Inweekly march 23 issue by Inweekly

Independent News | March 23, 2017 | Volume 18 | Number 11 | inweekly.net

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winners & losers

outtakes

news 6, 8

All of us at this table have been accused of hating Florida, hating beaches, hating the hotels, hating tourists...

a&e

buzz

publisher Rick Outzen

art director Richard Humphreys

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Duwayne Escobedo, Jennifer Leigh, Chuck Shepherd, Shelby Smithey

calendar 15

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. ÂŠ 2015 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION For the seventh time, and sixth consecutive year, Navy Federal has been named to Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list. As part of Navy Federal's recognition, Fortune noted that 95 percent of Navy Federal employees say they feel good about the ways Navy Federal contributes to the community, and 92 percent of team members feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments.

GULF POWER The utility backed off its huge rate increase and reached an agreement with the Office of Public Counsel that would cut the hike in half. The rate increase, if approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, is $7 a month for the average residential customer. The new rate is less than the average residential customer paid in 2015. However, the increase is still the largest per month jump since January 2010.

FIESTA OF FIVE FLAGS FOUNDATION

MEALS ON WHEELS The proposed Trump budget cuts Community Services Block Grant and Community Development Block Grant programs, which currently help fund Council on Aging of West Florida's Meals on Wheels program. Through the program, the Council on Aging delivers almost 130,000 meals to nearly 500 senior citizens annually. Many of the recipients are aging adults who are homebound and cannot care for themselves like they once could. The non-profit has a waiting list of close to 500 elderly people in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

The University of West Florida Historic Trust announced lighting and projection enhancements to its T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, made possible by a $125,000 gift commitment from the Fiesta of Five Flags Foundation. Through the use of technology, several of the figures who are a part of Pensacola's history will be brought to life in some of the windows. These enhancements will provide a focal point for cultural heritage tourism in Pensacola.

MARTHA'S VINEYARD The no-cost,

temporary home for families of adults and children receiving medical treatment in the Pensacola area, has been selected to participate in idgroup's fifth annual Brand on Us initiative. idgroup will use their Branding From the Core® process to engage Martha's Vineyard stakeholders in developing clarity around their brand identity, image, and culture, as well as create communication materials that express Martha's Vineyard story and promise to the community.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY'S HEALTH

The Florida Department of Health ranks Escambia County 55th among the state's 67 counties when it comes to health outcomes. When it comes to premature death, which is the years of potential life lost before age 75, Florida's rate is 6,800 rate per 100,000 population, while the national average is 5,200. Escambia County's premature death rate is 9,200 per 100,000.

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outtakes

by Rick Outzen

GOOD RAGE I have an affinity for newspaper columnists. Everyone thinks they can be one, but that belief usually lasts until the third or fourth deadline. Good columnists develop a unique voice that rings true with the reader. The words can make one laugh or cry, elicit anger or compassion. My standard joke about writing "Outtakes" is that I only know 500 words and the trick is putting them in a different order every week. On Sunday, we lost one of the best newspaper columnist ever, Jimmy Breslin. The New York City journalist and best-selling author died at his Manhattan home while recovering from pneumonia at age of 88. The late New York Newsday and Village Voice editor Donald Frost said of Breslin, "Jimmy invented himself. He was irascible, extremely talented and very, very hard working. And he understood what news was." I didn't know Breslin personally, but I appreciated his writing. I studied "It's an Honor," his column about Clifton Pollard, the man who dug President John Kennedy's grave at Arlington National Cemetery, and analyzed how he helped his readers care about the AIDS epidemic in a column by focusing on one man, David Camacho. Breslin taught me to look for unique angles to cover a huge story. It's why I wrote about the tragic death of Victor

