, THE ESTABLISHMENT, FEEDBAG GENERAL STORE, FIED URCH, 506 CLUB, FLAT BROKE FOLK, FLATWHEELERS, GATHERING AWARENESS, GLSNR, GOTHIC BLIMP WORKS, GRIT CITY NEWS, HANDLEBAR FIRE, HAVEN’S HOUSE, THE HIGH HAT, THE HOBBIT HOUSE, JAMEY JONES, MAY DAY FESTIVAL, MCQUIGGINS, MEMORIAL DAY AT THE BEACH, MYSTERIOUS RABBIT PUPPET ARMY, NEITHERWORLD, NIGHT MOVES, NIGHT OWL, OCCUPY PENSACOLA, ORGAN GRINDER, OVERGROUND DISTRO, PFLAG, PHLEGMBOYANT, THE QUIET VILLAGE, RAT HOUSE, RED GARTER, SABRE CLUB, SCOTT STANTON ZORLAC BOARD, SHADOWEYEZ, SHIKI SHOP, SHRED IN THE SHED, SKAB SKATES, SOUNDBOX, SPILLERS, STITCH AND BITCH, STONED INDIAN, STREGA NONAS, SUGAR BOWL, TAUGHT BEHAVIOR, TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY, TREACHEROUS BREAKERS, TREEHOUSE CINEMA, UNITY SKATEBOARDS, THE VAULT, VOICE OF MAN, XEROX 82, YANCY SPENCER, AND YUM YUM TREE.

Send to 309 Punk Project before July 25th , or drop off any Friday in July (10am-Noon) . You may also make appointments if necessary, but those hours are preferred. In person or postal, our address is: 309 Punk Project; 309 North 6th Ave; Pensacola, FL 32501.

a&e happenings

SUNDAY KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS

Karaoke starts 9 p.m. Sunday at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

KARAOKE NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S IRISH

PUB Karaoke is 8 p.m.-midnight Sundays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Details are at orileyspub.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT CALVERT'S Listen to live music 5-8 p.m. Sundays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. Visit facebook.com/calvertsintheheights for details.

FITNESS + RECREATION

BLUE WAHOOS GAMES Take in a baseball game at the Blue Wahoos stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. For single, group or VIP tickets, visit bluewahoos.com.

Upcoming home games:

•6:05 p.m. Friday, July 19

•6:05 p.m. Saturday, July 20

•4:05 p.m. Sunday, July 21

DOYLE SHREDFEST Skateboarding jam and contest is noon-4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11 at Blake Doyle Skatepark, 501 N. Hayne St. All proceeds go to Kick Flips for a Cure and Skateistan.

OCEAN HOUR WEEKLY CLEANUPS Ocean Hour Pensacola hosts weekly cleanups 7:45-9 a.m. Saturdays. Follow Ocean Hour at facebook. com/oceanhourfl for more details and locations.

YOGA UNCORKED AT 5ELEVEN Yoga classes are 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 5eleven, 511 S. Palafox St., with Disko Lemonade running the yoga class. Register for the class at diskolemonade.com.

YOGA WITH MARNI AT HA-YA Visit Ha-Ya Wellness for integrative yoga with Marni 10 a.m. the first and third Saturday of the month at 4301 Spanish Trail Road. Visit facebook.com/asherandbeeapothecary for more information.

SIP AND STRETCH YOGA Yoga class for all levels Sundays through 2024 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Class starts at 11:45 a.m. Cost is $18 for a one-hour class followed by a complimentary beverage. Visit facebook.com/ garysbrew for details.

FREE YOGA IN THE PARK WITH BREATHE

YOGA Enjoy a free, one-hour outdoor yoga class with Breathe Yoga 9:30-10:30 a.m. the first Sunday of the month at Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St. The next date is July 7.

HOOK, LINE & SINKER MONTHLY FISHING SEMINAR SERIES Hot Spots Charters hosts a monthly free fishing seminar the first Monday every month at Flounder's Chowder House, 800 Quietwater Beach Road on Pensacola Beach. A free fish dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. with the seminar at 7 p.m. and typically lasting about an hour. Visit facebook.com/hlsseminar for details.

TIKI TUESDAY SUNSET YOGA Take in a slow flow yoga class led by Donna Dickey 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Sneaky Tiki Bar, 17 Via de Luna.

