Inweekly June 1 2023 Issue

THE FREEDOM TO READ

winners losers

HEADCOUNT The nonpartisan organization helped more than 1,300 fans get ready to vote at Hangout Fest. HeadCount uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy. It stages nonpartisan voter registration drives at more than 1,000 live events each year and collaborates with cultural leaders to promote civic engagement on a national scale. Since 2004, HeadCount has signed up more than 1,000,000 voters through its work with touring musicians, such as Ariana Grande, Dead & Company and Beyoncé and events, such as Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Pride festivals and RuPaul's DragCon.

JENNIFER KNISBELL The Inweekly Rising Star has joined Pensacola State College as WSRE PBS Development and Community Engagement director. A native of Pensacola and graduate of the University of Central Florida, she has worked in the arts and entertainment industry for 22 years in various management and development positions, most recently as the director of development at Pensacola Opera, following six years with talent agency ICM Partners in Los Angeles, Calif.

PENSACOLA EGGFEST The Pensacola EggFest squad teamed up with Team Moe Cason and brought home third place for pork shoulder in the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. USA Today has recognized the four-day competition as the "Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest." Champion Pit Master Big Moe Cason hosts National Geographic's World of Flavor and is a regular Pensacola EggFest guest. Doug Jolly, a co-founder of Pensacola EggFest, said, "Finishing third and taking home a Globe will be something we'll remember forever. After all these years, it never gets old; it's an absolute honor and privilege to be a part of Team Moe Cason BBQ."

EMERGENCY CARE PARTNERS Modern Healthcare has selected Emergency Care Partners as one of the 2023 Best Places to Work in Healthcare. This award program identifies and recognizes outstanding employers in the healthcare industry nationwide. Headquartered in Pensacola, ECP is a leading provider of emergency medical services for hospitals in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas.

2030 PENSACOLA

The Greater Pensacola Chamber Foundation announced this ambitious program in October 2021. The program was designed to amplify minority- and military-owned businesses, cultivate a strong workforce from schools and address community health issues that could be barriers to employment. Its blueprint had all the right buzzwords, but there's been little follow-up or follow-through. The program called for quarterly meetings and reports on its progress. The only update on the chamber's website is a 90-day plan document for the first quarter of 2022. The promised scorecard and annual report haven't been delivered.

PROPERTY INSURANCE

Over the past two years, the market has nosedived as private insurers dropped hundreds of thousands of policies and sought hefty rate hikes. Escambia and Santa Rosa homeowners have seen their premiums triple in some instances. The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which was created as an insurer of last resort, has ballooned to more than 1.29 million policies. State lawmakers have taken several stabs at the issue, mainly providing $3 billion to help insurers with reinsurance and restricting policyholders' ability to sue their insurers.

DOG RACING

More than four years after Florida voters approved a ban on greyhound racing in the state, a three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal upheld a ruling by a Leon County circuit judge that D'Arcy Kennel, LLC, and its owner, Christopher D'Arcy, were not entitled to damages after voters passed what was known as Amendment 13 on the 2018 ballot.

KEN PAXTON

The Texas House General Investigating Committee recommended the impeachment of the state's attorney general after outlining a whirlwind of misconduct allegations against him. The allegations center on Attorney General Paxton's alleged unethical relationship with real estate investor Nate Paul and his firing of several whistleblowers in an attempt to cover it up. Paxton denied the allegations in a statement, claiming "every allegation is easily disproved." The attorney general was later impeached by the Texas House and awaits a Texas Senate trial.

Photo Courtesy of HeadCount

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

A BOLD IDEA

Escambia County School District has failed the City of Pensacola, and it's time for city leaders to explore creating its own charter school district.

The district's politics favor the unincorporated, more northern portions of Escambia County, leaving the city's urban core behind. Tate High School wants to control the school district, so let them. Pensacola needs to take care of its children.

And maybe House Bill 1 that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law gives us a path to do it. The law gives parents more choices for their children's education by giving them access to vouchers, and the City of Pensacola could make its school system one of those choices.

Let a Northview High School teacher tie up the Escambia County School Board in hours of debate over books and allow the Tate High School administration to make silly rules about what shoes students must wear for graduation. The Pensacola school board can focus on educating its students.

The Pensacola school district would have seven elementary schools (Cordova Park, N.B. Cook, A.K. Suter, O.J. Semmes, Scenic Heights, Reinhardt Holm and Global Learning Academy), one middle school (J. H. Workman) and two high schools (Pensacola High and Booker T. Washington) if the new district took over all the schools currently inside the city limits.

The new district would have academic challenges. Semmes Elementary is one of the lowest-performing schools in Florida and is on the Department of Education's watch list. Global Learning Academy is a D school, and Holm Elementary, Workman Middle and Washington High are C schools.

There will be political pressure from the parochial and private schools because they have fed off the Escambia County School District's mediocrity.

The unspoken workaround for many Pensacola parents is to find a private school when their children enter sixth grade if they can't get them enrolled in Brown Barge Middle School. Pensacola Catholic High School is the option if they are uncertain about Pensacola High or Washington High.

Former School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas tried to stop the brain drain of Cordova Park, A.K. Suter and N.B. Cook students bailing out of the public school system after graduating fifth grade by creating an International Baccalaureate program at Workman Middle in 2010.

The program started well. In its first year, 400 of 880 students were registered in IB. The district's coordinator predicted the school would have 1,000 students once parents learned about the program, and its enrollment jumped to 1,029 students in two years.

Unfortunately, the IB program fizzled. We don't know why, because Thomas never provided the public with any analysis. He shifted his focus away from the troubled middle school and began building schools in the Beulah area to please Navy Federal Credit Union.

This fall, the school district reported to the DOE that Workman's enrollment was only 705 students. Pensacola parents found other options for their middle-school students.

Of course, there also will be pushback from the Escambia County School District. They will not want to lose their highest-performing elementary schools—Cordova Park, N.B Cook and A.K. Suter. They love bragging about the number of college scholarships Pensacola High's IB produces annually.

Gov. DeSantis, Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. and DOE may need to step in and make the necessary law changes to make the takeover possible. And considering how the Escambia County School Board botched the handoff of Warrington Middle to Charter Schools USA, that lift might not be as difficult as it seems.

Countywide school districts are less common in other states. The needs and wants of the unincorporated areas are different from those in the more metropolitan incorporated areas.

Mayor D.C. Reeves believes the future of Pensacola is tied to improving the city's quality of place. Education is a critical component of that premise.

People and businesses will flock to the City of Pensacola if we can build a better public school system inside the city limits. The Escambia County School District is standing in the way. {in} rick@inweekly.net

"A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH FOR US"

ily in 2022 and just last week, on May 24, he announced his candidacy for president.

Alhough most early polling still has Donald Trump leading the Republican primary field, Dream Defenders does not want to take any chances.

"Governor DeSantis has the high potential of being a national issue," Morrissette said. "We want to do all we can to show people that he is not the answer to this country's problems."

The reasons Dream Defenders oppose DeSantis are many, but Morrissette narrowed her opposition down to one bill: HB 999. "This bill ["Post-Secondary Institutions"] radically overhauls Florida's university system, eliminating any courses related to gender studies, critical race theory or intersectionality, and effectively bans the tenure system and its academic freedom," said Morrissette.

"I just witnessed our governor refer to DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] as 'Discrimination, Exclusion and Indoctrination," Morrissette said. "This is an attempt to marginalize people even further."

Ruminating about the attacks on academia, and the recent banning of high-school African American studies courses, the Pensacola native said she was deeply concerned.

"Unfortunately, this will trickle into being an issue of heightened discrimination in schools," Morrissette said. "Black children are already arrested from their schools at record rates for doing things that kids do. With the expansion of the attack going into higher institutions, we will possibly see an increase in less empathetic workers in care fields. This is definitely deeper than we know."

ISSUES WORTH DEFENDING

Another local among the Dream Defenders who traveled to the state capitol to protest in May was Karoline Nova. Nova is a college student who holds a leadership position in the Pensacola chapter, known in Dream Defender's jargon as a "SquaDD." Nova said that her main opposition to DeSantis was the far-reaching immigration bill SB 1718.

this small booklet, are several artistically designed collages with multiple areas of focus— from education and immigration to environmental racism and prison. Others center on a "free, flourishing, democracy" and another on "freedom from poverty."