Steen, a black teenager run over by a Pensacola Police officer, through the eyes of his mother. To humanize the Deep Horizon explosion, I traveled to Eunice, La. to visit the family of Blair Manuel, one of the 11 men killed on the rig. Newspaper columnists don't care about website clicks, Facebook likes, retweets or Instagram. They care about people and making the reader care, too. When asked what motivated him, Breslin said, "Rage is the only quality which has kept me, or anybody I have ever studied, writing columns for newspapers." The rage pushes us to challenge the powerful and shine light into the dark corners that they want to be hidden from the rest of us. It drives us to ask that extra question and not accept just any answer as being the truth. The rage calls the newspaper columnist to elevate the powerless, whether they live in Queens, the Tanyard, Morris Court or Wedgewood, and give them a voice. The rage drives us to dig deeper into jail deaths, challenge BP, and point out the "elephants in the room" that others choose to ignore because the lift is too heavy, like the failing Escambia County School District. Jimmy Breslin kept his rage alive for more than half a century. Mine isn't going out anytime soon. {in} rick@inweekly.net

The rage pushes us to challenge the powerful and shine light into the dark corners that they want to be hidden from the rest of us.

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CORCORAN FACES THE TIGER

Richard Corcoran / Photo by Meredith Geddings

By Rick Outzen Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran isn't afraid to take unpopular stands that challenge Gov. Rick Scott. And he did not shy away from the opportunity to speak before the Panhandle Tiger Bay Club, even though Escambia County is home to Navy Federal Credit Union and VT-MAE, poster children for Scott's business incentive programs. The Speaker knew the audience would be conservative, but many understood his mission to rid the state budget of what he has described as "corporate welfare" was in direct opposition to the Pensacola Chamber's Vision 2015 plan, FloridaWest EDA's efforts, and Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward's lobbying. Corcoran also understood the political price he was demanding of the state representatives from the Panhandle. Flanked by the House delegation from Northwest Florida, he gave a special shout out to Rep. Clay Ingram, who is the CEO of the Greater Pensacola Chamber. Ingram got heat from his board of directors and his membership for voting on the House bill that eliminated Enterprise Florida after the chamber issued a statement in support of the state agency responsible for recruiting businesses to Florida. "We just went through a very, very divisive issue," said Corcoran. "It's one that we haven't really had since we took over the 66

Legislature in 1996 as Republicans. It put us in unfamiliar territory, where we're even in disagreements with members of our own party." He said differences are good. "I think they're healthy; I think that they are a sign that our democracy is working, but they should always be civil, and they should always be polite." According to the Speaker, Ingram was called after one of those "very difficult votes" and was threatened with his job. Corcoran said, "I talked to Clay in my office. He gave me the facts that were happening back home here, and I said ‘Well, Clay, what are your thoughts?' And we have another thing that we say all the time as the legislators ‘we're going to do the right thing, and we're going to damn the consequences.' And Clay Ingram said, ‘Even if it costs me my job, I'm going to the right thing by the people of the state.'" He said that Ingram showed the kind of leadership and courage needed in government. "If we can elect more and more Clay Ingram's into any level of government, we'd all be a much finer state," said Corcoran. The Speaker explained his positions on Enterprise Florida (EFI) and Visit Florida. "All of us at this table have been accused of hating Florida, hating beaches, hating the hotels, hating tourists, and I just want to clear the air," he said. Two years ago, the House leadership began to look at the operations of Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida, which were