Cost is $15 drop in and includes a drink. For details, visit iamabode.com.

FREE YOGA CLASSES AT EVER'MAN Take a free yoga class at Ever'man, 327 W. Garden St. Visit everman.org for full calendar of events.

LIVE JAZZ AND SWING DANCING From 6:30-11 p.m. the first Friday of each month, enjoy a live band for dancing Lindy, Foxtrot, East Coast and West Coast Swing. This is a fun, friendly atmosphere with lessons for all levels and no partner required. Location is at The Way You Move Dance Studio, 918 Winton Ave. The cost is $15. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

WEST COAST SWING DANCE Join the fun 6:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays for $5 and 6:30-11 p.m. the fourth Saturday of each month for $10. All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

BALLROOM, LATIN, SWING DANCE

From 6:30-11 p.m. the second Saturday of each month, enjoy a mix of music for all dancers. All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. The cost is $10. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

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 free and open to everyone, regardless of fitness level. For more information, visit facebook.com/rpnparkrun or email recplexnorth@parkrun.com.

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 are at Ever'man, 327 W. Garden St. For a full calendar of events, visit everman.org.

KID-FRIENDLY

PENSACOLA MESS HALL SUMMER PROGRAMS The Pensacola MESS Hall presents special programs every weekday of the summer. Mondays is puzzles and mathematical art, Tuesdays is slime recipes, Wednesdays is building challenges with Legos and other materials, Thursdays is chemistry and Fridays is coding activities. All activities are available 1-4 p.m. weekdays and for ages 6 and older. Pensacola MESS Hall is located at 418 E. Wright St. Details are at pensacolamesshall.org.

FLIGHT ADVENTURE DECK SUMMER

CAMP This National Aviation Museum Summer Camp will offer rocket launching, building gliders and watching the Blue Angels practice. Dates are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, July 8-12 and July 15-19. Registration is available at ultracamp.com.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

free will astrology

WEEK OF JULY 4

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): The "nirvana fallacy" is the belief that because something is less than utterly perfect, it is gravely defective or even irredeemably broken. Wikipedia says, "The nirvana fallacy compares actual things with unrealistic, idealized alternatives." Most of us are susceptible to this flawed approach to dealing with the messiness of human existence. But it's especially important that you avoid such thinking in the coming weeks. To inspire you to find excellence and value in the midst of untidy jumbles and rumpled complexities, I recommend you have fun with the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi. It prizes and praises the soulful beauty found in things that are irregular, incomplete and imperfect.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): You are coming to a fork in the road—a crux where two paths diverge. What should you do? Author Marie Forleo says, "When it comes to forks in the road, your heart always knows the answer, not your mind." Here's my corollary: Choose the path that will best nourish your soul's desires. Now here's your homework, Taurus: Contact your future self in a dream or meditation and ask that beautiful genius to provide you with a message and a sign. Plus, invite them to give you a wink with either the left eye or right eye.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Last year, you sent out a clear message to life requesting help and support. It didn't get the response you wished for. You felt sad. But now I have good news. One or both of the following may soon occur. 1. Your original message will finally lead to a response that buoys your soul. 2. You will send out a new message similar to the one in 2023, and this time you will get a response that makes you feel helped and supported. Maybe you didn't want to have to be so patient, Gemini, but I'm glad you refused to give up hope.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): The Fates have authorized me to authorize you to be bold and spunky. You have permission to initiate gutsy experiments and to dare challenging feats. Luck and grace will be on your side as you consider adventures you've long wished you had the nerve to entertain. Don't do anything

By Rob Brezsny

risky or foolish, of course. Avoid acting like you're entitled to grab rewards you have not yet earned. But don't be self-consciously cautious or timid, either. Proceed as if help and resources will arrive through the magic of your audacity. Assume you will be able to summon more confidence than usual.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): All of us, including me, have aspects of our lives that are stale or unkempt, even decaying. What would you say is the most worn-out thing about you? Are there parts of your psyche or environment that would benefit from a surge of clean-up and revival? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to attend to these matters. You are likely to attract extra help and inspiration as you make your world brighter and livelier. The first rule of the purgation and rejuvenation process: Have fun!