When paging through Dream Defenders' "Freedom Papers," the opening page is a personalized political section called "Freedom to Be." One line reads, "By virtue of being born, each of us has the absolute right to become our greatest potential."

Based on that declaration, it's easy to see how much of the legislation passed this session goes against the Dream Defenders' broader stated community positions. These positions include what critics describe as anti-immigrant and racist legislation, but also new legislation that directly impacts Florida's queer communities.

When discussing the anti-LGTBQ+ bills, Morrissette spoke straight to the point. "We are against it."

They continued, "As an organization that deeply is attached to 'Freedom to Be,' we want freedom from the institutional violence that is being passed off as legislation."

"Dream Defenders has a good amount of people who identify with being queer," Nova said, citing it is another reason the organization is leading protests against the governor and his party's legislation.

"We are more than standing in solidarity," Morrissette said. "We are an organization full of queer and trans folks. This is a matter of life and death for us."

Working in partnership with other social justice organizations, Dream Defenders used the legislative session to return to its roots during the capitol protests. Since the legislation session ended, diverse groups including the NAACP, League of United Latin American Citizens, Equality Florida and the Human Rights Campaign have issued travel warnings to Florida as a result of the bills passed by the Florida legislature.

unprecedented results for Floridians this Legislative Session."

Among the legislation were bills to severely limit abortion and transgender rights, while making the carrying of firearms easier and expanding the death penalty to non-capital crimes. Other bills have focused on immigration, while others have attacked public employee unions.

These are just a few of the bills that came from this session alone, many of which were championed by the governor himself.

For those Floridians who oppose these bills, several groups have organized to stop the governor's agenda, including a large organization that has taken their fight right into the governor's office—Dream Defenders.

CAPITOL PROTEST

As Florida's legislature was debating the final bills May 3, Dream Defenders were rallying outside

rested, were wearing shirts with the Dream Defenders logo emblazoned on the front with the phrase "Stay Woke" on the back.

Local community organizer Hale Morrissette is a regional organizer with the Dream Defenders and was in attendance at the May 3 rally at the capitol. Morrissette said that the goal of the protest was to "demand a meeting with DeSantis to force him to face the people whose lives he was destroying."

Morrissette was not one of the Dream Defenders arrested, but instead was monitoring the situation inside the governor's office for the organization.

In the 2018 gubernatorial race, DeSantis made the organization a household name in Florida by linking the Black-led social justice organization with Andrew Gillum's campaign. Though the 2018 election was close enough to trigger a recount, DeSantis won re-election hand-

Coming from a family of immigrants, Nova said that SB 1718 "targets and could possibly impact my family specifically."

Born in New York to Spanish-speaking Dominican parents, Nova has lived and in Florida for years, where she now goes to school.

"I believe that the legislature is focused on immigration issues because of how racist this state is," Nova said. "A lot of immigrants come to the state of Florida, and this [legislation] just proves that time and time again how this state is not run through or for our people."

Founded in 2012 after the murder of Trayvon Martin, Dream Defenders gained worldwide recognition for occupying then-Governor Rick Scott's office in 2013 and demanding a repeal of stand-your-ground laws. During that action, members of Dream Defenders occupied the governor's office for 31 days.

Ten years later, Dream Defenders is a much larger organization with a broader outlook, rooted in the organization's "Freedom Papers." In

For these reasons, and many others, the Florida-based Dream Defenders returned to the governor's office.

"After 10 years we went back to the capitol to take it over, because it's not just affecting one group of people; it is affecting all of us," Nova said. "It is inhuman and not right to create such laws that are harmful and hateful."

On the local level, Dream Defenders is working on a "safer streets" campaign to curb violence within the community, but also moving to the national stage as the governor does.

"Be ready for the next election cycle," Morrissette said. "We aren't happy."  {in}

To learn more about Dream Defenders, visit dreamdefenders.org. You can also keep up with the local chapter on facebook.com/ dreamdefenderspensacola or by following @pcolasquadd on Instagram.

*Requests for comments by the governor's office were not returned.

Photo by C. Scott Satterwhite

SMITH'S EXIT INTERVIEW

was taking place with remote learning because we were isolating and trying to mitigate illness and so forth. But I felt welcomed to the community and was excited about it."

DEATH BY VIDEO

But then came the training video uproar at the start of 2021 school year. The video was intended to train teachers and staff on how to educate and interact with students of a different race. Whites and Blacks complained that the stereotypes portrayed were divisive. Smith was blasted for bringing race theory into the district, and he dropped the video and publicly apologized to the school board.

Smith believes the video controversy was the beginning of his troubles with the board and

By Rick Outzen

Dr. Tim Smith took Escambia County's school superintendent job because he liked the county's diversity. He had the experience to do the job, probably the most extensive of his predecessors—a doctorate in educational leadership and a 31-year career with the Orange County School System as a teacher, vice principal, principal and area executive over high schools.

However, his broad experience may not have been prepared Smith for the internal and external politics of the Escambia County School District. On May 16, three school board members voted to terminate his contract and send him packing by the end of the month.

Before he left, Smith presided over the district's high school graduations. He also sat down with Inweekly to talk about his tenure here.

"For me, the core goal is for our district to perform in such a way that we are reaching as many kids as we possibly can at high levels of learning," he said. "That's where it all starts; how can we reach every kid and have them successfully learn and grow?"

erendum switching from an elected superintendent to one appointed by the school board by 910 votes, and Smith was hired with a 3-2 vote in 2020, with board members Kevin Adams and Paul Fetsko on the losing side.

Escambia County's first appointed superintendent was in for some tough battles, but Smith focused on the students, not the politics.

"For me, when I came into the district, my thing was all about, how can we close the achievement gap? What do we need to do to get all of our kids learning?" Smith said. "That's a heavy, heavy lift, but it's leading the district in that direction. And there's just going to be a lot of change that might be different, that might look different and feel different."

He continued, "Some people get excited about that, and other people get concerned. And so I really think as I reflect upon what's happened in the past two and a half years, there's kind of a struggle there, and I think there are growing pains going through the changes."

The transition from elected to appointed went smoothly. Smith recalled, "The first six months I thought were fluid. Certainly, there were some challenges with the uniqueness of all that

"The whole purpose of the video was to open up the conversation of, 'It's hard for me as an individual sometimes to understand people in other situations,'" Smith said. "The middle class is the world I've lived in, so I might not understand what it is like to live in the lower or high-end economic class."

He continued, "As a young principal, I learned that, and it was one of my most powerful experiences. I happened to be in an inner-city school at the time, and it changed how I worked with kids. When I learned that I don't know what it's like to be in that kid's shoes, I approached education differently. "

Smith was surprised at the response from staff and the community. He said, "For me, it was all about trying to help people, to help kids. It was that straightforward in my hope, but it ended up the way it did."

The honeymoon was over, but the superintendent stayed focused on moving the district forward. Smith shared, "I didn't think in terms of Republican, Democrat or Independent ideas or Conservative or Liberal. I was thinking, here's what we need to do, and maybe people had a hard time figuring out who I was from those standpoints."

2022 ELECTION

The tension with the school board began to heat up during the 2022 election cycle. Fetsko

faced opponents and wanted the board to discuss Smith's contract last fall. However, the other board members blocked it from being added to the agenda.

"Paul won handily, and I don't know that he needed to worry as much as he did," Smith said. "But I think there were many constituents speaking to him who weren't pleased with me, and I think those were challenging times for him."

The negotiations with Charter Schools USA concerning Warrington Middle School and the long public forums over removing books from school libraries added to the stress.

"We get to February, Rep. Michelle Salzman asked for my resignation, and then Kevin (Adams) followed with trying to get an elected superintendent referendum on the 2024 ballot, which failed," Smith said.

The negotiations with Charter Schools USA bogged down, and when the charter operator lists its non-negotiables, the school board balked and made plans to close the middle school. The state Board of Education intervened and demanded the school board sign a contract within 48 hours or risk losing their salaries.

