Inweekly June 9 2022 Issue

MAKE IT POP THINGS TO WATCH, READ & LISTEN TO THIS SUMMER Independent News | June 9, 2022 | Volume 23 | Number 23

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winners & losers

outtakes

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5

news 6

This is family-style.

buzz 8

publisher Rick Outzen editor & creative director Joani Delezen

feature story 11

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

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17, 20 Independent News is published by Inweekly Media, Inc., P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, FL 32591. (850)438-8115. All materials published in Independent News are copyrighted. © 2022 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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MUSICAL THEATRE REVIEW 2018 FRINGE INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL

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BEST MUSICAL “COMPELLING, NOMINEE REMARKABLE, MUSICAL THEATRE REVIEW 2018 COMMANDING” FRINGE INTERNATIONAL

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“COMPELLING, REMARKABLE, “THUNDEROUS COMMANDING” APPLAUSE,

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“THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE, BEAUTIFUL, “ASTOUNDING, INCREDIBLE” STANDING

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June 9, 2022

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winners & losers

Photo Courtesy of Zarzaur Law, P.A.

winners ZARZAUR LAW. P.A. The law firm has part-

nered with the YMCA of Northwest Florida to launch the Zarzaur Law "Zingrays" Swim Team for its inaugural summer 2022 debut. This team will provide a developmental opportunity for swimmers who have basic competence in the water but may not be ready for a competitive school or community team. Under the direction of Bonnie Steffensmeier, Regional Aquatics Director, the 30-member team, made up of youth swimmers 4–18 years old, will practice at the Hunter Pool and plans to participate in four meets this summer. Because of the sponsorship of Zarzaur Law, P.A., the cost to families is just $100 for the summer. The team will also practice and be mentored by members of the Zarzaur Law, P.A. Triathlon "Gavel" team.

BOBBY VAN DEUSEN The local pianist has

won his second world championship in the senior division of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Contest. Every year over Memorial Day weekend in Oxford, Miss., the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest is held for pianists to compete and learn in a stimulating atmosphere and educate people about old-time piano music written before 1940. Contestants are judged on Ragtime, Jazz, Tin Pan Alley and Ballads before the 1940s over a two-day competition.

Over the years, the contest has provided more than $60,000 in prize money to more than 500 piano players. Van Deusen also won the senior division in 2019.

BUBBA & ANGIE WATSON Two-time Mas-

ters Champion Bubba Watson and his wife donated $106,000 to Pensacola's Ronald McDonald House to refurbish and partially rebuild its playground. The playground has a central two-story play structure with multiple slides on pebble flex, a soft, squishy material to absorb any bumps or falls. Since opening in 1984, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida has served as a home-away-from-home for more than 20,000 adults and children. Originally having only six bedrooms, the house has undergone two expansions before opening a brand new 26-bedroom facility in 2010.

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losers GANNETT Across the state of Florida, Gannett

chose not to deliver a print edition for all of its daily newspapers on Memorial Day. Those without print editions included the Pensacola News Journal, Northwest Florida Daily News, Panama City News Herald, St. Augustine Record, Tallahassee Democrat, The Ledger (Lakeland), Daytona Beach News-Journal, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) and Palm Beach Post.

The reason given by the largest newspaper chain in the country was—"In honor of this holiday, this publication is being provided in e-Edition format only." How does going digital-only honor our fallen service members? What's next? Pulling the nationally syndicated columnists and replacing them with local viewpoints? That would never happen.

JOSEPH LADAPO The Orlando Sentinel report-

ed last week that the UCLA supervisor who gave her "enthusiastic support" to Dr. Ladapo when he applied for a professorship at the University of Florida College of Medicine last year also refused to recommend him for surgeon general three months later. Documents recently released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement disclosed that Dr. Carol Mangione praised Ladapo to the university when she recommended him for a UF teaching job but wasn't as supportive when FDLE agents interviewed her as part of Ladapo's background check for his Senate confirmation hearings to become the state's surgeon general. Dr. Mangione told agents, "In my opinion, the people of Florida would be better served by a Surgeon General who grounds his policy decisions and recommendations in the best scientific evidence rather than opinions."

FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY Floridapoli-

tics.com reports that the Democratic political consultants have complained that several races are in danger because campaigns haven't been able to get the critical data needed to target voters. The consultants claim the Florida Democratic Party has not done the proper data vetting before releasing voter information that the candidates need for mailers and phone banks in each district. As a result, campaigns have gotten the wrong voters list for their races. The party said it's a limited problem and is being fixed. inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

Practicing Since 1974 INJURED? (ALL TYPES OF ACCIDENTS)

ARRESTED? (ALL FEDERAL & STATE COURTS)

INEQUITABLE REOPENING Escambia County suffered over 700 deaths due to COVID-19 in 2020. Many were our most vulnerable, adults 65 and older living in assisted-living facilities. But what about working-age Americans?

A study recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that those most likely to die of the virus in the first year of the pandemic were those at the lower end in labor, retail and service jobs that couldn't be done remotely and required prolonged contact with others.

The Miami Herald interviewed Dr. Jason Salemi, an associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health and coauthor of the study. People who had jobs that required them to be onsite—such as restaurant servers and bartenders—had higher death rates.

These workers also had jobs with few benefits, like paid sick leave and medical insurance.

In 2020, Gov. Ron DeSantis aggressively pushed to reopen the state, declaring victory over the virus as early as May 2020 after he modified restrictions on stores and restaurants in most of the state, gradually increasing their capacity over the summer. State officials even loosened rules for bars, letting them qualify as restaurants if they served hot dogs.

Service industry workers contracted COVID-19, and the study shows they died at a higher rate than others in their age group who had access to primary care physicians and could take advantage of personal time off (PTO) without losing a paycheck.

Dr. Salemi told the Miami Herald that the findings gave him two takeaways—essential workers needed more protections during the pandemic, and the relaxation of COVID restrictions and reopening of Florida had inequitable consequences for those in our lowestpaying jobs.

The study involved the analysis of nearly 70,000 death certificates for people ages 25-64 years old who died of COVID-19 in 2020, almost all of which occurred before the first vaccine was authorized in December of that year.

Since death certificates do not always list occupation, researchers used education attainment level, which is listed on all death cerJune 9, 2022

tificates, as a proxy for an individual's socioeconomic position.

The study found that the death rate of those whose education attainment level did not go beyond a high school diploma was five times higher when compared to those with a bachelor's degree or higher. The mortality rate of adults with some college education was two times higher.

Among all adults in the 25-64 age group, those with a high school education or less made up about one-third of the working-age population but accounted for two-thirds of COVID-19 deaths for the same age group in 2020.

COVID-19 positivity rates are climbing again.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Escambia County had 521 new cases for the week through Saturday, June 4—a 43% increase over the previous week. The county's positivity rate is 20.4% for 1,869 tests performed over the period.

Our local hospitals aren't reporting problems. According to the CDC, new admissions of confirmed COVID-19 cases among county residents were 29, up 58% from the previous seven days. CDC doesn't have any data on COVID deaths in Escambia County because the Florida Department of Health no longer publishes that statistic.

Meanwhile, vaccinations have tapered off.

Only 56% of Escambia County's total population has been fully vaccinated. Okaloosa County has 65% fully vaccinated, which is probably due to its high military population. Santa Rosa only has 55% fully vaccinated.

Dr. Salemi said he hoped his research would motivate federal agencies, such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, to promote workplace rules to prevent infectious diseases, like COVID-19, from spreading among workers.

I fear such recommendations will not only be ignored here but that our governor will punish any municipality or employer who tries to implement them. Those who can work from home and have plenty of PTO and medical insurance will cheer DeSantis.

And as before, people will die. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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FOLLOW THE MAROON LINE

Photo Courtesy of City of Pensacola

By Elizabeth Royappa Fifteen years ago, Pensacola commercial broker Michael Carro was on a daddy-daughter trip in Boston walking the city's Freedom Trail, a pedestrian trail through the city that highlights several historical landmarks.

"It's a physical red line on the ground that has over time been converted to brick that meanders through the streets and stops at points of interest," Carro shared with Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen on WCOA 1370AM. "And that's always stuck with me, but you know, when I returned, I went back to my everyday life. But I went back a year ago in June to visit some friends, and then I got completely reacquainted with the freedom trail and said, 'You know what, I'm in a better position today to affect change for Pensacola.'"

He began to work on creating a similar trail here—America's First Settlement Trail (A1S)—a 3-mile path dotted with dozens of historic markers illuminating Pensacola's rich and diverse past.

Carro convinced the city of Pensacola and Visit Pensacola to partner with his nonprofit, A1S Foundation, to make the trail a reality.

On Wednesday, June 1, A1S was unveiled to the public in downtown Plaza Ferdinand with State Rep. Michelle Salzman, Mayor Grover Robinson, several council members, county commissioners, law enforcement representatives, University of West Florida Historic Trust and Visit Pensacola officials in the crowd.

Carro described the enthusiastic support his idea received when he initially shared it with the UWF Historic Trust.

"Preservationist Ross Pristera, the first 66

thing he did was plot all of the points in the downtown area to see if there was an organic trail that formed," said Carro in his remarks at the trail's unveiling. "And I'll be darned if we didn't get this beautiful loop."

The 20 stops represent 72 points of historical interest, including our African American and maritime heritages, as well as colonial archaeological sites. When the trail opens with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 14, the day of Pensacola's 462nd birthday celebration, each stop will feature a QR code leading visitors to a webpage with more information.

"Preservationist Ross Pristera, the first thing he did was plot all of the points in the downtown area to see if there was an organic trail that formed. And I'll be darned if we didn't get this beautiful loop."