viewed nationwide as paragons of how public-private partnerships work between the government and the private sector in tourism and economic development. According to Corcoran, they discovered that 18 of EFI's 26 programs were losing money for taxpayers. He said, "We found out that out of 234 incentive programs 124 were failing. And of those 124, what was promised in jobs and what was promised in capital investment ended up being less than twopercent in both categories." The House found that some EFI board members benefited from the agency's initiatives. "One board member got seven incentive programs, millions of dollars," said Corcoran. "Another board member got 14 incentive programs, tens of millions of dollars." When the companies failed to make the investments or create the jobs mandated in the EFI contracts, officials amended the agreements. The Speaker said Lockheed Martin agreed to create 305 jobs but only has delivered six. EFI allowed Johnson and Johnson to take $18 million off of its agreed-upon capital investment. "It's an absolute cesspool, and it's taxpayers' money, and then we go out there, and we say it's a public-private partnership," said Corcoran. "Let me tell you something; there is nothing, nothing private about these industries." He doesn't believe the corporate incentive programs can be fixed. "When we shined a spotlight, what happens?" he asked. "The executive director resigns, people are in an uproar and say we need to reform the whole system. It's unreformable." Corcoran added, "And you know what has done more to lift more people out of poverty than any other thing, any other system in the history of mankind? A true, fair and just free market system that allows anyone to enter and compete on fair grounds." The Speaker said that there is nothing public-private about Visit Florida. "Same scenario, almost all their money is coming from the taxpayers," he said. "And we shined a spotlight on them, and we say we would like to see your contracts, just getting them to define what a contract is, was a fight." Initially, Visit Florida claimed its contracts were trade secrets. The agency threatened to not only sue the House leadership but also criminally prosecute them.

Corcoran and the House filed a lawsuit and got the contracts. He said. "We go through every other contract, a million dollars for Pitbull; two million dollars to rap a race car and it's not even NASCAR; a million dollars plus for a soccer team in England that's a B-league soccer team." Corcoran added, "Guess who happens to own the soccer team? Shad Khan, a big donor and contributor from Jacksonville, a good man but again it's just all the insiders." When the House reviewed the tourism numbers since 2003, they found no correlation between the amount of advertising and the number of tourists who visited Florida. "I don't care who it is, take any of your divisions of your companies and dump a 200-percent increase with zero accountability, you watch out how fast those guys in that division are out eating their lunch every day at the steak places," said Corcoran. He believes that education is a better use of those tax dollars and the best way to attract businesses to Florida. He said, "In the state of Florida, we have hundreds and thousands of children stuck still today in ‘failure factories.' Some of them, tens of thousands stuck for not one year, not two years, not three years, not four years but five straight years in a failure factory and what you have just done is stolen that child's dignity and that child's future, but God knows we need more money for Pitbull. " Corcoran said that there were several education models that were working around the country but don't exist in Florida because "the regulatory scheme is too hard and they don't get enough money." "These are different models, some of these models start on Monday at 7 a.m., they keep the kids in school until 7 p.m., and then they keep them all the way on Saturdays, they let them go home on Sundays with their family, and then they start their week all over again, " he said. "Some of them do it year-round, some are boarding schools." Corcoran said it was time to change the rules. "We're going to pour hundreds if not half a billion dollars into bringing those schools into the state of Florida, so there is one on every street corner," he said. "So we can give those children what they rightfully deserve, a world-class education." Corcoran said, "If that means taking money from Pitbull, if it means taking money from Lockheed Martin who's not delivering on their contract, if it means not giving extortion money to over 50 percent of the companies who get incentives that are in the state and come to us because they extort us and threaten to leave unless we give them money, pack your bags, buddy. Go." {in} inweekly.net

March 23, 2017

FACING THE PUBLIC

Jeff Bergosh / Courtesy Photo

By Rick Outzen The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is not intimidated to hold town hall meetings. All five commissioners meet regularly with their constituents faceto-face in school cafeterias and community centers across the county. Freshman Commissioner Jeff Bergosh has stepped into the town hall format, even adding his own twist to how he interfaces with this district. "One of the things that I talked about with the constituents when I walked to over 8,000 houses during the campaign was that I wanted to be accessible," Bergosh said recently on "Pensacola Speaks." "What I wanted to do was to have a series of regularly scheduled meetings away from the downtown complex, out in the district, so

people could just come after work, or before work, and just share anything they wanted with me," he said. Bergosh has held two "Coffee with the Commissioner" sessions since the first of the year. "What I like about the coffees is that folks can come by, they can grab a cup of coffee, they can sit down with me very, very informally, and they can just tell me what's on their mind," he told Inweekly. "They don't have to worry about being recorded, or people asking them for all their information. They can just come and tell me what's up, and I really, really value that." Over the next two weeks, Bergosh and fellow commissioner, Grover Robinson, will host forums. Bergosh, who was elected to the District 1 post last November, is hosting a OneStop roundtable on the first Monday in April at the West Florida High cafeteria.