The vote to accept the Charter Schools USA deal came hours after the state's ultimatum and minutes before they fired Smith.

A persistent rumor Inweekly heard was that Smith's predecessor, Malcolm Thomas, helped engineer his ouster. Smith said Thomas wouldn't undermine his leadership.

"No, he was a mentor to me, and I'm grateful for him," Smith said. "I could pick up the phone anytime and call him. We've had several conversations, and I can tell you I've had some perplexing situations, and he has helped me get through those."

He continued, "I think he has a passion for education, and I'm very confident that he wanted me to be successful."

Smith also wants his successor to succeed. He said, "My hope with the board is that with the next superintendent, whoever that may be, the perfect match occurs, and that person can work with the board to take the vision and to move us forward." {in}

Photo Courtesy of Escambia County Public Schools

Cooking Across America

Send your future chef on a trip across America at Bodacious!

Each day of camp will explore the unique flavors of a different region in the United States. From coast to coast, your young chef will master the art of preparing popular regional meals that have become timeless favorites.

During the five-day camp, our instructors will empower campers with essential skills to foster their success, safety, and creativity in the kitchen. From mastering basic prep techniques to honing knife skills (when applicable), our campers will develop the fundamental tools of a confident chef.

AGES 6-9

June 5 – 9 & July 10 – 14

AGES 10-12

June 19 – 23 & July 24 – 28

SCHEDULE

Monday – Friday 9AM – 1PM

Drop-off at 8:45 AM daily

Graduation ceremony at 12:15 PM on Friday

Every camper gets a chef apron!

BAKER ACT SOLUTION

Baptist Health Care and Lakeview Center are creating a Central Receiving System for Baker Act patients. Baptist will handle children up to 18 years old, and Lakeview will deal with adults.

"Other communities across the state of Florida have moved toward a more comprehensive model through a Baker Act receiving facility that's a central receiving facility," said Jennifer Grove, the vice president of external relations at Baptist Health Care, at the Mental Health Task Force meeting May 18. "We have learned in working together as partners from healthcare throughout the community, that for our community what really would work best is to have a central receiving system."

Last summer, Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were blindsided when HCA Florida West Hospital announced it would no longer take Baker Act patients. HCA later extended its deadline by 90 days and eventually postponed any action to give Baptist time to work out a solution.

Grove explained, "At Baptist, because we operate the only licensed inpatient child and adolescent beds, we don't want kids to have to move if they're already in such crisis. It doesn't mean that everybody who comes through as a child needs inpatient care, but those who do won't have to be moved again. Lakeview would operate the adult side of the central receiving facility."

Lakeview, part of the LifeView Group, is developing its adult facility from scratch and needs time to equip and staff it, said Allison Hill, the LifeView Group CEO.

"We have been planning for months at Lakeview, because this is a new service in the system," Hill said. "That's something that I don't know if everybody in the room really appreciates; this is something we haven't done before. And so we are starting from scratch, which means you need a facility plan and more bodies than we have today. And so we have been working on the plan to get those things in motion."

In the meantime, Lakeview is sending its mobile crisis unit to Emergency Rooms. HCA Florida West continues to take adult Baker Act patients.

The money for the programs is in the budget, and Baptist and Lakeview hope it escapes Gov. Ron DeSantis' line-item veto. While he wasn't given credit, State Rep. Alex Andrade handled the Baptist Hospital side of the budget request. Last year's budget only had $19.8 million for central receiving facilities statewide. Andrade and Sen. Doug Broxson beefed up that item to $51 million to be split between 10 specific judicial circuits to ensure Baptist got the amount it needed and should be veto-proof.

According to the budget, Lakeview is set to receive $2.15 million for a short-term residential treatment expansion. The item lists SF 3096, which Sen. Broxson submitted.

NEXT STEP Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves is ready to launch the city's next economic development phase. Coming off his success in get-

ting grants for $12.4 million from Triumph Gulf Coast and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to relocate American Magic's headquarters to the Port of Pensacola, the mayor wants to shape how the city attracts businesses and talent to Pensacola.

"Now is getting our feet under us and really deciding what that unique profile of economic development is in the city," Reeves said.

He added that cybersecurity "would seem to be something that we could play a stronger part in than the city has in previous years, thinking that those businesses or those employees are going to want to live in the city."

On Tuesday, May 23, the City published a progress report on how well it has implemented the Mayor's Transition Team recommendations since November of 2022, when Mayor D.C. Reeves took office. The Mayoral Transition Committee Report was created to help develop a deliberate strategic plan for the City of Pensacola.

At his Tuesday presser, Reeves said, "There were 91 recommendations, and we consider 80 of those as actionable … We have eight completed, and we've got 38 in progress."

The nine completed recommendations included creating an Economic Development Department, hiring a grant writer and adding that professional to the "staffing matrix"—all key factors in the Triumph and DEO grants.

The other completed items were:

•Conduct a thorough, citywide review of all policies and procedures.

•Keep the weekly Mayoral Press Conference.

•Partner with the Escambia County Housing Finance Authority.

•Provide professional training on effective communication for all employees.

•Review City Hall's organizational structure.

•Create a concise, measurable performance dashboard.

The progress report can be found at cityofpensacola.com under the Performance Pensacola link.

DRAG SHOWS LEGAL State Rep. Alex Andrade says that drag shows are not illegal in Florida unless the show simulates sex acts or exposes genitalia and children are in the audience. This may come as a surprise to those who think when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1438, he outlawed all drag shows and performances.

Earlier this year, Perfect Plain Brewing Co. canceled a drag show after they received calls that they would have their business license pulled for hosting a drag show. People complained Gallery Night had an LGBTQ+ theme May 19.

Rep. Andrade said that drag performances are protected under the First Amendment.

"The best example I always give is if you want to put on a historically accurate Shakespeare play, you're going to have a lot of dudes dressed up as women," Andrade said. "And there's no question that is protected First Amendment speech, the same way the vast majority of these performances are protected."

When asked about Perfect Plain's incident, the state lawmaker said, "I don't think there's anything wrong with what Perfect Plain was trying to put on. I don't think it was marketed as family-friendly, but at the same time, I don't think that it was intended to simulate sex or expose genitalia to kids."

He added, "And I want to reiterate that again. I mean, no one is trying to make putting on clothes illegal, and there was no bill this year in the Florida legislature that attempted to make putting on clothes illegal."

EMS WEEK Few Escambia County departments have seen as big of a turnaround as Emergency Medical Services. At the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners meeting May 18, the board adopted a proclamation to declare May 2127, 2023, as Emergency Medical Services Week.

Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore has seen the culture of the department change over the past two years. When he took over, EMS had 21 paramedics and 18 EMT openings, and today all the positions are filled.

"The men and women of EMS have absolutely got behind the culture that we wanted to create and the benchmarks we wanted to set," Gilmore said. "We have fantastic men and women out there servicing the citizens every day. It has been a huge turnaround in that department and how we do business."

County Administrator Wes Moreno agreed and hopes to expand the program. He said, "We think we have a business model in place that would allow us to bring in 18 more paramedics and EMTs. And I'm excited about that, because that's more crews, more ambulances on the road where we need to be, and they're getting better and better every week. They've been highly successful. "

For the period of Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2022, the men and women of Escambia County EMS responded to 74,060 calls.

TEAM APPROACH The Mental Health Task's strategic report calls for establishing mental health treatment courts, but someone didn't tell Ernst & Young, who put together the plan, that Escambia County has had one since 2017.

Started by Judge Darlene Dickey, the Escambia County TEAM (Teaching, Education, Accountability and Motivation) Court Program is designed to provide targeted treatment for a criminal defendant diagnosed with a mental illness and whose condition contributed to the commission of the qualifying charge.

When Dickey served as general counsel for the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff David Morgan tried to get a mental health court established using an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Local Solicitation Grant. But he met resistance from County Commissioner Marie Young, who chaired the Public Safety Coordinating Council.