Michael Carro "As an organization, we're excited because we know that our residents are very, very proud of our community, and when I sit in on strategic planning sessions, the history of our community is always part of the discussion," said Visit Pensacola CEO Daniel Schaefer at the event. "Heritage tourism has always been important to us but even more so as we see millennials really embracing the cultural aspects, authentic experiences of a destination.

This ties right in with that."

Initially, the path will be a painted maroon

line with large QR code stickers at all 20 stops.

That's just Phase I, however. In upcoming phases that Carro and his team will implement over the course of several years, the painted line will be replaced with inlaid brick supplied locally by Bradley Masonry. Other planned expansions include installing park benches every quarter mile along the path, as well as extra pedestrian crossings as needed and round bronze plaques to replace the stickers.

Carro shared with Inweekly several possible uses for the trail.

"We are working on lesson plans to be in compliance with the Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, which will allow schools to bring their students down for extra credit and things of that nature," he said. "So this opens up the idea for education, not only to tourism, so our local schools will then get to understand our history better—not just the founding story from 1559 but also through the colonialism and the African American trails."

Carro added that down the road, built-in augmented reality along the trail would be included to help visitors visualize scenes and structures from centuries past, like buildings that are no longer standing or a harbor full of tall Spanish ships.

Mayor Robinson also spoke at the Plaza Ferdinand ceremony, expressing his support for the project and previewing A1S expansion plans that his constituents are already asking about.

"This is an exciting way to continue to tell our story and really tell it in an inclusive way across the city of Pensacola," he said. "There's more than one historic district, and we can replicate this work once we learn how to do it a lit-

tle bit better. I've had people from the BelmontDeVilliers area and North Hill call me saying they want their trail."

In his speech at the ceremony, Carro also mentioned these plans for future trails in other historic locations around town.

"What I'm hoping for is that we will have champions in each of those areas who say, 'You know what? I want to adopt that and make it work,'" Carro told the audience. "And what the A1S Trail Foundation will do is help residents understand exactly the cost of each of those additional trails. That way, you can lead the fundraising efforts."

The A1S Trail Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that will fund ongoing trail construction.

The Downtown Pensacola Improvement Board, Visit Pensacola, individual city council members, and several businesses and families have donated over $100,000. So far, it has been a community effort with many donations in the $1,000$2,500 range.

"We're going to go out and get the big guys later, but we wanted to start small," he added in his speech. "I thought it would be best to have a grassroots fundraising effort."

Carro told Inweekly on WCOA that his is a "long-term plan, not a one and done. The foundation will work hand in glove with the city of Pensacola to continue to maintain and grow the trail."

The A1S team predicts that those future phases will cost upwards of $700,000. It's a major undertaking, but supporters agree that boosting tourism while educating the community on Pensacola's history is more than worthwhile. After the event in Plaza Ferdinand, Inweekly asked Pristera to name which sites he, as a preservationist, was most excited for visitors to discover.

"When you go through the Pensacola Historic District, you see some of the oldest houses in Pensacola, then St. Michael's Cemetery," he said.

"And when you start getting into the urban core, you learn about all the fires and businesses that happened, how the city really developed. And you get up to Fort George, which I don't think many people realize is there."

Carro believes the trail will help businesses along the route, telling the Plaza Ferdinand crowd that they had better buckle up. He said, "I think your business is about to go up. Over the next three years, I predict the trail will be one of the top three tourist destinations in Pensacola."

Escambia County Commission Chair Jeff Bergosh agreed. He said, "It's good for the tourists, it's good for tourism, but it's also good for those of us that live here. And I think, importantly, it's good for the next generation coming up. If you don't know your history, you're doomed to repeat it."

Businesses who make a $2,500 donation to the A1S foundation and families who donate $1,000 before the end of June will be made founding members. For information about how to get involved and contribute financially, email mcarro@svn.com. {in} inweekly.net

June 9, 2022

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BEACH TRAFFIC District 4 County Commissioner Robert Bender told Inweekly that Pensacola Beach had a "huge weekend" for Memorial Day. He said, "For Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, we had 83,521 cars. Three of those days—Friday, Saturday, Sunday—were 20,000-plus car days."

Last year, Escambia County's traffic count numbers showed that 74,023 vehicles crossed the Bob Sikes toll bridge between Friday and Monday.

In 2019, before the pandemic, 78,260 vehicles crossed the bridge during the same timeframe.

The beach is consistently reaching 21,500 and 22,000 cars. Bender said, "On Saturday (May 28), we have a second-place finisher with 22,808 cars that came through on Saturday, which was great."

The record for the busiest day is 22,909 vehicles set this year on Saturday, May 7, which beat out the previous high of 22,555 set in 2017.

"I know Gulf Breeze put out that we were starting to queue a little bit on Highway 98, but within 30 minutes, we had cleared that," said Bender. "An hour later, if you came out to the beach, you wouldn't hit traffic until you got onto the Bob Sykes Bridge."

The commissioner shared that staff is now focused on getting cars off the beach smoothly, not backing up on Via de Luna and Fort Pickens in the afternoons.

ECP MOVES A leading provider of emergency

medicine and emergency department management services for hospitals across the nation, Emergency Care Partners celebrated the opening of its national headquarters with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 2, in downtown Pensacola. ECP moved into the fourth floor of the historic Thiesen Building on South Palafox Street in late April after previously operating on the second floor of Jaco's Bayfront Bar and Grille.

"I've always been part of businesses that have been downtown," said CEO Bill Yarbrough. He previously served as executive vice president at Envision Physician Services and as CEO for a division of EmCare and Envision. "The core of our group here is a really talented bunch of people who specialize in the emergency management side. I'm excited about the prospects of being in Pensacola."

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Founded in 2018, ECP services about one million patient visits annually at sites in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. ECP operates with a clinical workforce of 700-plus physicians and mid-level providers.

The company provides a structure that allows emergency medical groups to retain their name, operational identity and leadership teams while gaining access to needed resources and support.

Services provided by ECP include support for revenue cycle, financial and operational reporting, recruiting, training, compliance, contracting, scheduling and payroll. ECP also provides its affiliated medical groups with access to its proprietary analytics platform. The platform interfaces in real-time with IT platforms at hospitals to track and report daily key performance indicators in their emergency rooms. The analytics are used for quality service and a consistent experience for each patient.

"About a third of the emergency rooms, or departments, as we call them, are run by physicians in a private group, and those physicians are underserved dealing with insurance agencies, training, recruiting and so on," Yarbrough said. "We wanted to support those groups through this partnership … We're really the only group or entity out there doing this."

Yarbrough said ECP has grown over 100% more than expected since its inception. The provider partners with some of the largest emergency departments in the country, including Progressive Emergency Physicians on Long Island and Professional Emergency Physician Associates in Baton Rouge, La. ECP managed that growth amidst the challenges presented by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Yarbrough credited the staff for providing the best care possible at its sites.

Future plans for ECP include expanding the number of staff positions at its Pensacola headquarters and continuing to expand its reach across the country.

"There are 1,000 emergency groups privately held that are ideal to join the partnership," Yarbrough said. "We've just scratched the surface.

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES In response to the senseless massacre of 19 young children and two

adults at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, a March For Our Lives rally will be held to end gun violence in downtown Pensacola at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 11. Local activists and students will gather for a "sibling march" as part of the March For Our Lives Movement. There will be inspirational speakers, including students, teachers, doctors and gun violence survivors.

The march is one of more than 400 events around the country, led by students and survivors of gun violence in big and small communities. Led by co-organizers Alby Clendennin, a University of West Florida senior, and Taran Black, a young mental health professional, the Pensacola march is not aimed at taking away guns but ending gun violence. This National Day of Action will call on lawmakers to make students' lives and safety a priority and to pass commonsense gun safety legislation.

"Gun safety is such a critical issue because I want to feel safe on my college campus, or really anywhere," said Clendennin. "Mass shootings have occurred at churches, concerts, nightclubs and movie theaters. A mass shooting can happen anywhere in any town. This must change."

Black believes that a peaceful rally will bring the community together while promoting gun safety. He added, "This march is not meant to polarize people but bring us together to promote public safety and sensible gun legislation."

CHARTER REVIEW UPDATE Time continues to tick as the Pensacola Charter Review Commission finds itself in a time crunch to finish its report.

The report with its recommended charter changes is due to the Pensacola City Council by the end of June. The commission made some decisions at its meeting last night.

Former Mayor Mike Wiggins serves on the commission. He appeared on Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen's morning show on WCOA 1370AM the day after the commission's meeting on June 1, saying the group had "made some headway."

The commission did agree to recommend moving the start date up for the next charter review. This group began meeting in January and only had six months to complete its work.

The recommendation is for future commissions to start a year earlier. Wiggins explained, "If you go 10 years from now, you would meet in January 2032, which would put that future commission in the same time crunch we're in now. So we are changing that to you can start meeting in January 2031."

The commission unanimously voted to recommend reducing the number of consecutive terms that the mayor can serve from three (12 years) to two (eight years). Council members can continue to serve for three successive terms.

The council's power to inquire and investigate municipal departments will stay the same. Wiggins said that keeping this section of the charter review is important.

"A lot of people will say that this form of government has a very weak council with not a lot of responsibilities," the former mayor said. "With the council being able to do investigations and also in

charge of the budget, I think that kind of translates to a relatively strong council."

The commission did vote to modify the mayor's power when terminating a department head.

The 2010 charter allowed the mayor to fire his leadership team and any city employee. Wiggins disagreed with the majority.

"The commission added that the department head may appeal such action to the city council," Wiggins said. "I thought we should have left it like it was, where the mayor, because of the mayorcouncil government, should be able to discharge a department head."

The charter review commission is set for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15. Wiggins knows what he would like his fellow members to discuss.

"One of my favorite topics is filing fees and petitions," he shared. "I think both are too high, way too high. I've got some suggestions insofar as how to reduce that a little bit."