He has invited the other elected officials from his district, Vicki Campbell of ECUA and School Board member Kevin Adams, as well as Escambia County Chief Deputy Chip Simmons, Property Appraiser Chris Jones, Tax Collector Scott Lunsford, and Supervisor of Elections David Stafford. Bergosh said the roundtable idea has been well received by his constituents. "It has never been done in Escambia County before, so I'm delighted to be the first county commissioner to bring this concept." The West Florida High student government association will be present to watch the "wheels of government turn." "We're each going to introduce ourselves, and then we're going to go to our own areas in the cafeteria of West Florida High School," explained Bergosh. "Then folks can go from table to table to table, kind of like a vendor fair. They don't have to go from here, to there, to there, figure out where the website is, what the phone number is. We will all be there. " He is excited to see how the first roundtable does. "I think you're going to find that folks figure out, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Well, wait a minute. He's here, so I could ask him about this, and this kind of dovetails with this, so I'll see what he says, and then I'll go over to this one.' The beautiful thing is there are absolutely no Sunshine Law problems with this because none of us serve on the same board." Commissioner Grover Robinson will hold a town hall meeting on Pensacola Beach on Tuesday, March 28, starting at 6 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Island Authority Office, 1 Via De Luna. The two primary topics will the Bob Sikes Bridge toll and the congestion management plan. Earlier this month on "Pensacola Speaks," he said that the congestion is a good problem to have. "We see numbers up dramatically in tourism. That's more people coming to the area, advancing and being a part of West Florida and helping to pay the taxes that both governments share."

Since his election to the Board of County Commissioners in 2006, Robinson has held town hall meetings in his district. Early this year, he hosted one in the Ferry Pass area to discuss the construction on Olive Road. "I've done them for 10 years," he told Inweekly. "To me, they're invaluable. You learn certain things. People come for different issues. Some of the things that were a problem 10 years ago are no longer a problem, but that doesn't mean something new doesn't come up." Robinson believes the town hall meetings are critical in staying in touch with what the people are wanting. "They also give the people the opportunity to voice in on some things that are going on," he said. "I think at no other level of government do we have that ability to voice concerns to elected officials better than we can do with the local government." It's the interaction with the residents that makes the commission job worthwhile. "It is challenging, but it is very rewarding if you get it right," said Commissioner Robinson. "You can make it better for your community." {in}

UPCOMING COUNTY MEETINGS DISTRICT 4 TOWN HALL

WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 28 WHERE: Santa Rosa Island Authority Office, 1 Via De Luna DETAILS: myescambia.com

DISTRICT 1 ONE-STOP ROUNDTABLE

WHEN: 6 p.m. Monday, April 3 WHERE: West Florida High School Cafeteria, 2400 Longleaf Dr. DETAILS: myescambia.com