Judge Jennifer Frydrychowicz currently oversees the TEAM court, which is funded by the

county and run by volunteers from state attorney, public defender and probation offices.

"They do this above and beyond their responsibilities," Frydrychowicz said. "We're all there because we see the need, and we want to be a part of the solution."

She hopes the Mental Health Task Force will advocate for expanding the program. The judge said, "I am proud that the court, since 2020, for those who have successfully completed the program, we are at a 0% recidivism rate."

LIFEGUARDS COMING Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh wants lifeguard stands on Perdido Key and is willing to put funds forth to make it happen.

"I'm going to put something on the agenda to purchase lifeguard stands from my discretionary funds. They're about $70,000 each, and we're going to do that," Bergosh said on WCOA last week.

"And then I'm going ask staff to come up with a plan to add a cadre of lifeguards to Access Points 2 and 3, because they are within that 64-parcel area where we've got the easements."

The tragic drowning of a teenager and a string of rescues from the gulf on Perdido Key in early April prompted county leaders to make changes to safety protocols. Bergosh wants lifeguards stationed on the public beaches.

"As you know, we've had drownings out there, and I'm trying to improve safety out there along with better access for the public," he said. "I think it's a win."

MIRAFLORES PARK

The City of Pensacola has been selected to receive a $22,160 grant from the National Park Service to fund a ground penetrating radar survey at Miraflores Park as part of the Miraflores Burial Ground Study.

"Thank you to the National Park Service for recognizing the importance of this data collection and research to help us better understand the history of Miraflores Park," said Mayor D.C. Reeves. "I look forward to working with the Miraflores Burial Ground Study Community Advisory Group and the entire community to continue learning more about our past so we can plan for the future of Miraflores Park."

This grant award is part of the $21 million awarded by the National Park Service to 37 projects in 16 states through the Historic Preservation Fund's African American Civil Rights grant program, which funds preservation projects and efforts of sites tied to the struggle of African Americans to gain equal rights.

"The National Park Service is proud to award this grant funding to our state and local government, and nonprofit partners to help them recognize places and stories related to the African American experience," said NPS Director Chuck Sams in a news release. "Since 2016, the African American Civil Rights program has provided more than $100 million to document, protect and celebrate the places, people and stories of one of the greatest struggles in American history."

The City of Pensacola and Pensacola Energy conducted preliminary ground penetrating radar data collection at Miraflores Park on Monday, May 22, but the grant funding will be instrumental in the city's ability to conduct a more thorough, controlled GPR survey.

NOT OUR CORNER Last month, the board of Keep Pensacola Beautiful voted to change its name from Our Corner back to Keep Pensacola Beautiful.

KPB CEO Charles Bare said, "We are grateful for all the time and effort the idgroup and partners such as yourself put into our new brand, but ultimately, we felt Keep Pensacola Beautiful better reflected the mission and goals of our organization."

The organization began in 1979 as an effort to combat roadside litter. Bare said, "The efforts of countless volunteers, staff, community leaders and citizens have led to the organization we have inherited. We remain committed to our core mission to work strategically with community partners to educate and advocate, implementing programs that advance our community's environmental quality and beauty, today and for future generations."

Our Corner was developed out of idgroup's Brand on Us campaign, an annual initiative to help local nonprofits improve their marketing and public awareness. Past winners of the Brand on Us process include The Center (Pensacola Cultural Center), Know Child Abuse (Gulf Coast Kid's House), Pensacola Sports and Autism Pensacola.

"In 2012, we affiliated with Keep America Beautiful, and that's why we changed the name to Keep Pensacola Beautiful," Bare said. "There are 48 affiliates of Keep America Beautiful in Florida, and we were the only one not a 'Keep Something Beautiful.' People were scratching their heads across the state; why did we do this?"

He added, "It just felt like the right thing to do, to go back before we got too far into the Our Corner brand."

MINI-GRANTS United Way of West Florida will offer mini-grants for nonprofit organizations in Santa Rosa County and Escambia County this fall. This initiative will provide funding of up to $5,000 to agencies seeking to develop their organizational structure, pursue short-term organization development goals or execute a one-time project.

"We are particularly interested in supporting grassroots agencies making a positive impact on marginalized communities residing in hard-toreach areas with limited resources," said Laura Gilliam, the United Way of West Florida CEO.

To be eligible for consideration, agencies must be registered 501(c)3 organizations focusing on education, health and financial stability services. They must demonstrate financial trustworthiness, maintain an active Board of Directors and operate with an organizational revenue of less than $250,000. The application period for mini-grants opens in July.

"We at United Way and our community investment committee felt it was really important that we designed an opportunity to help support those grassroots agencies in the community doing amazing work in the areas that are hard to reach and have limited resources," said Mary Zaledonis, the United Way's director of community impact. "So this opportunity allows those smaller agencies the ability to request up to $5,000 that would impact their organization in ways that make a difference in what they're doing."

For further information, please get in touch with Mary Zaledonis at mary.zaledonis@uwwf.org.

SALES TAX HOLIDAY Escambia County encourages residents to participate in Florida's 14day Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday on May 27-June 9. The Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday was created to incentivize preparedness before hurricane and tropical storm season.

"This is a reminder that hurricane season is upon us, and we all have the opportunity to take advantage of this program to better prepare us for this upcoming season," said Travis Tompkins, the emergency manager.

Floridians can expect to be able to purchase the following items without paying sales tax:

• Pet leashes, collars and muzzles ($20 or less)

• Paper towels, toilet paper and soap ($30 or less)

• Candles, flashlights, lanterns and pet beds ($40 or less)

• Batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries ($50 or less)

• Radios powered by battery, solar or hand-crank ($50 or less)

• Coolers ($60 or less)

• Smoke detectors ($70 or less)

• Tarps ($100 or less)

• Portable generators ($3000 or less)

For more information, visit floridarevenue. com/disasterprep. {in}

THE FREEDOM TO READ

By Rick Outzen

On Wednesday, May 17, Penguin Random House joined with PEN America, authors and local parents and students to file a federal lawsuit against the Escambia County School District, asserting the school board's removals and restrictions of books from school libraries violate their rights to free speech and equal protection under the law.

"Children in a democracy must not be taught that books are dangerous," said Suzanne Nossel, the PEN America CEO. "The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution."

PEN originally stood for poets, essayists and novelists when Willa Cather, Eugene O'Neill, Robert Frost, Robert Benchley and other writers formed the organization to protect freedom of expression in 1922. The membership has since expanded to encompass a diverse range of people involved with words and freedom of expression.

FIRST OF ITS KIND

The lawsuit brings together authors and the nation's largest publisher whose books have been removed or restricted, with parents and students in the district who cannot access the books in a first-of-its-kind challenge to unlawful censorship.

"Censorship, in the form of book bans like those enacted by Escambia County, is a direct threat to democracy and our constitutional rights," said Nihar Malaviya, the Penguin Random House CEO. "We stand by our authors, their books, and the teachers, librarians and parents who champion free expression."

Ashley Hope Pérez is one of the authors involved in the lawsuit. Her book "Out of Darkness" has been challenged and placed under restricted access while under review. Pérez argued that school libraries should offer "a wide range of literature that reflects varied viewpoints and explores the diversity of human experiences."

"As a former public high school English teacher, I know firsthand how important libraries are," Pérez said in a written statement. "For many young people, if a book isn't in their school library, it might as well not exist."

Plaintiff Lindsay Durtschi has followed the school board's actions for eight months and hasn't liked what she's seen.

"Whether it's viewpoint censorship, which is what I believe is happening on our school board, or it is just a pure violation of our students' First Amendment rights, none of it is legal," she told Inweekly in a phone interview. "None of it is based on any sort of freedom of speech, freedom of parental rights. It's quite the opposite."

Durtschi is a PTA mom, a Mardi Gras krewe member, IMPACT100 member and a Junior League sustaining member. She grew up in Jack-

sonville and is a "proud product of the Duval County Public School system." She moved to Pensacola eight years ago.

"One thing that was never on the docket when I was in school was banning a large portion of books based on viewpoint censorship," Durtschi said. "I would not be the person I am today had I not had the freedom to choose what I wanted to read in my public-school libraries. There was no online when I was a kid, so I would've been severely affected, even though I was a daughter of an educator."