In their next and final meeting, the Charter Review Commission is scheduled to discuss the citizens' right to petitions and the rules for the redistricting commission and future charter commissions. Wiggins also would like the commission to look at the code of ethics for the city council.

He said, "It's in the charter now. I think we need to maybe add a little bit to it."

Once the charter review is delivered, the city council will decide whether to include proposed amendments on a ballot without any changes, revise them and include the modified amendments on a ballot, or send them back to the commission for further review. Amendments may be included on the ballot during the November general election as a single question, individual questions or any combination of either.

Wiggins said, "On July 21 is the first reading of the ballot amendment ordinance. And then in August, the council has got to deliver the ballot information to the Supervisor of Elections."

Will they have a final commission report completed at the June 15 meeting? Wiggins said, "We've got to get that done in our next meeting, no question about it. It's a real-time crunch, but I do think we're going to make it."

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS The Gulf Winds Cares Foundation provided $20,000 in scholarships to four graduating high school seniors— Jenna Banta, Malik Cooper, Will Rollin and Paige Sindelar. Each was awarded $5,000 to further their education at a higher learning institution.

Gulf Winds received over 40 applications for the scholarship program, designed to support students entering their first year of higher education. Eligible applicants are Gulf Winds Credit Union members or the children or grandchildren of members. Applications are reviewed by a committee consisting of Credit Union employees that evaluate each applicant's academic achievements, community involvement, personal essay, letters of recommendation and financial need.

"Our four scholarship recipients distinguished themselves academically and exemplify Gulf Winds' commitment to family and community," inweekly.net

said Kurt Stenerson, the Gulf Winds Cares Foundation president. "We are proud to support the next step in their academic and life journey."

Since 2007, Gulf Winds has provided $222,500 in scholarships to 61 first-year continuing education students. The Gulf Winds scholarships are named to honor pioneer members of the Credit Union for their dedicated service to its members.

In memory of these important leaders, scholarships are established in the names of Rufus Caton, Louis Lambert, Lola Stephens and Al Evans Jr. The Escambia County scholarship winner is Tate High School graduate Jenna Banta. She is enrolled at the University of West Florida to study Medical Lab Sciences. Banta was student council vice president and a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, the Tate High soccer team, English Honor Society and Showband of the South. She has volunteered with Miracle League, Special Olympics and band camp.

PLAYING CARNEGIE HALL The Pensacola

Children's Chorus (PCC) will perform for a soldout audience at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Monday, June 13.

"This is an astounding achievement for PCC and Pensacola," says Alex Gartner, artistic and executive director and Inweekly Rising Star. "It honors decades of musical excellence occurring right here in our community. I am humbled and excited to accept this invitation, but our singers' excitement is remarkable."

PCC's invitation was extended by Manhattan Concert Productions, a premiere operator of choral performances at Carnegie Hall. This invite-only opportunity will also feature elite youth choirs from Illinois, Ohio, California, South Carolina, Missouri and New York State.

"Over the years, we've built up a really strong performance arsenal and have had great performances with organizations that feature choirs like ours, and just as we kept doing it and building this resume, people started to take notice," Gartner told Inweekly. "We got a phone call inviting us to do this very special performance. We are one of six choirs across the United States to be invited."

He added, "And we just got off one of our rehearsals last night, and the kids sound incredible. It's going to be a really kick-butt performance.

We're really excited about it."

The performance will feature the world premiere of a new composition written by Gartner called "The Persistence of Song," which features the text of longtime writer for the New Yorker magazine Howard Moss. This premiere marks Gartner's third appearance in the illustrious hall.

The Pensacola Children's Chorus invites its Northwest Florida community to enjoy an informal send-off performance at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, in Pleitz Chapel on the campus of First Baptist Church, 500 N. Palafox. The concert is free, but donations to help offset travel costs are appreciated.

TIPPIN PARK TOWN HALL The City of Pensacola will host a public input meeting to discuss June 9, 2022

proposed improvements to Tippin Park at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, at Tippin Park, 6600 Tippin Ave. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting to provide input and discuss their priorities for the future of Tippin Park.

For more information, contact Engineering and Construction Services at (850) 435-1645. For more information about city parks, playgrounds and locations, visit playpensacola.com.

TRUSTED. EXPERIENCED. COMMITTED.

JOB FAIR Lakeview Center, FamiliesFirst

Network and Global Connections to Employment will host a job fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15, at the Lakeview Activity Center, 1110 W. Lakeview Ave. Onsite interviews, pre-screenings and information about specific job openings will be available.

Attendees are asked to please bring their resume, a list of references, their social security card and valid photo identification.

Available positions include Behavioral Health Services—counselors, nurses (RN and LPN), behavioral health technicians and case managers; FamiliesFirst Network—child welfare case managers, family support worker, adoption coordinator and unit manager; and Global Connections to Employment—custodial, facilities maintenance, food service and groundskeeper positions.

Lakeview's benefits package includes medical, dental and vision plans, as well as retirement savings accounts. The organization works to remove barriers as service men and women transition into civilian life, with targeted employment navigators and an employee resource group dedicated to the workplace experience of veterans. All available job openings can be found at elakeviewcenter.org/jobs. For questions, email LCIRecruitmentServices@bhcpns.org.

PITCH, HIT AND RUN Blue Wahoos Stadium will host a Pitch, Hit and Run competition from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 11, as the Blue Wahoos join Major and Minor League Baseball in celebrating PLAY BALL Weekend. The competition is free for children ages 14 and under.

Participating youth athletes will participate in a 90-foot sprint, a pitching challenge and a hitting challenge. Both baseball and softball players are eligible to compete. Winning athletes will be declared in both baseball and softball based on age groups (under 7, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14), and top competitors will have the opportunity to compete in a regional Pitch, Hit and Run competition at a later date.

Athletes should bring their glove and bat.

Rubber cleats or tennis shoes are permissible on the field. The first 200 youth athletes to register will also receive a free bat and ball set courtesy of Franklin. In addition, all registrants will receive a free subscription to mlb.tv and milb.tv, allowing them to stream Major and Minor League Baseball games throughout the season.

All athletes must be registered in advance to compete. Registration is free and can be completed through bluewahoos.com or pensacolabluewahoos.leagueapps.com. {in}

“

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MAKE IT POP THINGS TO WATCH, READ & LISTEN TO THIS SUMMER

BY JOANI DELEZEN, JOSHUA ENCINIAS & GRAYSON KEGLOVIC June 9, 2022

11

BIG SCREEN TIME Wales who creates an artificial robot from spare parts and a washing machine. The movie explores friendship and family in what sounds like a new take on "Lars and the Real Girl."

LIGHTYEAR

Oh, god. "Toy Story 5"? Not quite, but close. Remember in the first movie when Buzz thinks he's a real space commander? "Lightyear" is about his adventures in space. It looks pretty bland to us but may be fun for a matinee if you have kids to keep busy.

THE BLACK PHONE

Ethan Hawke follows up his role as the baddie in "Moon Knight" in this horror flick. He plays a kidnapper who gets more than he bargains for when the spirits of his victims help his new prey.

ELVIS

JUNE 10

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION

The dinos are back for the last time—allegedly.

The end of the "Jurassic" series sees the return of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum for one more round of rompin' and stompin'.

JUNE 17

BRIAN AND CHARLES

MINIONS: RISE OF GRU

Even if you've never seen a movie in the Minions universe (guilty), you know this is going to be a must-see for a lot of people this season. And the soundtrack looks like it's going to be a hit, too. It's produced by Jack Antonoff and features tons of amazing artists doing '70s funk and soul covers, including Dianna Ross, Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent and Brittany Howard.

JULY 8

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

JUNE 24

'Tis the season for sequels, superheroes and super-cute shells with shoes. Here's the best of what's coming to the theaters this summer.

JULY 1

Remember when Baz Luhrmann made the "The Great Gatsby" look and sound impossibly cool in 2013? This summer, he's doing that again with an Elvis biopic starring Austin Butler and a soundtrack featuring remixes by artists like Doja Cat, Kacey Musgraves and Tame Impala.

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON

"Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence." That's how A24 describes this movie, and honestly, it makes total sense once you see the trailer.

In this comedy, Brian is a lonely inventor in rural

Did you see Thor stripped naked in the trailer for "Thor: Love and Thunder"? That alone might be worth the price of admission, but we're betting it's pixelated in the movie.

JULY 15

MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS

Mrs. Harris is an everyday British housekeeper who dreams of owning a Dior gown. Her journey takes her to Paris to find her gown in what looks like a whimsical time at the movies.

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

We didn't read the book this movie is based on.

But we know that the film's trailer featured a new original song from Taylor Swift called "Carolina," and that alone put it on our radar.

JULY 22 NOPE

If you've been to the movies at all this spring, you've seen the incredibly loud trailer for Jordan

Peele's new movie "Nope." Little is known about the story, but it stars Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya, and that's more than enough for us.

AUG. 5

BULLET TRAIN

This American neo-noir could be all style and no substance. Or maybe we'll get lucky and it will give us a little of both. We really hope it's the latter because Brad Pitt kicking ass on a train looks fun.

BODIES BODIES BODIES

Fear not, Pete Davidson fans. He might have left SNL, but it looks like he's going to stay booked and busy, at least for a while, starting with this slashercomedy set during a hurricane party gone awry.

EASTER SUNDAY

Unfortunately, "Easter Sunday" was bumped from coming to theaters around Easter because of the pandemic. The movie stars comedian Jo Koy as a man visiting his Filipino American family for one riotous Easter.

AUG. 19 BEAST

Idris Elba fights a lion. What more do you want from a movie?

AUG. 26

THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING

Oh, you want to see Idris Elba play a genie, too?

You're in luck because he stars as one in this surreal drama co-starring Tilda Swinton.