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DIFFERENCE MAKERS $3 MILLION GIFT TO ASSIST UWF STUDENTS IN PURSUIT OF AMERICAN DREAM Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the University of West Florida will receive more than $3 million to assist deserving students in their pursuit of the American Dream. This transformational gift will establish an endowment for need-based scholarships with preference given to immigrants and refugees and enhance accessibility to higher education for UWF students. UWF enrolled 290 students classified as immigrants in Fall 2015. With the additional scholarship funds, new student enrollment is projected to increase by approximately 30 percent over the next several years. “Sometimes it amazes me how strong the power of generosity is in our region,” UWF President Martha Saunders said. “This gift will provide needed financial aid to students for generations to come. The donor does not want credit for this incredible act of giving. We are deeply grateful.” Endowment dollars enable UWF to sustain growth, increase its reputation for quality and compete in the higher education marketplace to attract and retain a talented and diverse student body. Need- and talent-based scholarships to support students within all academic programs improve the lives of students and, in return, the community. “Providing the opportunity for higher education ensures economic prosperity and mobility for our students as financial barriers can often interfere with academic progress,” said Dr. Meredith Brunen, interim vice president for university advancement. “The foresight of our benefactors is so noble. The ripples of this gift will be felt in perpetuity.” UWF is in the public phase of its 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign, the largest capital campaign in University history. To support the campaign, visit uwf.edu/give.

Sponsored by The Studer Family March 23, 2017

for grants and didn't do it. Maybe the mayor can leverage the remaining balance.

REINING IN LOBBYISTS Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran last week spoke to the Panhandle Tiger Bay Club. Inweekly had him a few minutes before the luncheon and asked the Speaker if he has successfully reined in the powerful lobbyists. "For sure," said Corcoran. "You're seeing that the proof is in the pudding—the number of lobbyists who have registered, the number of bills that they've disclosed they're working on, the number of filings and transparency in the budgeting process." He said when the Senate and House agreed on joint rules it made a huge difference. "The joint rule with the Senate gives us the most transformative and accountable joint rules of any state in the Union, which basically say you can never, ever, ever stuff something in the budget at the 12th hour written on the back of a napkin," he said. "Those days are over, and we're the first state to do that."

Frank White / Courtesy Photo

NO BALKANIZATION State Rep. Frank White told Inweekly he doesn't support Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward's request that the Triumph funds be allocated to counties and cities in Northwest Florida. "I'd rather have Triumph look at all the projects that are submitted, whether they're by a city, or by a county, or by a nonprofit, whoever," said White. "And look at the criteria we've laid out, and make the best decision regionally." He doesn't believe chopping up the $300 million between cities and counties is best for the Panhandle. "It's kind of a balkanization of Triumph funds, where we're all going to end up with fantastic boat ramps, and a water project here and there, but what do we really have to show for it in 10 or 20 years? Do we really have a diversified economy, more diversified economy, that's prepared for the next environmental disaster? I don't think so." He added, "I think Triumph needs the discretion to focus on regional projects that could actually make a difference in our lives." MISSED BP OPPORTUNITY

In August 2015, the City of Pensacola announced that it had reached an agreement with BP on its oil spill claim. The onetime windfall had the possibility of creating legacy projects if the Hayward administration leveraged the funds with state and federal grants. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. 010 1

Of the total $5.35 million settlement, $2 million went to replenish the city's Natural Disaster Fund that was depleted after the 2014 flood; $989,669 was split between the city's attorneys; and $1.27 million was appropriated to help fund the Corrine Jones/ Government Street stormwater project, whose budget had exceeded its grant after the Hayward administration expanded the size of the pond. The balance of $1,094,053.05 remained in the general fund for the mayor to spend as he wished. Rather than leveraging the funds for possibly another "legacy" project, like Corrine Jones, the funds have been doled out to help pay for a series of small drainage projects around the city, totaling $781, 492.15. A little more than $312,000 remains available. Most recently, Mayor Hayward has been lobbying state lawmakers that the city should receive a share of the Triumph Gulf Coast funds–approximately $12.75 million. City Administrator Eric Olson last week complained to the Pensacola City Council that the city had to go to the county for RESTORE funds. "So, we missed out on leveraging opportunities," said Olson. "We can't pledge it as a match for another grant, so we would really like to have some guarantee that we're getting some of that money." Last year, the City of Pensacola had at least a million dollars to pledge as a match