Retired Escambia County teacher Linda Fussell has pushed back against the school board's removal of books. She had two emotions when she heard about the lawsuit: happiness and anger.

"I'm happy because this has finally happened," Fussell said. "And I was angry, because my taxpayer dollars are now going to be spent on fighting a lawsuit about banning books."

She added, "When you're banning books, you're denying students, who have a vested interest in some of those books, the opportunity to read them. We're in America, and we should not do that in America."

THE EPICENTER

Ballard Spahr LLP and Protect Democracy represent the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Protect Democracy counsel Shalini Agarwal spoke with Inweekly.

"Escambia County has been an epicenter of restrictions and removals of books based on disagreement with the ideas in those books, so we think it's important to make a stand where we think a lot of the unlawful conduct is happening," Agarwal said.

She contends that the school board violated the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

"While school officials and school boards do have the power to determine what's age appropriate in their libraries, they cannot remove books based on disagreement with the ideas therein," Agarwal said. "We think the removal that's centered largely on books by and about people of color and about race, racism and LGBTQ+ status, that all of that is indicative of a First Amendment violation."

She continued, "The Equal Protection claim is because of the status of the authors and the characters that they're talking about. It appears to be a pattern and has been cited as one of the reasons for wanting to remove the books, and that is discriminatory."

The initial challenge a lawsuit typically faces is whether the plaintiffs have sufficient standing. Agarwal is confident a judge will allow the case to proceed.

"We have parents who have children who are in the schools who are representing themselves

and representing their kids who want to read the books," she said. "We have authors who have published some of the books that have been removed and restricted, and we have PEN America standing in for a whole bunch of authors it represents, as well as a publisher that publishes many of the books that have been restricted and removed. So we think that we have our bases covered on standing."

BREACH OF PROCESS

Last year, the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing the public to challenge books in public schools. Vicki Baggett, the Language Arts Department chair at Northview High School, took advantage of the law and compiled a list of more than 115 books she said were inappropriate in schools, primarily because of sexual language and graphic drawings she believed violated Florida's obscenity laws.

The fact that one individual has sparked the attacks on school library books in Escambia County isn't lost on PEN America.

"The targeted book removals we are seeing in Escambia County are blatantly unconstitutional attempts to silence and stigmatize," said Nadine Farid Johnson, counsel and Managing Director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression Programs. "The government should not foster censorship by proxy, allowing one person to decide what ideas are out of bounds for all."

In November 2022, the first title from Baggett's list, Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," made it through Escambia's review process, which included community input via online forms and a review committee assessment. The book was deemed appropriate as an elective for high school seniors, but Baggett appealed the decision. The Escambia County School Board agreed with the Northview High teacher and banned the book.

This past February, the school board tossed three more titles, and two board members appeared ready to ditch the review process after listening to hours of public criticism from both sides of the issue.

Holding up a copy of George M. Johnson's "All Boys Aren't Blue," board member Kevin Adams said, "Why don't we get ahead of this thing and remove everything that we know—because I don't want to read another one of these, OK?"

Superintendent Tim Smith countered, "If I were to make that decision, I wouldn't be in compliance with the law."

Ellen Odom, the school district's general counsel, backed Smith, "I believe it is the board's responsibility to make that final decision if the books are already in our library. I would be very wary about going down that road."

Durtschi is shocked the school board overruled the review committee's recommendations that several challenged books had educational value and should be available for students at the appropriate grade levels. The board's personal viewpoints were more important than the analysis done by educators.

"We are basically telling our teachers and media specialists, who went to school for this and, in many cases, have master's degrees, that we don't trust you to choose what's appropriate for our kids," Durtschi said.

Before the school board fired Smith on May 16, the school superintendent recalled the February board discussion, "Mr. Adams, you sat in that chair and led this board through a process to come up with a policy, but you hammered away, 'Oh, the superintendent should pull these books.' Why? Because you don't want to deal with it."

Smith continued, "You get the emails, you get the phone calls, you get the chaos. But yet, it's easy to throw the superintendent under the bus. It's your policy that you led, and you are asking me to violate your policy."

The superintendent asserted board member Paul Fetsko also wanted him to pull books. He said, "Mr. Festko, the other day, I believe you said some laws need to be violated because you said the same thing. You wanted me to pull the books."

Agarwal watched the meeting.

"We were like, 'Wow, this is a really remarkable sort of breach of process,'" Agarwal said. "So really, really something. I haven't seen at a school board anything like that before."

INCUBATOR OF DEMOCRACY

Agarwal hopes similar lawsuits will be filed around the state because the removing and restricting books seems to have been done in a "slap-dash fashion out of a panic about matters related to LGBTQ folks and discussions of race that impoverishes our kids."

"I think the public-school library is an incubator of democracy, frankly, because you have kids go in there to a library, and it's not the curriculum," Agarwal said. "It's not something that they're being required to read by their teacher."

"They can go and explore," Agarwal said. "When kids are unable to either see their own identities reflected or to see other folks and understand differences, that makes it harder for those kids when they become adults and citizens to connect with other citizens and empathize."

"That's a really important factor in making our multiracial and pluralistic democracy work," she added. {in}

For more on the lawsuit, including the entire complaint and information about the books and author plaintiffs, visit pen.org/pen-america-v-escambia-county.

Arts & Entertainment

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

The New Picture Show

By Hunter Morrison

The exhibition features many of the museum's recent acquisitions, highlighting previously unseen work from individual artists. Also on view in "Depth of Field" are works by pioneers, such as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward J. Steichen, Walker Evans, Elliott Erwitt and Vivian Maier. Notable contemporary artists, such as Richard McCabe, Sheila Pinkel, Gesche Würfel and Valerie George, also have works on display.

urbanization, the photograph is unique because it is devoid of any romantic intention. Portrayed in the image is a straightforward, cut-and-dry depiction of a driver watering his horses. "The Terminal" is considered one of the earliest examples of straight photography.

the effects of time, mortality and the fragility of everything under the sun.

"Depth of Field: From the Darkroom to the Digital" is a new exhibition at Pensacola Museum of Art, which highlights more than 20 artists and more than 30 thought-provoking photographs. Showcasing works from the museum's personal collection and the UWF Historic Trust's archives, the exhibit explores the history, science and alchemical nature of photography. It also investigates new technologies within the medium.

"'Depth of Field' expands the definition of photography to include experimentations in camera and film, light as subject, camera-less image making, historical printing processes, photograms, anthotypes, Polaroid transfers, Instax instant printing, digital technologies, altered landscape projections and the use of a scanner as a camera," said Nicholas Croghan, the museum director.

A trailblazer in American photography, Stieglitz was one of the first photographers to make the medium a socially accepted art form. Photographed in 1893, "The Terminal" is regarded as one of the first photographs to document modern urban life. The use of natural elements, such as snow, rain and smoke in much of his work, often unifies and softens the image into an aesthetically pleasing composite.

"This is the earliest photograph we have in our collection, and it is significant, because during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Alfred Stieglitz was one of the first artists to champion and promote the elevation of photography to the status of fine art," Croghan said. "He recognized early on how this revolutionary medium would impact America. 'The Terminal' was taken in New York City with a Folmer and Schwing 4x5 plate film camera, and the scene was photographed on the precipice of a special moment in time when transportation and mobility of self would drastically change one's ability to move around in space."

Though many of Stieglitz's photographs rely heavily on the atmosphere to lessen the blight of

Also featured in "Depth of Field" are the works of numerous contemporary artists, such as Pensacola's Valerie George. Her larger work "ENTROPIC FORCE: Land Art and the Mortal Frame - Self Portraits with 'Double Negative,'" suggests a rethinking of Michael Hiezer's "Double Negative." George's iteration of this piece feminizes his controversially masculine gash in the earth.

"This work engages with the relationship between endangered public art forms, the environment and impermanence," George said. "The piece investigates both the mortality of the earth and the body by visually merging the two."