SMALL SCREEN GEMS er, a down-on-his-luck basketball scout (Adam Sandler) brings the phenom to the United States without his team's approval. Against the odds, they have one shot to prove they have what it takes to make it in the NBA.

MAD GOD Because we all know great movies aren't limited to theatrical releases anymore.

FIRE ISLAND

Streaming now on Hulu "Fire Island" is a gay adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice" set at the famous gay mecca off Long Island, N.Y. It's the first major Hollywood film with a cast of all-gay actors, and it's honestly one of the best and raunchiest romcoms we've seen in years.

HUSTLE

Streaming now on Netflix After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime play212 1

Streaming June 16 on Shudder You may not know filmmaker Phil Tippett's name, but you've seen his pioneering effects in "Jurassic Park," "Robocop" and the original "Star Wars" films. This summer, Tippett releases "Mad God," which is an experimental animated film set in a world of monsters, mad scientists and war pigs. It took 30 years to complete, and the combination of live-action, stop-motion and miniatures was worth the wait.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE Streaming June 17 on Hulu Nancy Stokes (played by two-time Academy Award winner Emma Thompson) experiences a post-marital sexual awakening with a hot young sex worker named Leo Grande (played by new-

comer Daryl McCormack). Together, they find a genuine human connection (and have incredible sex, of course).

CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH

Streaming June 17 on Apple TV+ Dakota Johnson stars in "Cha Cha Real Smooth," which some are already calling one of the year's best movies. The story follows Andrew (Cooper Raiff), a bat mitzvah party planner who befriends a local mom, Domino (Johnson), and her daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). Their blossoming friendship helps Andrew discover the future he wants, although it's not the one he has in mind.

THE GRAY MAN

In theaters July 15, streaming July 22 on Netflix When the CIA's most skilled mercenary—whose true identity is known to none—accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets, a global manhunt follows. And Netflix really took the "manhunt" bit literally—because this flick stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Regé-Jean Page.

ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE

Streaming July 22 on Amazon Prime Actor Billy Porter, of Broadway and "Pose" fame, directed his first movie, and it's a trans coming-of-age comedy. Porter describes the movie as an aspirational "fairytale" about Kelsa (Eva Reign)—a trans high school senior who navigates young love with her crush Khal (Abubakr Ali).

HOUSE PARTY

Streaming July 28 on HBO Max The original '90s classic is getting a small screen remake, and honestly, we'd be kind of nervous about it if LeBron James wasn't on board as a producer.

NOT OKAY

Streaming July 29 on Hulu Zoey Deutch and Dylan O'Brien star in this satirical comedy about what happens when real life and social media life collide.

inweekly.net

WATCH OUT ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

Hulu, June 28 If you told us in early 2021 that our favorite TV trio would soon be Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short, we wouldn't have believed you. But it's so true, and we're so happy Mable, Oliver and Charles will be back on our screens soon.

FREE CONCERT SERIES TUESDAYS 7  9 PM | GULFSIDE PAVILION

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STRANGER THINGS SEASON 4, VOL. 2

If your streaming habits are anything like ours, you've already watched Season 2 of "Hacks."

Twice. But don't worry—there's more good TV coming this season to keep you entertained.

AIRING NOW / CURRENTLY STREAMING THE BOYS

Amazon Prime The satirical superhero hit is back for Season 3 with eight action-packed episodes and at least one A-lister cameo.

P-VALLEY

Starz This show, set at a strip club in Mississippi called The Pynk, is so damn good it justifies a Starz subscription on its own. Trust us.

QUEER AS FOLK

Peacock The reboots just keep coming. This one is set in New Orleans and features Kim Cattrall and Juliette Lewis as moms (which probably only matters to you if it makes you feel old—like it did us).

The first episode's plot centers around a mass shooting, similar to the one that happened at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. So consider this a gentle warning if you aren't up for that right now.

COMING SOON LOVE, VICTOR

Hulu and Disney+, June 15 In the third, and sadly final, season of this sweet little show, Victor gets ready to graduate and does some serious self-discovery and soul-searching along the way.

Netflix, July 1 By now, you already know that Netflix is delivering the new season of "Stranger Things" in two parts.

Thankfully, they aren't going to make us wait too long for the last two episodes, though. And we're hearing Episode 9 is basically a movie, clocking in at over two hours, so that almost makes up for the waiting game. Almost.

Touch of Gray | June 14 Classic Rock

EVERYTHING'S TRASH

July 13, Freeform Of course, Phoebe Robinson is writing, producing and starring in this new show. It's based on her collection of essays, "Everything's Trash, But It's Okay," so how could she not? And of course, we already love it, even though we haven't seen a single frame, because we love Phoebe Robinson.

GROWN-ISH

July 20, Freeform If you thought Zoey graduating was going to end "Grown-ish," you thought wrong. In Season 5, her brother Andre, aka Junior, enrolls at Cal U as a freshman.

Elvis Remembered | June 21 Elvis Tribute

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RESERVATION DOGS

Hulu, Aug. 2 We honestly thought the wait might be a little longer, but we're thrilled the second season of this award-winning show is coming later this summer. We're even more thrilled that all four of the younger main actors—Devery Jacobs, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Paulina Alexis and Lane Factor—will be reprising their roles.

NEVER HAVE I EVER

Netflix, Aug. 12 Season 2 ended with a surprising last-minute "W" for Team Paxton. But we're holding out hope for a Team Ben comeback in Season 3. We also want more screen time for Fabiola Torres because she's the actual best.

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY

Amazon Prime, June 17 We know the title is a little cringy, but it's based on a book by Jenny Han with the same name, so we're on board. She is the one who gave us all Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky, after all.

MONEY HEIST: KOREA – JOINT ECONOMIC AREA

Netflix, June 24 This series is a Korean remake of the Spanish hit, and it features a stellar cast, including Park Haesoo from "Squid Game."

June 9, 2022

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FOR THE RECORDS Joey Bada$$ "2000" Mt. Joy "Orange Blood" Hercules and Love Affair "In Amber" Nick Cave "Seven Psalms"

JUNE 24

Harry Styles already released an album that set this season's standards high. But we think his best friend Lizzo might give him some competition for that record-of-the-summer title when she drops "Special" next month.

JUNE 10

BTS "Proof" Vance Joy "In Our Own Sweet Time" Neneh Cherry "The Versions"

JUNE 17

Perfume Genius "Ugly Season"

of Montreal "Freewave Lucifer f<ck f^ck f>ck" King Princess "Hold On Baby"

AUG. 5

Lauv "All 4 Nothing"

Conan Gray "Superache" Muna "Muna" Soccer Mommy "Sometimes, Forever" Jessica Boudreaux "I Think My Heart Loves to Break" Regina Spektor "Home, before and after" Lupe Fiasco "Drill Music in Zion"

AUG. 12

JULY 1

Julia Jacklin "Pre Pleasure"

"Minions: Rise of Gru" (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

JULY 15

Lizzo "Special" Noah Cyrus "The Hardest Part" Interpol "The Other Side of Make-Believe"

JULY 22

ODESZA "The Last Goodbye" Jack White "Entering Heaven Alive" Ty Segall "Hello, Hi"

JULY 29

Maggie Rogers "Surrender"

Danger Mouse and Black Thought "Cheat Codes"

AUG. 19

Hot Chip "Freakout/Release" Demi Lovato "HOLY FVCK"

AUG. 26

TBA (because "official" release dates aren't

everyone's style) Calvin Harris "Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2" Danny Brown "Quaranta" Aaliyah "Unstoppable" Saweetie "Pretty Bitch Music" SZA Cardi B Normani Chloe Bailey (debut solo album) Taylor Swift (the next "Taylor's Version" re-issue) Beyoncé (if you stay ready, you don't ever have to get ready—an unofficial Beyhive motto)

SHOWOFFS It's summertime, and here at Inweekly, we're firm believers that musicians shouldn't be the only ones going on road trips in the name of live music. Here's a roundup of some of this season's best tours.

KENDRICK LAMAR

FATHER JOHN MISTY

JACK WHITE

BAD BUNNY

TEYANA TAYLOR

THE BLACK KEYS

COLDPLAY

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

THE SHINS

BON IVER

THE WEEKND

LADY GAGA

Closest Stop: June 11 in Atlanta Closest Stop: June 24 in Nashville

Closest Stop: July 29 in New Orleans Closest Stop: Aug. 9 in Atlanta Closest Stop: Aug. 10 in Atlanta Closest Stop: Aug. 11 in Atlanta

Closest Stop: Aug. 13 in New Orleans Closest Stop: Aug. 13 in New Orleans

Closest Stop: Aug. 27 in Huntsville, Ala. Closest Stop: Aug. 28 in Huntsville, Ala.

Closest Stop: Aug. 16 in Atlanta Closest Stop: Aug. 26 in Atlanta

FEELING FESTIVE If a long weekend of song sounds like your kind of vacation, here's the best of what's left on the summer music festival calendar.

Headliners: Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Wu-Tang Clan Details: summerfest.com

GOVERNORS BALL

ESSENCE FESTIVAL

June 10-12, New York City Headliners: Halsey, Kid Cudi, J. Cole Details: governorsballmusicfestival.com

BONNAROO

June 16-19, Manchester, Tenn.

Headliners: The Chicks, Flume, Stevie Nicks Details: bonnaroo.com

SUMMERFEST

June 23-25, June 30-July 2, July 7-9, Milwaukee 414 1

ROLLING LOUD MIAMI

July 22-24, Miami Headliners: Ye, Future, Kendrick Lamar Details: rollingloud.com

OUTSIDE LANDS

June 30-July 3, New Orleans Headliners: Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson, New Edition Details: essence.com

LOLLAPALOOZA

July 28-31, Chicago Headliners: Metallica, Dua Lipa, Green Day Details: lollapalooza.com

Aug. 5-7, San Francisco Headliners: Green Day, Post Malone, SZA, Phoebe Bridgers Details: sfoutsidelands.com

PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL

MO POP

DAY IN DAY OUT

July 15-17, Chicago Headliners: Mitski, The Roots, The National, Japanese Breakfast Details: pitchforkmusicfestival.com

July 30-31, Detroit Headliners: Big Sean, Glass Animals, Jhené Aiko, Dominic Fike Details: mopopfestival.com

Aug. 12-14, Seattle Headliners: Mac DeMarco, Mitski, Soccer Mommy, Japanese Breakfast Details: dayindayoutfest.com inweekly.net

SUMMER STORIES Oprah. What more could you possibly need to convince you to pick it up?