YOUTH ARRESTS According to the

Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, arrests of youth in the state of Florida have dropped 28 percent over the past four years. In Escambia County, youth arrests have fallen only 17 percent since FY 2011-12. Of the zip codes with the highest volume of youth arrests, Escambia's 32505 is tied with Pinellas County's 33712 for 13th with 430 arrests in 2015-16. The 32505 zip code accounted for nearly one of every four youth arrests in Escambia County last year. Statewide, the arrests of white youth have dropped 38 percent over the past four years, while the arrests of black youth dropped 20 percent. In Escambia County, the arrests of white youth trailed the state decline by only four percentage points with a 34-percent decrease. However, Escambia County didn't fare as well with its black youth, who made up 72-percent of all youth arrests in the county last year. In Escambia County, the arrests of black youth only dropped 9 percent over the same four-year period.

CALL TO ACTION On Thursday, March 23, Earth Action is hosting a meeting that addresses the Environmental Legacy of our Northwest communities. A series of speakers will discuss what's happening in our community and show how the public can become actively engaged in helping with environmental issues

"It is vitally important for residents of northwest Florida to realize four things," said community activist James Scaminaci III. "First, the grand jury reports of 1999 and 2004 emphasized that ultimately the first line of defense against environmental pollution were mobilized citizens acting in self-defense." He continued, "Second, they were aided by federal and state agencies that had not yet been co-opted or coerced by industry into promoting industry's ‘junk science.' Third, they were assisted by local journalists and editors who understood these issues and were willing to take a stand. And fourth, an activated citizenry is still our first line of defense, but unfortunately, there has been a serious erosion and undermining of the other two pillars." With Scott Pruitt named to the EPA and Matt Gaetz wanting to abolish the EPA, Earth Action said in its press announcement, "It's time we come to together and take a stand for the environment and our public health." The group is concerned about the impact on poorer neighborhoods. "The people who are impacted the most by environmental racism must be at the table," said Dr. Gloria Horning, Director of Justice Escambia, "and direct action needs to be louder and louder every day." The meeting will be in Meeting Room B of the Downtown Pensacola Library located at 239 N Spring Street, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 23.

NO BRAC WORRIES A Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process is coming. Escambia County Commission Chairman Doug Underhill isn't worried after meeting with the Florida Defense Alliance. "We're not even talking about BRAC," said the commissioner on "Pensacola Speaks" last week. "And the reason why is because when you have the kind of partnership we have in this community, you don't have to worry about stuff being taken away from you. You're thinking more about no matter what the new mission is in America today, Escambia County's the best place to do that mission." He explained why. "If you've got that superior, sustained relationship that we have developed, then you don't have to be afraid of something like BRAC. You just keep doing the great work you're doing, and you'll do fine in a BRAC situation or outside of a BRAC situation. Our focus is completely on how do we continue to grow and bring mission space to Escambia County." inweekly.net

COASTAL CUISINE WITH A MEDITERRANEAN FLAIR in the heart of downtown Pensacola

LOWER BEACH PASSES At its Mar. 16

meeting, the Escambia Board of County Commissioners approved a reduction in the Pensacola Beach General Public Annual Pass, reducing the annual fee from $50 to $20. The cost reduction will become effective Monday, May 1. The board's action does not impact the ability to choose to pay the cash toll of $1 for single trips or the other Pensacola Beach Annual Pass rates. The homestead pass will remain at $5 and the commercial pass, $70. No refunds will be given for any general public annual passes purchased before the new fee rate. The new Pensacola Beach Annual Pass integrated with SunPassÂŽ provides a true 365-day pass to Pensacola Beach by providing an unlimited passage through the Bob Sikes Toll Booth for one full year from the date of purchase. The public can either purchase a SunPass transponder online at SunPass.com or in person at retail outlets including Publix, CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens or enroll in the Pensacola Beach Annual Pass program online or in person at the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza Customer Service Office located in the Santa Rosa Island Authority office, 1 Via De Luna Drive, Pensacola Beach. For information about the new SunPass System and the integration with the Pensacola Beach Annual Pass Program, please visit myescambia.com/PensacolaBeachPass or contact the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza Customer Service Office at bobsikestollplaza@myescambia.com.