Her displayed photograph was created using a unique, self-designed setup of equipment and technology in the remote landscape of Moapa Valley, Nevada. To create this image, the process involved illuminating the earth work terrain via two projectors wired into an off-grid battery bank.

"What I love about land art is that a huge part of the experience of the piece is the journey to find it," George said. "'Double Negative' is a 29hour drive from my home. It is on top of a mesa in a desert, and most of the roads are unmarked. There is no electricity, no water and no gas stations. You have to drive (with) everything you need if you intend to stay a while."

"And I did," George added. "That is the beauty of American land art. You can camp there. The outdoor museum never closes."

George hopes that upon viewing her photograph, individuals will be inspired to meditate on

"PMA has done a beautiful job sharing beautifully curated exhibitions that engage and elevate the possibilities of what art can be, and this is no different," George said. "I am grateful to be a part of this exhibition and included in the ranks of the other artists included, some of which are my heroes."

In addition to original photographs, "Depth of Field" also features displays of vintage cameras, glass negatives, tintypes, daguerreotypes and an interactive camera lucida. Croghan believes the pieces on view will build upon and advance the question of what constitutes a photograph through new narratives, unique processes and novel insights.

"Elements that I think will resonate with viewers include an interactive camera lucida which ties the medium of photography back to the science of optics and linear perspective," Croghan said. "Other examples provide a glimpse into the evolution of this wizardly medium and how different types of images are transformed from one state of being into another through chemistry. I hope that people are able to see the original artworks, vintage cameras and specialized equipment as a way to connect with the past and better understand the present." {in}

DEPTH OF FIELD: FROM THE DARKROOM TO THE DIGITAL

WHAT: An exhibition exploring the history, science and alchemical nature of photography

WHEN: On view through Oct. 22 WHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. DETAILS: pensacolamuseum.org

Image Courtesy of Pensacola Museum of Art

SUNDAY'S CHILD "TRUE COLORS" PAR

TY Dance the night away at "True Colors: A Celebration of Pride" 5:30-10 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at Hellcat Hangar, 1008 N. Navy Boulevard. This 21 and older Pride party features a day party and night party, including an art auction, open bar, dinner, drag show and dance party. Tickets can be purchased at sundayschild.org.

PRIDE & PERFECT ALLIES Sip and shop till you drop at an LGBTQ+ makers market, featuring queer artists and makers, hosted by PensaPride starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 10, at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. The event, which will donate proceeds to Sunday's Child, is 18 and older to enter and 21 and older to drink.

PUPS FOR PRIDE PARADE Take your pups on a prideful pub crawl and "pawrade" from Seville Square to Perfect Plain Brewing Co. from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, June 10. The festivities include a Pride costume contest, drag fashion show and more. Pre-registration for the 18 and older event, which is also donating proceeds to Sunday's Child, is required and can be done at wolfgangparkandbrews.com.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION EVENT

JUNE 3 Animal Allies will be at PetSupermarket, 6857 N. 9th Ave. from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 3. Many beautiful cats and kittens will be looking for their FUR-ever homes. If you can't adopt, talk to us about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up-to-date on

SEA TURTLE BABY SHOWER Join the Pensacola Beach Advocates, Island Times, the Santa Rosa Island Authority and the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce for the annual Sea Turtle Baby Shower on June 3 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. The event is free and aims to educate visitors and locals about the nesting habits of sea turtles. Learn the "dos and don'ts" about how we can help nesting sea turtles as they return home to our beaches this nesting season. Learn about water safety, the beach ecosystem and other animals who call the beach their home at this "hands-on" sea turtle baby shower featuring 20 exhibitors. The event is rain or shine.

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. A 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.

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,

May 29-June 3. This visit will coincide with Fiesta

practice their aerial maneuvers during regular practice sessions throughout the year. This oneand-a-half-hour cruise sails on a variety of mornings throughout the year.

FORT PICKENS HISTORY TOUR A familyfriendly tour exploring the historic Fort Pickens. Depart from the Downtown Ferry Landing and cruise over to Ft. Pickens while a National Park Service ranger gives an overview of Pensacola Bay's history. Once we arrive at Ft. Pickens, guests will be taken on a guided tour of the fort. We will then return to the Downtown Ferry Landing.

DOWNTOWN AND FORT PICKENS SUNSET CRUISES Enjoy a Gulf Coast sunset cruise with panoramic views of Pensacola Bay and Fort Pickens National Park. These one-and-a-halfhour cruises offer covered interior and exterior seating, a climate-controlled cabin and onboard restrooms. Sit back, relax and enjoy a cold beverage aboard our clean, and spacious catamaranstyle vessels. Beer, wine, liquor, soft drinks and water are available for purchase.

For more information on all offerings and to book an upcoming experience aboard Pensacola Bay City Ferry, visit pensacolabaycityferry.com.

For more information regarding private charter and special events cruise packages, please visit pensacolabaycityferry.com/private-events/.

ARTS & CULTURE

trolleytracker, call 850-602-9384 and enter the trolley stop number, text SRIA (space) and the trolley stop number to 41411, or scan the QR code posted at each trolley stop with a smartphone.

To see a map of all trolley stop locations, or for more information, go to visitpensacolabeach. com/trolley-information.

PENSACOLA BAY CITY FERRY EXPAND -

PUFFS Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., presents a story about a certain school for wizards. For seven years, a certain boy wizard went to a certain wizard school and conquered evil. This is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs, who also happened to be there. Production dates are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, June 2 and 9, Saturdays, June 3 and 10, and Thursday, June 8; and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, June 4 and 11. Tickets are $8$31. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

NIGHT ON THE TRACKS

ING SERVICE

The Pensacola Bay City Ferry Service is expanding offerings for the summer season. Ferry service operating Friday-Sunday with downtown sunset cruises operating ThursdaySunday evenings; and New Mine Storeroom hours are 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.

Pensacola Bay City Ferry's yearlong offerings and seasonal highlights include: Downtown Pensacola – Fort Pickens – Pensacola Beach Ferry.

Take the ferry between Downtown Pensacola to Fort Pickens to Pensacola Beach. Pensacola Bay City Ferry operates two 149-passenger, catamaran-style vessels, the "Turtle Runner" and "Pelican Perch," each with air-conditioned interior seating, covered exterior seating and restrooms. Imported and domestic beer, wines, soft drinks and water are available for purchase. Bicycle racks and storage areas are also available.

On select trips, National Park Service rangers speak on a variety of subjects, including wildlife and landscapes of the area. This is an all-day pass, so you can board the cruise at any of the landings at their specified departure time.

BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE DEMONSTRATION CRUISES See the famous Blue Angels

The June edition of Night on the Tracks is 4:30 p.m.-midnight Saturday, June 3, starting with a sidewalk parade at 813 E. LaRua St. Enjoy art, music, comedy, food and drinks, with events at locations including 309 Punk House, From the Ground Up Community Garden, Blake Doyle Skate Park, Waterboyz, Doc's Hop Shop, The Handlebar, End of the Line Café and Pensacola MESS Hall. Visit facebook. com/309punkproject for details.

MARGIE SHORTT DANCERS: GOLDEN JUBILEE Performance is 7 p.m. Saturday, June 3 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $20$40. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for tickets.

UNICORN CLUB SUMMER FUN Join the First Unicorn Club Summer Fun and Silent Auction event noon-5 p.m. Saturday, June 3 at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. Live auction with golf packages, vacation packages, camping supplies, etc. Puppies, sweet treats, corn hole, popcorn machine, and giant connect 4 are also part of the fun. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

BEATS AND EATS: JOURNEY TO JUNETEENTH Beats & Eats, a community yard party, will host a celebration of culture and freedom for

a&e happenings

Juneteenth at Seville Square from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 4. There will be food trucks, a vendor marketplace and a DJ Battle. This event is family friendly and free to the public.

FIVE FLAGS DANCE ACADEMY: ISLANDS OF THE WORLD Performance is 2 p.m. Sunday, June 4 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $28-$33. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for tickets.