inspire you to enlarge your understanding of your own destiny. Provide your future with a dose of healing wildness.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "Your horoscopes are too complicated," a reader named Estelle wrote to me recently. "You give us too many ideas. Your language is too fancy. I just want simple advice in plain words." I wrote back to tell her that if I did what she asked, I wouldn't be myself. "Plenty of other astrologers out there can meet your needs," I concluded. As for you, dear Scorpio, I think you will especially benefit from influences like me in the coming weeks— people who appreciate nuance and subtlety, who love the poetry of life, who eschew clichés and conventional wisdom, who can nurture your rich, spicy, complicated soul.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Aquariusborn Desmond Doss (1919–2006) joined the American army at the beginning of World War II. But because of his religious beliefs, he refused to use weapons. He became a medic who accompanied troops to Guam and the Philippines. During the next few years, he won three medals of honor, which are usually given solely to armed combatants. His bravest act came in 1944, when he saved the lives of 70 wounded soldiers during a battle. I propose we make him your inspirational role model for the coming weeks, Aquarius. In his spirit, I invite you to blend valor and peace-making. Synergize compassion and fierce courage. Mix a knack for poise and healing with a quest for adventure.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): On those rare occasions when I buy furniture from online stores, I try hard to find sources that will send me the stuff already assembled. I hate spending the time to put together jumbles of wood and metal. More importantly, I am inept at doing so. In alignment with astrological omens, I recommend you take my approach in regard to every situation in your life during the coming weeks. Your operative metaphor should be this: Whatever you want or need, get it already fully assembled.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): When Adragon De Mello was born under the sign of Libra in 1976, his father had big plans for him. Dad wanted him to get a PhD in physics by age 12, garner a Nobel Prize by 16, get elected U.S. president by 26, and then become head of a world government by 30. I'd love for you to fantasize about big, unruly dreams like that in the coming weeks—although with less egotism and more amusement and adventurousness. Give yourself a license to play with amazing scenarios that

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): The coming weeks will be prime time for you to reimagine the history of your destiny. How might you do that? In your imagination, revisit important events from the past and reinterpret them using the new wisdom you've gained since they happened. If possible, perform any atonement, adjustment or intervention that will transform the meaning of what happened once upon a time. Give the story of your life a fresh title. Rename the chapters. Look at old photos and videos and describe to yourself what you know now about those people and situations that you didn't know back then. Are there key events from the old days you've repressed or ignored? Raise them up into the light of consciousness.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In 1972, before the internet existed, Capricorn actor Anthony Hopkins spent a day visiting London bookstores in search of a certain tome: "The Girl from Petrovka." Unable to locate a copy, he decided to head home. On the way, he sat on a random bench, where he found the original manuscript of "The Girl of Petrovka." It had been stolen from the book's author George Feifer and abandoned there by the thief. I predict an almost equally unlikely or roundabout discovery or revelation for you in the coming days. Prediction: You may not unearth what you're looking for in an obvious place, but you will ultimately unearth it.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): What types of people are you most attracted to, Pisces? Not just those you find most romantically and sexually appealing, but also those with whom a vibrant alliance is most gracefully created. And those you're inclined to seek out for collaborative work and play. This knowledge is valuable information to have; it helps you gravitate toward relationships that are healthy for you. Now and then, though, it's wise to experiment with connections and influences that aren't obviously natural—to move outside your usual set of expectations and engage with characters you can't immediately categorize. I suspect the coming weeks will be one of those times.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Who is the most important person or animal in your life? I invite you to give them a surprising gift. {in}

freewillastrology.com newsletter.freewillastrology.com freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com © 2024 Rob Brezsny

news of the weird

IT'S A DIRTY JOB Perhaps the stresses of HOA board membership just weigh heavily on some people. An unnamed 74-year-old woman in New Palestine, Indiana, is facing charges of criminal trespass, criminal mischief and public nudity after she was caught not once, but twice, defecating in broad daylight against the side of a neighbor's home, Fox59-TV reported. According to court documents, the homeowner was mowing his lawn on May 29 when he discovered a pile of human feces next to his air conditioning unit. His surveillance cameras had first caught the culprit on May 2, but after the second incident, he contacted police. The woman can clearly be seen in the video lowering her trousers and squatting to empty her bowels. She initially denied the act but admitted it once confronted with the evidence; she said she had nothing against the homeowner and simply had to go. She has stepped down from her position on the HOA board.