BE MY BABY: A MEMOIR

By Ronnie Spector with Vince Waldron Everyone knows Ronnie Spector's voice. Thanks to this new memoir, we finally get to hear her story, too, told her way.

RAINBOW RAINBOW

By Lydia Conklin This collection of stories is full of queer, trans and gender-nonconforming characters. We were hooked from the very first piece, which is about a lesbian couple living in Wyoming and trying to have a baby.

You probably already have a pretty sizable TBR pile. We certainly do.

But summer just isn't summer without at least one fresh beach read. So here are a few new and upcoming titles to add to your stack (or at least your bookshop.org wish list).

CULT CLASSIC

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY

PATRIARCHY BLUES: REFLECTIONS ON MANHOOD

By Akwaeke Emezi Michael B. Jordan's production company bought the rights to this novel before it was even published. It was also named a 'Most Anticipated Book' of 2022 by just about everyone, including

By Sloane Crosley This novel is about a woman who starts running into her ex-boyfriends. Repeatedly. Like over and over again. Some people might not call this a horror story, but we sure do.

By Frederick Joseph In this collection, which includes essays, poems and short reflections, Joseph examines toxic masculinity and how it impacts men of color specifically.

ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING

By Lisa Hsiao Chen This novel is all about the passage of time and how we fill it. It's quiet, yet beautiful, and anyone who's ever cared for a sick loved one will find it heartbreakingly relatable.

HURRICANE GIRL

By Marcy Dermansky Release Date: June 14 This one might hit a little too close to home for some of you. It's a novel about a Category 3 hurricane and a woman living in the aftermath of losing her beach house to it.

MEET ME BY THE FOUNTAIN: AN INSIDE HISTORY OF THE MALL

By Alexandra Lange Release Date: June 14 We can't lie—malls being studied as "cultural history" makes us feel fucking ancient. But this book is deeply researched and fascinating in its attention to detail. And hey, at least we still have a mall for you to hit it up when it gives you nostalgic food court cravings.

LAPVONA

By Ottessa Moshfegh Release Date: June 21 We aren't exactly sure what to expect with this one—the cover and basic plot summaries are

kind of all over the place. But we love Moshfegh's other novels, so we're excited to go medieval with her for this one.

THE LAST WHITE MAN

By Mohsin Hamid Release Date: Aug. 2 In this novel, a white man wakes up with darker skin. One early review, from Oprah Daily, said it "reimagines Kafka's iconic 'The Metamorphosis' for our racially charged era."

PERISH

By LaToya Watkins Release Date: Aug. 23 "Perish" is a debut novel about a Black family in Texas coming together to say goodbye to their matriarch. The author also has a story collection slated for a 2023 release, both with Phoebe Robinson's imprint Tiny Rep Books.

DIDN'T NOBODY GIVE A SHIT WHAT HAPPENED TO CARLOTTA

By James Hannaham Release Date: Aug. 30 Hannaham is a PEN/Faulkner Award winner, and in his upcoming novel, he tells the story of Carlotta Mercedes—an Afro-Latinx trans woman reentering society after 20 years in a men's prison. {in}

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WEEK OF JUNE 9-15

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

The Journey to Juneteenth

By C. Scott Satterwhite

this is that it really centers on the DJs. So this is the DJs contribution to Juneteenth.

Hale Morrissette / Courtesy Photo

Hale Morrissette, aka DJ Hale, is someone who needs little introduction in Pensacola. Not only is Morrissette a regional organizer with Dream Defenders, but she is also a prominent local DJ, playing multiple gigs just about every week. As a member of the regional Ahead of the Game DJ coalition, Morrissette is hosting one of Pensacola's premier events with the Journey to Juneteenth organization this weekend in advance of the holiday.

In this interview, we talk about that event, which is called "Beats and Eats," and the legacy-building that's at the root of Juneteenth.

INWEEKLY: First, tell us about the Journey to Juneteenth organization and your event, "Beats and Eats."

MORRISSETTE: Journey to Juneteenth started on May 20, for Emancipation Day here in Florida.

The first event was at Truth for Youth.

INWEEKLY: That's Reverend Powell's organization in Belmont-DeVilliers, right?

MORRISSETTE: Yeah, with Reverend Powell.

They kicked it off so that every week, up until June 19, there will be some sort of event that will happen in the city. So coming up on Saturday, June 11, is the one that I'm in charge of, and it's called "Beats and Eats." It's a yard party. That's what I'm gonna call it—a yard party.

INWEEKLY: So what does a yard party look like to you, Hale?

MORRISSETTE: A yard party is just being outside and having fun with your family. So we're gonna bring that to the city. We're gonna be at Maritime Park, and we got some food trucks pulling up and some vendors. The big, exciting thing about June 9, 2022

INWEEKLY: Who are the DJs? MORRISSETTE: We have a DJ from Mobile named DJ Rodski.

He's an OG DJ, the Mothership. He's also a radio DJ on 107.3.

Rodski's amazing. I really enjoy him, and he's coming to Pensacola to do a set for us at 1 p.m. that day.

After that, we're going to have a DJ battle that's gonna kick off at about 3 p.m. I'm excited about this DJ battle because it's gonna be some of our young DJs. INWEEKLY: When you say young, what are the age ranges?

MORRISSETTE: Well, I should say younger.

I'm old.

INWEEKLY:You'rehardlyold.

MORRISSETTE: The youngest DJ in this battle is 18 and the oldest is 26, but they're like some of our younger cats. They're all actually really good DJs, and I'm super excited to give them this platform.

This really isn't a platform to make them battle per se but to show their skills to the rest of the city and say, ‘They're here! They're ours!' The DJ who wins the battle is gonna be our first-ever Juneteenth Legacy DJ. I'm excited about that, and it's something I plan on doing every year after this. We're looking forward to seeing how it goes. But that's it. That's the day. We're gonna party. We're gonna two-step. We're gonna have fun. We're gonna be the judges for the DJ battle.

INWEEKLY: Who are the judges?

MORRISSETTE: The judges are the people, whoever shows up in the crowd. Based off of the crowd, we'll decide who's the best DJ. I'm just super excited about it because it's really just about Juneteenth. Juneteenth to me has always been about legacy building and celebrating being "freeish," not quite free. We can get into that, but…

INWEEKLY: No, let's get into that.

MORRISSETTE: OK, let's get into it.

INWEEKLY: You're also a regional organizer with Dream Defenders. Your work is all about the "free-ish" part.

MORRISSETTE: Right, right. So what we know with Juneteenth is that it's the staple federal holiday [marking emancipation from chattel slavery], but it wasn't the end of slavery for everybody. I mean, there were folks in other places [after the Civil War] that were still not free. But even with the passing of [anti-slavery] laws, we're still looking at the imprisonment of people of color, working-class people, in all these different ways. We can celebrate Juneteenth, and we're "free-ish," and that's amazing. We're always looking for a way to celebrate and be together and love on each other. But at the end of the day, there's still so much for us to fight for.

INWEEKLY: Definitely.

MORRISSETTE: That's also what Juneteenth is gonna be about. There's gonna be tables. Dream Defenders is gonna be out there. PSL [Party for Socialism and Liberation] is gonna be out there.

I'm pretty sure some other organizations are gonna pop up and talk about the work that they're doing. There's so much work to do, just right here in our community. So that's what it means to me—just fighting, legacy building, keeping people in the network together.

INWEEKLY: Do you remember your first Juneteenth celebration?

MORRISSETTE: I don't remember my first one, but there are pictures. My mother used to be part of the Juneteenth board in Pensacola when I was a little girl. That's actually how our city councilwoman knows me.

INWEEKLY: Councilwoman Broughton, I assume?

MORRISSETTE: Yes—I was a little girl and she was a teenager.

INWEEKLY: She plays a big role in the Journey to Juneteenth.

MORRISSETTE: She plays a big role in everything.

She is the person who put all of this together. She put the board together for Juneteenth. She's bringing back the traditions that we really need to see in this community. The recipes that were lost, she's bringing them back, and I appreciate that—her being our local historian, especially. She's just the perfect person for this, with her role in our community. She's just so needed. She's the one who showed me the picture from my first Juneteenth.

INWEEKLY: She showed you a picture of you at your first Juneteenth?

MORRISSETTE: She showed me a picture of my

mom, who was part of the board. I can't remember if I was in the picture, but I remember going to the board meetings with my mom as a little bitty girl, around 4 or 5. But the celebration that I remember the most was when I was about 8. I was in D.C., actually. My auntie took me to a play, and there were people on stilts and all types of stuff, and it was a Juneteenth celebration. I mean, I always knew about Juneteenth, but everybody else didn't. So being able to bring it back to the city and celebrating the last few years has been great. My kids know about it, and that's all that matters to me.

INWEEKLY: So what do mean when you talk about legacy building?

MORRISSETTE: I'm talking about generations.

Legacy building can happen in so many different ways. It doesn't just mean that we do this and we leave it for the younger generation to pick up, but how are we also bonding it together—by teaching them how to pick it up. And that actually brings it back to "Beats and Eats." That's the reason I picked a DJ that was older, who's been a part of the big changes around the music industry and platforming younger DJs. Because they're gonna be the legacy, and he's building that legacy for us. He's showing us how to carry it along. So each year, I want to do that. I want to continue to pick an older DJ that's been in the game for a while and let the younger DJs do their thing. I think that's the big part of legacy building. That's important.