PAINT WITHOUT NUMBERS IN THE BIERGARTEN Visit Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave., for a sunset painting session with Yvonne 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 7. Purchase tickets in advance. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

MEET THE ARTIST: HALLE CASTILLE Easy Going Gallery is showcasing the art of Halle Castille in a new exhibit "X" running through June. Visit the gallery from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, June 8 at 701 N. V St. for a chance to meet the artist at the reception. Watch the artist talk live on Instagram at @easygoinggallery.

THE TEA PARTY LaBelle Performing Arts cordially invites you to attend its end-of-the-year "Tea Party" 6 p.m. Friday, June 9, at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Join pre-school and elementary students, the award-winning LaBelle Performing Arts Company and students celebrating five, 10 and 15 years of dance, as well as graduating seniors. Tickets are $31-$34 and available at pensacolasaenger.com.

BLAKE DOYLE SKATE PARK GRAND

OPENING PRE-PARTY Join Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox, for a pre-party to celebrate the opening of Blake Doyle Skatepark with live music from John Hart + The Prince Bros 6-10 p.m. Friday, June 9. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony.

PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE 2023-2014

SEASON REVEAL Visit PLT, 400 S. Jefferson St., 2-3 p.m. Saturday, June 10, to meet the directors, renew your flexible or same-seat subscription, and be the first in the know about the next 525,600 minutes at PLT. One lucky attendee will have the chance to win a chair-naming opportunity in the newly renovated theatre. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

INFERNO BURLESQUE Show is 8 p.m. Sat-

urday, June 10, at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $15-$500 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

BLAKE DOYLE SKATEPARK GRAND OPENING Celebrate the grand opening of the Blake Doyle Skatepark, 501 N. Hayne St., with live art, skate demonstrations and music from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, June 10. Visit facebook.com/upwardintuition for details.

NEW PALAFOX MARKET SOUTH AT PLAZA FERDINAND Palafox Market South will include a blend of familiar Palafox Market vendors, along with a new mix of local farmers, artists and craftsmen and women, who will fill up Plaza Ferdinand on the corner of Palafox and Government streets. Shoppers can navigate between the new market and the always-humming original located on north Palafox at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday.

For more information about Palafox Market, visit palafoxmarket.com. For information concerning other downtown events, please visit downtownpensacola.com.

LEBELLE PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS: ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND Performance is 6 p.m. Saturday, June 10 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $31$34 and available at pensacolasaenger.com.

TICKETS ON SALE FOR BEYOND VAN

GOGH Tickets are on sale now for Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. In the interactive experience, guests witness more than 300 iconic masterpieces, including such instantly recognizable classics as "The Starry Night," "Sunflowers" and "Café Terrace at Night," as well as many revealing self-portraits. Beyond Van Gogh is Aug. 5-Sept. 9 at Pensacola Interstate Fair, Building. 6, 6655 Mobile Highway. Prices start at $39.99 for adults and $23.99 for children (ages 5-15), plus ticketing fees. Tickets are on sale at vangoghpensacola.com.

CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open at 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact Taize Sinclair-Santi, show director, 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 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 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 of Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

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

FOOD + DRINKS

CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ Five Sisters' Chef John Huggins is once again offering a selection of Juneteenth features adaptations to honor AfricanAmerican contributions to America's culinary tradition and celebrate Juneteenth. Five Sisters Blues Café will offer special dishes at both lunch and dinner service through Monday, June 19, excluding Sundays, at 421 W. Belmont St. Visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com for menus.

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS: URBAN SOUTH BREWERY The next Atlas Beverage Class is Thursday June 1 with classes at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Cost is $25 and includes tastings and small

plates from Chef Jason Hughes. June class features New Orleans-based Urban South Brewery. Make your reservation by calling (850) 287-0200.

GRAND FIESTA PARADE AT BODACIOUS

Join Bodacious to watch the Grand Fiesta Parade and enjoy food and drinks 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 2 at 407-D. S. Palafox. Visit bodaciousshops.com for details and tickets.

ITALIAN NIGHT & DSSOLVR MINI TAP

TAKEOVER Visit Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox, for a mini tap takeover with Dssolvr Brewery and a celebration of Odd Colony's collab Italian Pilsner 4-10 p.m. Thursday, June 8. Visit facebook.com/ oddcolony for details.

SIR RICHARD'S PUBLIC HOUSE 57TH ANNIVERSARY Sir Richard's Public House will host a Carolina Oyster Roast in June to celebrate the bar's 57th anniversary. 6-8 p.m. Saturday, June 10, at the bar, 2719 E. Cervantes St.

Attendees can purchase orders of oysters in either half or full dozen quantities. Prices and any additional food items will be announced before the event.

Featured drinks will include Wicked Weed beers and a honey jalapeño lemonade. Additional featured drinks and specials may be announced on the official event page on sirrichardslounge. com and the official Facebook event page leading up to the event.

The Nathan Mulkey Group will perform live. There will also be a birthday cake available for attendees to enjoy. More information can be found on sirrichardslounge.com.

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.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

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

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free will astrology

WEEK OF JUNE 1

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): History tells us that Albert Einstein was a brilliant genius. After his death, the brain of the pioneer physicist was saved and studied for years in the hope of analyzing the secrets of why it produced so many great ideas. Science writer Stephen Jay Gould provided a different perspective. He said, "I am less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." I bring this to your attention, Aries, in the hope it will inspire you to pay closer attention to the unsung and underappreciated elements of your own life—both in yourself and the people around you.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): Human life sometimes features sudden reversals of fortune that may seem almost miraculous. A twist in my own destiny is an example. As an adult, I was indigent for 18 years—the most starving artist of all the starving artists I have ever known. Then, in the course of a few months, all the years I had devoted to improving my craft as a writer paid off spectacularly. My horoscope column became widely syndicated, and I began to earn a decent wage. I predict a comparable turn of events for you in the coming months, Taurus—not necessarily in your finances, but in a pivotal area of your life.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): I am weary of gurus who tell us the ego is bad and must be shamed. In my view, we need a strong and healthy ego to fuel our quest for meaning. In that spirit and in accordance with astrological omens, I designate June as "Celebrate Your Ego" month for you Geminis. You have a mandate to unabashedly embrace the beauty of your unique self. I hope you will celebrate and flaunt your special gifts. I hope you will honor your distinctive desires as the treasures they are. You are authorized to brag more than usual.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): One study reveals that British people own a significant amount of clothing they never wear. Other research suggests that the average American woman has more than a hundred items of clothing but considers just 10% of them "wearable." If your relationship to your wardrobe is similar, Cancerian, it's a favorable

We serve the local community by offering gently used merchandise at bargain center prices while generating financial support for the programs of the Ministry Village.

By Rob Brezsny

time to cull unused, unliked and unsuitable stuff. You would also benefit from a comparable approach to other areas of your life. Get rid of possessions, influences and ideas that take up space but serve no important purpose and are no longer aligned with who you really are.

hidden away in a cave or catacomb, but a symbol of a spiritual awakening or an enlightening epiphany. For the purposes of your horoscope, I'm going to focus on the latter interpretation. I suspect you are gearing up for an encounter with a Holy Grail. Be alert. The revelations, insights and breakthroughs could come when you least expect.

ly find a middle ground between telling the brazen truth to those who need to hear it and protecting your precious goals and well-being.