THE TECH REVOLUTION At Crescent Regional Hospital near Dallas, Texas, patients are for the first time in the U.S. consulting with doctors via hologram, ABC News reported on June 26. The technology, designed by Dutch company Holoconnects, features a life-sized 3D image of the doctor in real time. Raji Kumar, the hospital's CEO, said the technology will reduce doctors' travel time between hospitals and clinics. "They can just hop into the studio to have the consult," she said. She hopes to expand the program to rural hospitals in the area.

THE CONTINUING CRISIS Edward Kang, 20, is facing a long stretch without gaming after he allegedly assaulted a fellow online gamer on June 22, ABC News reported. Kang, who lives in New Jersey, flew from Newark to Jacksonville, Florida, on June 21, where he checked in to a hotel and purchased a hammer and flashlight at a hardware store. Late on June 22, he arrived at the victim's home in Fernandina Beach, entering the home through an unlocked door, "apparently to confront the victim," said Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper. When the victim got up from gaming to use the restroom, Kang allegedly attacked him with the hammer. The victim's stepfather heard the altercation and helped to wrestle Kang to the ground; officers said the victim sustained severe head wounds and they found "a significant amount of blood." Kang told deputies that the victim is a "bad person online." He was charged with attempted second-degree murder and armed burglary.

HOW HOT IS IT? It's so hot ... Abe Lincoln's legs are falling off. A 6-foot-tall wax replica of the sculpture of our 16th president inside the Lincoln Memorial is succumbing to the extreme temperatures in Washington, D.C., the Washington Post reported on June 24. The statue was placed on the campus of Garrison Elementary School in February with the idea of drawing attention to the Civil War and its aftermath. But as the heat dome settled over the capital, he started

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

melting. "The idea was that the ambient temperature, unless it got to 140 degrees, wouldn't melt the sculpture," said artist Sandy Williams IV of Richmond, Virginia. But "even his poor legs are starting to come unglued," said Melissa Krull, 41, who lives nearby. Lincoln's head lolled so far backward that the nonprofit that commissioned the work removed it, with plans to restore it to its perch when temps moderated.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL Kelsey Lynn Schnetzler, 34, of Salisbury, Missouri, was charged with stealing thousands of dollars' worth of lottery tickets from her employer, Casey's General Store, KTVO-TV reported. Schnetzler's home-court MO may have been what got her nicked: Every evening during her shift, she told police, she would put a cup over the camera in the store and unlock the safe where the tickets were stored. Her burglaries took place between October 2023 and March 2024; the 36 lottery books she stole were valued at $24,000. She cashed winning tickets in at Casey's and other locations. She was charged with felony stealing.

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE BODY IN THE BACKSEAT On the morning of June 22, after Margot Lewis, 32, of North Liberty, Iowa, crashed her car in Olmsted County, Minnesota, police arrived at the scene, the Des Moines Register reported. There they discovered the dead body of 35-year-old Liara Tsai of Minneapolis in the back seat. Tsai was "wrapped in a bedsheet, a blanket, a futon-style mattress and a tarp," court documents said. Police said Tsai also had a "large wound on the right side of the neck around the carotid artery." The medical examiner determined that Tsai's injuries were not related to the motor vehicle accident. Lewis was arrested for interference with a dead body; her unconditional bond was set at $1 million.

EWWWWWWWWW! The CBC reported on June 18 that conditions at Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, have deteriorated so drastically that inmates are literally sharing cells—and more— with rats. Inmate Devon Fitzpatrick told an interviewer that he woke up one morning to the feeling of something moving in the crotch of his pants; when he reached down, he found a rat had given birth there. "Stuff like that happens on a regular basis," he said of the Victorian-era facility. "They climb on the tables, they climb up the pipes and the wires. They're everywhere." He said he's been bitten about 20 times. Fitzpatrick also described other dehumanizing conditions at the prison; the government has said it's working with a company to build a new prison, but no improvements have been made in the meantime. {in}

WINNER BEST LATE NIGHT EATS

Runner Up Best Bar–West Pensacola/Perdido Key, Best Bar Ambiance, Best Bar for Games

Best Bar Food, Best Hot Dog and Best Restaurant for a Birthday Dinner