INWEEKLY: So what about the eats?

MORRISSETTE: So far, we have two food trucks—GC Deli and Family Ty's. We're looking for more people to come on board, but we'll have plenty of food. I'm encouraging, too, if people want to come out with their own plates. Potluck. Yard party. This is family-style. We're just gonna be outside. There ain't gonna be no stage, nothing super formal. Just put on your shorts and T-shirts.

We're partying. We're hanging out by the water.

There's a playground by the spot in Maritime Park so the kids can play. That's all it's about, spending time with people. {in}

JOURNEY TO JUNETEENTH'S "BEATS AND EATS"

WHEN: Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, June 11 WHERE: Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. COST: Free DETAILS: facebook.com/djhale850

17

a&e happenings BEACH SEASON UPDATES

FREE TROLLEY RIDES TO PENSACOLA BEACH The 2022 Pensacola Beach Island Trol-

ley, operated by Escambia County Area Transit, will run daily from 4 p.m.-midnight through Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 5.

Three trolleys will operate concurrently, running three routes. The eastern route runs from Casino Beach to Portofino, the western route runs from Casino Beach to Park West near the entrance gate to Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the commercial core route runs from Casino Beach to Grand Marlin with stops occurring along the new access road and at Pensacola Beach Boardwalk.

Visitors can access the real-time trolley schedule four ways: •Visit the "Trolley Tracker" at visitpensacolabeach.com/trolleytracker •Call (850) 602-9384 and enter the trolley stop number •Text SRIA (space) and the trolley stop number to 41411 •Scan the QR code posted at each trolley stop with a smartphone

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

ANIMAL ALLIES BINGO Animal Allies Florida is hosting Bingo at Scenic Hills Country Club, located at 8891 Burning Tree Road, twice a month.

Dates are June 21, July 12 & 26, Aug. 9 & 23, Sept.

6 & 20, Oct. 4 & 18, Nov. 8 & 22 and Dec. 6 & 20.

Proceeds go to help local animals. The fun starts at 7 p.m. $10 gets you 30 cards. Winners share the pot. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

You must be 18 years old to play.

KITTEN & CAT ADOPTIONS Animal Allies

will be at Pet Supermarket, 6857 N. Ninth Ave. from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, June 11, and Everett Animal Welfare Group will be at PetSmart, on North Davis Highway, noon-4 p.m. If you can't adopt, you can talk about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up-to-date on shots, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip.

SAVE OUR CATS AND KITTENS TOP HATS AND TAILS FUNDRAISER Enjoy

an evening of food, music from Nik Flagstar and Esraelia Mack, auctions and prizes with Save Our Cats and Kittens on Saturday, June 11. Tickets are $50 for the in-person event at Enlightened Studios in downtown Fort Walton Beach at 142 Miracle Strip Parkway, or enjoy the evening virtually for $15 and play trivia, watch a live stream of the bands and participate in the silent auction. For more information and tickets, visit facebook.com/ saveourcatsandkittens.

KPB FUN-RAISER AT ALGA BEER CO. Support Keep Pensacola Beautiful Thursday, June 16, from 5-7 p.m. at Alga Beer Co., 2435 N. 12th Ave., where $1 of every beer sold goes to Keep Pensacola Beautiful. Visit keeppensacolabeautiful.org for more information.

CALL TO ARTISTS

PIECES ADRIFT ART SHOW Keep Pensacola Beautiful (KPB) is calling on artists who want to showcase their art while raising awareness about 818 1

litter in waterways. The art show will be held Saturday, Sept. 24. Art pieces must be at least 50% trash or litter. By the art show due date, KPB will need a written Artist's Statement, photo and brief description of your work. A registration fee will be collected from each artist this year when the artwork is submitted. The fee will be $15 or $10 for students. For more information, visit keeppensacolabeautiful.org.

ARTS & CULTURE

WHAT'S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART PCA is located at the Studer Commu-

nity Institute, 220 W. Garden St. "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent" is coming soon. Classic films are available for free through the PCA website. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for more information and the latest showtimes.

309 NEW ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 309 Punk Project's new Artist in Residence is Skott Cowgill. Cowgill is a musician, zine author and visual artist. He began oil painting in Pensacola at the 309 Punk House. He relocated to San Francisco, where he has shown extensively and has collaborated with Andrew Schoultz, Tommy Guerrero and Mark Gonzalez, to name a few.

His oil painting style is primarily wet on wet, and subjects range from images of human isolation to desolate landscapes where one might clear their head.

He is a graffiti artist and has covered San Francisco in stencils of sunken boats and handmade stickers. In the acclaimed documentary "Beautiful Losers," his garage-door-sized painting (literally a garage door) is showcased. Skott has always been involved in the music scene, played in bands like Woodenhorse in Pensacola, and since has created album covers for bands such as Nothington and Dave Dondero. These days, he seldom leaves his Oakland studio and cranks out work almost daily. Visit 309punkproject.org for events and information.

PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART OPENING RECEPTIONS PMA is celebrating the opening

of its summer receptions Thursday, June 10, from 6-8 p.m., at the museum, 407 S. Jefferson St. On view are "America's Everglades: Through the Lens of Clyde Butcher," "Taking a Line for a Walk: 100 Years of Drawing and Printmaking" and "Goods of Desires: Cindy Leung." Visit pensacolamuseum. org for more information.

EMOPROM: YOU'RE SO LAST SUMMER EDITION Come dance, mosh and scream along

with your best Emo/Punk Rock/Underground music and music videos of the past decade, note for note just like you remember. Prom is Friday, June 10. Early entry is 8 p.m. and general admission is 9 p.m. Tickets are $25. Visit vinylmusichall.com for more information.

$5 MOVIE NIGHT AT BLUE WAHOOS STADIUM Watch "Sing 2" at the Blue Wahoos Stadium, 352 W. Cedar St., on Saturday, June 11. Gates open at 6 p.m. and movie starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at bluewahoos.com.

A CHORUS LINE The classic concept musical about a Broadway chorus audition comes to

the PLT stage. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, June 10, 17 and 24; 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, June 11, 18 and 25; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, June 16 and 23; and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, June 12, 19 and 26. Tickets are $9-$33. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for more information.

UNDER THE SEA LaBelle Performing Arts'

2022 showcase is "Under the Sea" featuring LPA's pre-school and elementary classes, the LaBelle Performing Arts Company, Pensacola Youth Ballet and special performances from graduating seniors on Friday, June 10, at 6 p.m. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for more information.

LITTLE MERMAID The classic Hans Christian

Andersen "tail" is brought to life with the special LaBelle twist 6 p.m. Saturday, June 11. This full production with dance, theater and singing features LPA students. For more information, visit pensacolasaenger.com.

INTERNATIONAL CLASSIC BALLET THEATER The International Classic Ballet Theater

brings 15 world-class professional dancers from across the globe to dance in six of your favorite ballets including "Swan Lake," "Don Quixote" and "La Bayadere." They also perform modern dance, kopak, can-can, gypsy dance and a glittering and elegant dance to the music of George Gershwin. Hosted by the Performing Arts Cultural Exchange (PACE) Foundation, which awards Classical Ballet Scholarships to children internationally. Two performances on June 12, at 2 and 8 p.m., will be at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $40-$60. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for more information.

POLLINATORS: WHO THEY ARE AND WHY WE NEED THEM Join Earth Ethics for

a discussion on "Pollinators: Who they are and why we need them," on Monday, June 13, at 6 p.m. at Ever'man Education Center, 327 W. Garden Street. The guest speaker is Beth R. Bolles, Horticulture Agent IV, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County.

Earth Ethics will provide a limited supply of gardening gloves, so bring your own if you have some. You will be potting some pollinator attractor plants to take home with you. Children are welcomed.

The group will be planting 31 seeds for the 31 lives lost in the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde. These in memoriam plants will be seeded by participants. Each participant will be encouraged to take them hope and plant in their yards to honor of each life lost. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to earthethicsaction@gmail.com.

GALLERY NIGHT CELEBRATES JUNETEENTH On Friday, June 17, from 5-9 p.m., Gal-

lery Night Pensacola's theme will be "Juneteenth Kickoff." As part of the "Journey to Juneteenth" celebration statewide, Gallery Night's June event will highlight the federal holiday with special performances, art and food.

Six-time Grammy nominee Ashanti Floyd, aka The Mad Violinist, will perform. Other performances include a fashion show showcasing local fashion designers and artisans and cultural performances from Ayoka African Drum and Dance. Gallery Night's featured visual artist is Leo

Green. More information and updates on artists, performers, special events, sponsors and more can be found at gallerynightpensacola.org.

THE WATSON FAMILY FOUNDATION PRESENTS: JUNETEENTH A FAMILY REUNION FOR THE CULTURE On Saturday,

June 18, The Watson Family Foundation will host a free family-friendly event at Museum Plaza, located at 120 Church St., from noon-6 p.m. This event will include live performances throughout the day, speakers, games, various vendors, a kid's play zone, a live DJ and food trucks. This is a family reunion-themed event where everyone is welcome to celebrate black culture, business and progress. Visit watsonfamilyfoundation.com/upcoming-events for more information.

OPERA AL FRESCO Enjoy an evening of beautiful music—al fresco. This special pop-up concert series brings live music to parks and green spaces around town via Pensacola Opera's StageMobile. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and listen to popular tunes featuring Sheila Dunn, Allanda Small Campbell and Corey McKern, accompanied by Cody Martin, Saturday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at H.K. Matthews Park. Cost is free.

Visit pensacolaopera.com.