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LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): In July 1969, Leo astronaut Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the moon. But he almost missed his chance. Years earlier, his original application to become part of NASA's space exploration team arrived a week past the deadline. But Armstrong's buddy, Dick Day, who worked at NASA, sneaked it into the pile of applications that had come in time. I foresee the possibility of you receiving comparable assistance, Leo. Tell your friends and allies to be alert for ways they might be able to help you with either straightforward or surreptitious moves.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Great shearwaters are birds that travel a lot, covering 13,000 miles every year. From January to March, they breed in the South Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Africa and South America. Around May, they fly west for a while and then head north, many of them as far as Canada and Greenland. When August comes, they head east to Europe, and later they migrate south along the coast of Africa to return to their breeding grounds. I am tempted to make this globetrotting bird your spirit creature for the next 12 months. You may be more inclined than ever to go on journeys, and I expect you will be well rewarded for your journeys. At the very least, I hope you will enjoy mind-opening voyages in your imagination.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): One of the central myths of Western culture is the Holy Grail. For more than 800 years, storytellers have spun legends about the search for a precious chalice with magical qualities, including the power to heal and offer eternal youth. Sober scholars are more likely to say the Holy Grail isn't an actual physical object

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): June is "Dare to Diminish Your Pain" month for you Scorpios. I hope you will aggressively pursue measures to alleviate discomfort and suffering. To address the physical variety, how about acupuncture or massage? Or supplements like boswellia, turmeric, devil's claw root, white willow bark and omega-3 fatty acids? Other ideas: sunshine, heating pad, warm baths with Epsom salts, restorative sleep and exercise that simulates natural endorphins. Please be equally dynamic in treating your emotional and spiritual pain, dear Scorpio. Spend as much money as you can afford on skillful healers. Solicit the help of empathetic friends. Pray and meditate. Seek out activities that make you laugh.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): A hungry humpback whale can hold more than 15,000 gallons of water in its mouth at once—enough to fill 400 bathtubs. In a funny way, their ability reminds me of you right now. You, too, have a huge capacity for whatever you feel like absorbing and engaging with. But I suggest you choose carefully what you want to absorb and engage with. Be open and receptive to only the most high-quality stuff that will enrich your life and provide a lot of fun. Don't get filled up with trivia, nonsense and dross.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Funny story: A renowned Hollywood movie mogul was overheard at a dinner party regaling an aspiring actor with a long monologue about his achievements. The actor couldn't get in a word edgewise. Finally, the mogul paused and said, "Well, enough about me. What do you think of me?" If I had been in the actor's place, I might have said, "You, sir, are an insufferable, grandiose and boring narcissist who pathologically overestimates your own importance and has zero emotional intelligence." The only downside to speaking my mind like that would be that the mogul might ruin my hopes of having a career in the movie business. In the coming weeks, Capricorn, I hope you will consistent-

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): When faced with important decisions, most of us benefit from calling on all forms of intelligence. Simply consulting our analytical mind is not sufficient. Nor is checking in with only our deep feelings. Even drawing from our spunky intuition alone is not adequate. We are most likely to get practical clarity if we access the guidance of our analytical mind, gut feelings and sparkly intuition. This is always true, but it's extra relevant now. You need to get the full blessing of the synergistic blend. P.S. Ask your body to give you a few hints, too.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Has your intuition been nudging you to revise and refine your sense of home? Have you been reorganizing the domestic vibes and bolstering your stability? I hope so. That's what the cosmic rhythms are inviting you to do. If you have indeed responded to the call, congratulations. Buy yourself a nice homecoming present. But if you have resisted the flow of life's guidance, please take corrective measures. Maybe start by reorganizing the décor and furniture. Clean up festering messes. Say sweet things to your housemates and family members. Manage issues that may restrict your love of home.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Tell a loved one a good secret about them. {in}

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You have a mandate to unabashedly embrace the beauty of your unique self.

Be open and receptive to only the most high-quality stuff that will enrich your life and provide a lot of fun.

EWWWWW! A visitor at Wonderland amusement park in Toronto, Ontario, was filled with more than wonder as he rode the Leviathan roller coaster on May 16, the Toronto Sun reported. Hubert Hsu of Toronto said as his coaster car neared the top of one of the ride's loops, it collided with a bird—possibly a pigeon. "I looked down and saw blood on my hands and my face," Hsu said. "There was a feather on my hand, and feathers on the girl next to me's shirt. It seemed like the coaster car hit the bird and then it sort of exploded on us." Hsu said attendants gave them a roll of industrial brown paper towels, and he ended up washing up in a restroom. "The kids who work in the park seemed like they had no idea what to do, and that might be an issue," he added.

IT'S COME TO THIS Two Louisville, Kentucky, roommates got into a heated dispute at their home on May 20, The Charlotte Observer reported, over an unlikely subject: Hot Pockets. Clifton Williams, 64, was charged with second-degree assault after he allegedly shot the victim. Williams "got mad he ate the last Hot Pocket and began throwing tiles at him," police said. When the victim moved to leave the home, Williams retrieved a firearm and shot the man in the posterior. He remains in the custody of Louisville Metro Corrections.

CLOTHING OPTIONAL After crashing his truck into a Volusia, Florida, utility pole around 2 a.m. on May 21, completely severing it, 39-year-old Kevin Gardner did the obvious thing: He took off all his clothes and started banging on the front door of a home nearby. ClickOrlando reported that when officers arrived at the home, Gardner had injuries on his face and legs. The truck was registered to him, but he said it had been stolen ... and that he'd had seizures and didn't remember anything. A breath test revealed an illegal blood-alcohol content, and Gardner was held on multiple charges.

•In Georgia, residents can now use a digital driver's license, which can be uploaded to Apple Wallet and allows users to leave their IDs in their bag or pocket at TSA checkpoints. But, as United Press International reported, snapping a selfie for the ID comes with a few rules. "Attention, lovely people of the digital era," the Georgia Department of Driver Services posted on its Facebook page on May 23. "Please take pictures with your clothes on when submitting them for your Digital Driver's License and ID. Cheers to technology and keeping things classy!" Put your shirt on.

YOU HAD ONE JOB Residents in Halethorpe, Maryland, are frustrated with the progress of a new bridge on U.S. Route 1, WBAL-TV reported. They've been waiting for months for the bridge to fully open, but a tiny error stands in the way. The bridge crosses over CSX railroad tracks, which require a minimum of 23 feet of vertical clearance, and it was built 1 1/2 inches too short. CSX has halted the remaining construction to complete the bridge, according to a Maryland Department of Transportation engineer. "I understand you get hiccups, but ... this is not a hiccup. This is a mistake. Somebody needs to be held accountable

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and it needs to be taken care of," said resident Desiree Collins. "You have engineers. This should not have happened." The State Highway Administration now estimates completion in late 2023 or early 2024.

THE PASSING PARADE High school seniors in Marlin, Texas, are getting a few extra days of school tacked on, KWTX-TV reported on May 23. The reason: Twenty-eight of the 33 seniors— about 85% —were not eligible to graduate, according to an audit performed by the Marlin Independent School District, because they had failed or neglected to complete a course or they had too many absences. The ceremony, originally scheduled for May 25, will take place sometime in June. "They told us that because of the students that didn't meet the requirements, it wouldn't be fair for only five students to walk the stage," said Alondra Alvarado, who is eligible to graduate. Victoria Banda, whose son did not meet the requirements, said they were given very little notice about the change in plans. They had family "traveling in from Mexico" for the original ceremony—"and if anyone knows, it's not cheap," she said. Administrators hope the extra time will allow the majority of students to meet the state's requirements.

FLORIDA When the Brevard (Florida) Public Schools board met on May 9, the topic of dress codes came up, but it went way beyond hoodies and beachwear, ClickOrlando reported. Vice chair Megan Wright told board members that she has heard concerns about students dressing up as "furries"—people who anthropomorphize animals. District 5 Rep. Katye Campbell weighed in: "I'm not a big fan of the furry movement, but ... if 'ears' means a headband with pointed ears on them, it's a hair accessory. Tails are different, and students meowing and barking at other students—that's not cool. But that's not dress code." Chairman Matt Susin said his daughter is "tired of furries" at school and the subject comes up at least once a month at his dinner table. Leave it to District 3 Rep. Jennifer Jenkins to cut through the kitty litter: "This is not rocket science ... If you don't want tails on kids, just say you don't want tails." She said among middle school students, the new thing is barking and meowing at each other, unrelated to furry costumes: "It's weird, but they're doing it."

•Omar Gutierrez, 32, of Gainesville, Florida, donned a cat costume before plunging a knife into his roommate's neck on May 22, WCJB-TV reported. When the victim asked why he stabbed him, Gutierrez said, "It was instinctual." Police reported that Gutierrez had told the victim a week earlier that he was "not above killing" him; Gutierrez had claimed that the roommate had hurt his cat, although he denied it. Gutierrez was charged with first-degree attempted murder—because, you know, he had to plan the costume. {in}