LIFE DRAWING GROUP AT ARTEL Artel's life drawing group meets every Monday, except holidays, from 6-9 p.m. in Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. For more information, contact Melvin at (850) 549-8783 or visit artelgallery.org.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Enjoy shop-

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

EASY GOING GALLERY ART MARKET

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

For more information, contact easygoinggalleryart@gmail.com.

MAN OF MANY FACES A new exhibit from

artist Wes Hinds is on view at Easy Going Gallery, 701 N. V St. Exhibit on view through June 16. Visit facebook.com/easygoinggallery for more information.

"KEEP IT 100" AT ARTEL GALLERY Back by popular demand for the third year is the "Keep it 100," where all pieces are for sale and priced at $100. The exhibit is a juried show with Jimmy Rhea, professor at Pensacola State College, as juror. The exhibit will be on view through June 24. Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.

Visit artelgallery.org for more information.

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CLASSIC BALLE T THEATER

THE INTERNATIONAL

JUNE 12TH | 2PM & 8PM THE SAENGER THEATRE

PensacolaSaenger.com/Events

MASTER CLASSES with MARINA MEDVETSKAYA

JUNE 13TH | 1PM & 3PM TICKETS AVAILABLE ON TICKETMASTER June 9, 2022

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art

By Hunter Morrison

Exploring the Beauty in Nature and Photography

"Shell Key #1, 2001" by Clyde Butcher

Pensacola Museum of Art will be displaying the exhibition "America's Everglades: Through the Lens of Clyde Butcher" starting this Friday, June 10.

The exhibition, which will display 35 images by legendary photographer Clyde Butcher, reflects over 30 years of work with a black and white large format camera in the Florida Everglades.

"We have been really interested in showing Clyde's work and have been looking at his traveling exhibitions and his different series, but this is a new exhibition that just focuses on the Everglades," said Anna Wall, chief curator of the Pensacola Museum of Art. "We were particularly interested in it not only because it is related to the Florida landscape and is kind of close to home but because of the size of the photographs."

Displayed on paper, many of the images in this exhibit were printed by Butcher in a dark room and enlarged to show detail. The largest of these prints is over 6 feet wide.

"They're very engaging, really immersive glimpses of this wilderness in South Florida," Wall said.

Inspired by landscape photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams, Butcher began photographing landscapes in black in white in the early 1970s. He would soon leave his career in architecture behind to exhibit his photographs at art festivals and later began selling his photography as wall decor to department stores. To increase sales, Butcher began using color film.

In 1986, Butcher's life was forever changed when his 17-year-old son, Ted, was killed by a drunk driver.

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"He had been working in color and decided to completely abandon that body of work and destroy it," Wall said. "He decided to only work in black and white."

After the death of his son, Butcher found solace in the Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida, where the mysterious and spiritual connection he felt to nature helped him restore his soul. He would soon begin photographing the Florida Everglades with his century-old camera.

"The camera and all of the equipment is about 120 pounds," Wall said. "It's a huge feat to wade into these swamps and get these pictures. I think what makes his pictures really special is you can tell that he has such a strong and intimate relationship to the environment."

Butcher lives and works in Big Cypress Swamp, a nature preserve that borders the Everglades. Over the years, he's grown incredibly familiar with these areas.

"He's really become one with this environment," Wall said. "He hauls everything out, he sits and waits for the right composition, and then captures the photograph."

Each of the 35 images that will be on display tells a story of their own. Many of them transcend simply detailing the beauty of the natural world.

"I think the most impactful, for Clyde as an artist, is this vertical photograph called 'Moonrise,'" Wall said. "It was the first photograph that Clyde made in black and white in the Everglades after his son's death. It really reflects this new way of working for him and also his grief and what the Everglades came to mean for him as a place of solace and comfort after this horrible life event."

"For Clyde, he is really interested in promoting the conservation of these spaces," Wall said.

"He works around the world documenting landscapes, and he really wants to capture the pristine landscape. None of his photos show signs of human intervention."

In his own words, Butcher "hopes to use his images to share the special beauty of the Everglades, allowing it to find a place in our hearts, motivating us to help save it." He believes that man and nature are inseparably connected to one another.

"He has this really interesting philosophy that the world is round, meaning that what we do in our area of the world is not in isolation," Wall said. "It has an effect on others across borders and oceans."

In addition to the Everglades, Butcher has photographed parks and landscapes across the United States, the Catalonian region of Spain and the mountains of Cuba. He has also contributed to numerous award-winning public broadcast documentaries about the landscape of Florida.

Although committed to recording precious landscapes throughout the world, Butcher will always identify most with the Everglades. Through his photography, he hopes to educate the public by bringing environmental issues to the forefront of public consciousness.

"I hope this exhibit inspires people to visit not only the Everglades but to engage with our local Florida landscape to advocate for conservation of our areas, wildlife and fauna," Wall said.

"I hope people just have a greater respect for the world around us, and I think with so much divisiveness today, we can all rally around our environment, our landscape, and preserve it for the future."

The opening reception for this show, and the rest of the museums' 2022 summer series, will be this Friday, June 10. While he won't be in attendance for that event, Butcher will be visiting the PMA during the closing reception of the exhibition for an artist talk and lecture in September. {in}

Other large-format images, including "Shell Key #1," highlight the open possibility of exploration.

"The enormous photographs show the vastness of the Everglades," Wall said. "Clyde especially focuses on the horizon line, showing the meeting of the water and the sky. The texture of the clouds and the water are incredibly dynamic, so it's really hard not to be impressed by the power of the natural world as depicted through these large works."

Some photographs in this exhibit, including "Fakahatchee Strand #3," depict the wildness of the wilderness through a nearly impassable tangle of plants growing in the swamp.

"It kind of reminds us that we are visitors to this space and it's not completely knowable for us," Wall said.

Additionally, the exhibit will display Butcher's 12-by-20 view camera, curtain included. This will allow WHAT: An exhibition featuring the photography visitors the opportunity to go behind of Clyde Butcher the curtain and look through the WHEN: On view June 10-Sept. 18 camera to see how Butcher composWHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. es his photographs.

DETAILS: pensacolamuseum.org, clydebutcher.com "It's a camera technology that not a lot of people today are familiar with," Wall said.

Throughout his career, Butcher WHAT: An opening reception celebrating Pensacola has worked alongside other photograMuseum of Art's 2022 summer exhibitions phers, conservationists and naturalists WHEN: 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 10 to capture the riveting beauty of our WHERE: Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. natural world. His photographs have DETAILS: pensacolamuseum.org been displayed in exhibitions throughout the United States as well as at the National Gallery of Art in Prague.

"AMERICA'S EVERGLADES: THROUGH THE LENS OF CLYDE BUTCHER"

OPENING RECEPTION

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free will astrology WEEK OF JUNE 9 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): "It takes a spasm of love to write a poem," wrote Aries author Erica Jong. I will add that it takes a spasm of love to fix a problem with someone you care about. It also takes a spasm of love to act with kindness when you don't feel kind. A spasm of love is helpful when you need to act with integrity in a confusing situation and when you want to heal the past so it doesn't plague the future.

All the above advice should be useful for you in the coming weeks, Aries. Are there any other variations you can think of? Fill in the blank in the next sentence: It takes a spasm of love to .

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "The great epochs of our life come when we gain the courage to rechristen our badness as what is best in us," wrote philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

When I read that ambitious epigram, I didn't know what he was referring to. By "badness," did he mean the ugly, pathological parts of us? That couldn't be right. So I read scholars who had studied the great philosopher. Their interpretation: Nietzsche believed the urges that some religions seek to inhibit are actually healthy for us.

We should celebrate, not suppress, our inclinations to enjoy sensual delights and lusty living.

In fact, we should define them as being the best in us. I encourage you Bulls to do just that in the coming weeks. It's a favorable time to intensify your devotion to joy, pleasure and revelry.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): It's an excel-

lent time to correct and uplift your self-image. I invite you to speak the following affirmations aloud: "I am not damaged. I am not on the wrong path. I am not inept or ignorant or offkilter. The truth is, I am learning how to live. I am learning how to be a soulful human and I am doing a reasonably good job at that task.

I do a lot of things really well. I'm getting to know myself better every day. I constantly surprise myself with how skilled I am at adjusting to life's constant changes. I AM AMAZED AT HOW MUCH PROGRESS I HAVE MADE IN LEARNING HOW TO LIVE."

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): In the Tibetan language, the term 'nyingdu-la' means "most

222 2

By Rob Brezsny

honored poison of my heart." Many of us know at least one person who fits that description: an enemy we love to hate or a loved one who keeps tweaking our destiny or a paradoxical ally who is both hurtful and helpful. According to my analysis, it's time for you to transform your relationship with a certain 'nyingdu-la' in your life. The bond between you might have generated vital lessons for you. But now it's time for a re-evaluation and redefinition.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): "Don't pray for the

rain to stop," advises Leo poet Wendell Berry.

"Pray for good luck fishing when the river floods."

That's useful advice for you, my dear. The situation you're in could turn out to be a case of either weird luck or good luck. And how you interpret the situation may have a big impact on which kind of luck it brings. I urge you to define the potential opportunities that are brewing and concentrate on feeding them.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Virgo writer Julio Cortázar (1914–1984) once remarked, "How tiring it gets being the same person all the time."

That's surprising. In fact, Cortázar was an innovative and influential author who wrote over 30 books in four genres and lived for extended periods in five countries. It's hard to imagine him ever being bored by his multifaceted self. Even if you're not a superstar like Cortázar, Virgo, I expect you will be highly entertained and amused by your life in the coming weeks. I bet you will be even more interesting than usual. Best of all, you will learn many fresh secrets about your mysterious soul.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): The blogger Frogbestfriend says, "One of the biggest problems with society nowadays is that I am so, so sleepy."

Frogbestfriend is humorously suggesting that his inability to maintain good sleep habits is rooted in civilization's dysfunctions. He's right, of course! Many of our seemingly personal problems are at least partially rooted in the pathological ways the whole world operates. Our culture influences us to do things that aren't always healthy and wise. I bring this to your attention, Libra, because now is a favorable time to meditate on society's crazy-making effects on you.

Now is also a pivotal moment to heal yourself of those crazy-making effects.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Poet Maggie

Smith writes, "We talk so much of light. Please let me speak on behalf of the good dark. Let us talk more of how dark the beginning of a day is." I offer her proposal as a fertile theme for your meditations. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios are most skilled at teasing out the good stuff from shadows and secrets and twilight. And your potency in these matters is even higher than usual right now. Do us all a favor and find the hidden redemptions and potential regenerations.

Please show this horoscope to everyone you know who may be willing to carry out my mandate.

Be proactive in collecting tribute, credit and favors.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): When

actors and other creative people in film win Oscars at the Academy Awards ceremony, they come on stage and deliver short talks, acknowledging their honor. These speeches often include expressions of gratitude. An analysis revealed that over the years, Sagittarian director Steven Spielberg has been thanked by winners more often than anyone else—even more than God. Based on my reading of astrological omens, I believe you deserve that level of appreciation in the coming weeks. Please show this horoscope to everyone you know who may be willing to carry out my mandate. Be proactive in collecting tribute, credit and favors.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In the

ancient Greek story of Odysseus, the hero leaves his home in Ithaka to fight in the Trojan War. When the conflict is over, he yearns to return to the beloved life he left behind. But his journey takes 10 years. His tests and travails are many. The 20th-century Greek poet C. P. Cavafy offered advice to Odysseus at the beginning of his quest: "As you set out for Ithaka, hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery . . . Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what you're des-

tined for. But don't hurry the journey. Better if it lasts for years, so you're old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you've gained on the way." As you begin your new phase of returning home, Capricorn, I invite you to keep Cavafy's thoughts in mind. (Read the poem at tinyurl.com/hometoithaka. Translated by Edmund Keeley.)

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "I have

never, ever, EVER met anyone who has regretted following their heart," writes life coach Marie Forleo. But what exactly does she mean by "following their heart"? Does that mean ignoring cautions offered by your mind? Not necessarily.

Does it require you to ignore everyone's opinions about what you should do? Possibly. When you follow your heart, must you sacrifice money and status and security? In some cases, yes. But in other cases, following your heart may ultimately enhance your relationship with money and status and security. Anyway, Aquarius. I hope I've inspired you to meditate on what it means to follow your heart—and how you can do that intensely during the coming months.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Actor and author Jenny Slate testifies, "As the image of myself becomes sharper in my brain and more precious, I feel less afraid that someone else will erase me by denying me love." That is the single best inspirational message I can offer you right now. In the coming months, you will earn the right and the capacity to make the same declaration. Your self-definition will become progressively clearer and stronger. And this waxing superpower will enable you to conquer at least some of your fear about not getting enough love.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: What part of your life would most benefit from redemption and regeneration? newsletter.freewillastrology.com {in}

freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2022

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news of the weird CREME DE LA WEIRD In an effort to better educate the world about the human reproductive system, the "intimate wellness brand" Intimina has introduced Period Crunch, a breakfast cereal with uterus-shaped, raspberry-flavored pieces that will color the milk red, Oddity Central reported. Alongside the startling cereal shape and red milk, the cereal box will feature a diagram of the female reproductive system so that people can learn about its location and function. The company surveyed 2,000 adults and discovered that 48% of women are embarrassed to talk about their menstrual periods and 77% have never brought it up in their households. "Periods are a natural part of who we are," said Dr. Shree Datta, a gynecologist with Intimina, "so it's deeply concerning to hear that so many people remain uncomfortable discussing them when they are just another part of our health."

HOT MAIL Things got heated in a Pasadena, Maryland, community on May 31: As residents waited for their mail, WBAL-TV reported, two letter carriers got into a fight in the street. One witness said that one of the mail carriers "punched the window on the other one's mail truck," and that "one backed up and slammed into the other one like bumper cars." Another witness, Brenda Rippetoe, said, "There was mail all over the street.

They kept going around the block, and at one point, they were front-to-front, hitting their bumpers together." Residents called 911, and the postal service sent other carriers to pick up the mail, which was delivered by 7 p.m. People along the route said their regular carrier was on vacation, so the angry stand-ins were unfamiliar to them.

POLICE REPORT Orwell, Ohio, police called the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office to help them corral a drunk driving suspect on May 14—but it wasn't your typical "reckless operator," WOIOTV reported. Twenty-one-year-old Nathan Miller was charged with OVI—operating a vehicle while intoxicated—for driving his horse-drawn Amish buggy on the wrong side of Hague Road.

Officers were able to get in front of the horse and buggy, but the rig didn't stop; it turned out Miller was passed out in the driver's seat. While depu-

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

ties tried to get control of the horse, it crashed into a patrol car. Miller was treated for injuries at the scene.

OOPS During a May 24 broadcast on the BBC of the French Open tennis championship, the news ticker at the bottom of the screen briefly read, "Manchester United are rubbish," Reuters reported. Later, BBC anchor Annita McVeigh issued an on-air apology and said the headline had been written by someone who was learning how to operate the ticker. "Behind the scenes, someone was training to learn how to ... put text on the ticker.

So they were just writing random things. It wasn't meant to appear on screen. I hope that Manchester United fans weren't offended by it," she added.

GREAT ART In Parks, Louisiana, a rendering of the Last Supper in the St. Joseph Catholic Church has all the usual elements—plus one regionally iconic extra: a bottle of McIlhenny's Tabasco hot sauce, conveniently placed in front of one of Jesus' disciples. Pastor Nicholas DuPre said after he arrived in the parish in 2019, he heard from Shane Bernard, a curator and historian from McIlhenny, who wondered if the "urban myth" about the painting was true. When DuPre confirmed the product placement, Bernard sent a large commemorative collector's bottle of Tabasco. Christie Hebert, the artist, told the Daily Advertiser that she was asked not to make the painting an exact replica of the DaVinci original; the priest at that time "wanted to make it unique to our area," she said.

PARTICULAR PINCHERS New York City police are on the hunt for a serial shoe thief, NBC New York reported on June 3. On three different occasions, in January, February and, most recently, on May 24, a man has removed a shoe from a woman in Brooklyn or Queens. Twice it was a left shoe; one time it was the right. The incidents happen during the day in public areas. {in}

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

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com

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

127 Palafox Place Suite 100 (850)466-3115 autumnbeckblackledge.com June 9, 2022

Together Pensacola sponsored an essay contest for elementary, middle and high school students.

The theme was "I Dream a World."

Together Pensacola is a group of concerned citizens who come together to brainstorm and discuss ways to help build connections and strengthen relationships between and among people in the Pensacola Bay area. The group focuses on what unites us rather than on our differences and what separates us. Its goal is to promote and introduce ideas and activities to implement this brand of community building. Together Pensacola's leadership team includes Brunie Emmanuel, Ross Goodman, Mamie Webb Hixon, Kathleen Logan, Juanita Scott and Sue Straughn. To learn more, visit togetherpensacola.com.

Elementary School Winners: First place: Raelynn Richardson, 4th Grade, Pleasant Grove Elementary Second place: Gabriella Fox, 5th Grade, Scenic Heights Elementary Third place: Lilly Dekker, 5th Grade, Molino Park Elementary "I DREAM A WORLD" BY RAELYNN RICHARDSON (1ST PLACE) When I dream of a world, I dream of a caring and considerate world. When I dream of a world, I dream of no one hurting each other, but loving each other.

I dream of no disabled being limited to their dreams, and no person judged by how they look. I dream of a world where people help others without second guessing, and no homeless people are without a home.

I dream of a world where orphans have a family, and they have people who care about them. I dream of no animals being hurt for just protecting themselves, and where people can be forgiven for the bad things they do.

I dream of no nights dreaming of the things you could do, but doing the things you dream to do. I dream that others would not say we are too young to make a change, because we can. I dream of a world where no innocent people are behind bars, and no waste is in the ocean.

I dream of a world where others say you are good enough, and no hunger and starvation are in our world. I dream of a world where we humans will stop polluting our air and oceans.

I dream for a change in how our world runs. I dream of us standing up for what's right, even if it costs us our lives.

I dream of a loving and peaceful world. I dream of a helping world. I dream of a world that suits everybody.

That's the world I dream of, and that's the world I hope we will make.

"I DREAM A WORLD" BY GABRIELLA FOX (2ND PLACE) My perfect world would be where no one is treated unfairly. An example of this is that people can't be hurt or judged because of their skin color. Another example is that POC (people of color) don't feel like they need to be a different race because of what somebody said. On that topic, I wish in my world that people who think differently on how POC live and express their culture could be educated on how they shouldn't discuss things like that, which have absolutely nothing to do with them.

Speaking of education, schools are just one of the places that p.o.c experience racism/discrimination.

An example of this is kids getting left out of groups such as friend groups. Isn't that bad and unfair? I think so. It's also not just friend groups but after-school groups too. That's a really bad thing that can happen, and unfortunately it happens a lot! A way we can stop this from happening is to try being more accepting.

We can also try to learn about them instead of judging them.

Enough about judging, let's talk about more of the positive things that come with acceptance! But first, let's talk about what acceptance means and what it means to me. What I think acceptance means is that you're not bullying or judging anyone because of what they look like or how they express themselves.

What does acceptance mean to you?

Something else I would have in my world besides no one getting treated unfairly is peace and love! By that, I mean everyone could come together and not be criticized about it. And one last thing I would have in my world is that people never have to go through what POC go through today. This is what my perfect world looks like. What would yours look like? Let me know.

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Independent News | June 9, 2022 | inweekly.net