SCI METRO DASHBOARD The Studer Community Institute released its 2017 Pensacola Metro Dashboard to give the public an objective picture of what is going well in the community and where opportunities for improvement exist. "I think when you look at dashboards, if you're on a plane they seem to be awfully March 23, 2017

important. If you're in a hospital, they use a dashboard. If you're driving a car, it tells you when things are going well and they're not going well, " Studer told Inweekly. "Most good businesses, in fact, I'd say every single good business that I've ever seen, has a dashboard" He continued, "The dashboard is what are your targets to beat, maximize whatever is happening in your business or your facility. You know, when is it normal, when is it doing really, really well, and when should you have warning signs." Studer believes good communities need a dashboard. The Pensacola Metro Dashboard compliments the Quality of Life survey that he and his wife Rishy have sponsored for nine years. One indicator that jumped out this year was the crime rate. Escambia County's crime rate is 4,734 per 100,000 population, while the state rate is 3,300 per 100,000. Neighboring Santa Rosa County only has a 1,292 per 100,000 crime rate. Escambia County's crime rate is the second worst crime rate for counties near our population in the state of Florida, according to Studer. "From what I hear from the police and the sheriff is that we're making progress, and I assume we are," said Studer. "They all work hard. There's nothing to say they don't work. It's not just a police and sheriff issue; it's all of us looking at safety and neighborhood watches, and watching where our children are, helping people get jobs." Other indicators that need improvement are Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Participation, 63.3 percent in Escambia, but 78-percent statewide, and real per capita income, $36,632 average in Escambia and $42,737 statewide. "If a kid is not ready for kindergarten, they likely will not graduate from high school," said Studer. "High school graduation impacts the ability to earn more. I've talked about it for a long time, we've just got to keep moving wages up here in Pensacola." {in}

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WEEK OF MARCH 23-30

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

Open Streets, Open City by Shelby Smithey

alk, run, bike, stroll, skate, or skateboard this Saturday at a brand new free event in downtown Pensacola called Ciclovia Open Streets, which aims to get the community active and enjoying their city streets in a whole new way. Ciclovia (pronounced seek-low-via) is a worldwide health and wellness movement that gives cities an opportunity to get its citizens moving by closing the streets and providing a safe, relaxed environment. A five-mile scenic route—Main and Palafox Streets from Gulf Power to the Community Maritime Park and Palafox March 23, 2017

from the Pier to Garden Street—will be closed to motor traffic and open to the public for special festivities and events as they traverse the city. Organizer Sally Rosendahl, who saw how successful the initiative was while abroad, started Ciclovia Open Streets Pensacola. Rosendahl and her husband spent the summer in Panama, where they participated in a Ciclovia event six times. "When I got back I started doing research and found that cities are doing them all over the world," she said. "I looked into what we needed to start one here and

found that you need mayoral support, so I immediately went to the mayor's office, and he got on board. Mayor Ashton Hayward was our first ‘champion.' Parks and Recreation has played a key role." Rosendahl said that at its core, Ciclovia, also called Open Streets, is a health and wellness initiative to show that exercise can be fun by using the city streets and opening them up to the people. "Open Streets started as a way to close city streets to motor traffic and let people ride, skateboard, walk, shop or just play in the street," Rosendahl said. "The Mayor

wants everyone, all ages, to come out and enjoy the streets safely." Ciclovia originated in Bogotá, Colombia in the 1970s and really took off around the world in the '90s. It has since been held worldwide in more than 400 cities. Pensacola will join this progressive list on Saturday. "Pensacola is ripe for Ciclovia," Rosendahl said. "We have a great community, a rich history, and a vibrant culture. Ciclovia is a unique opportunity for citizens and visitors to connect these assets, enjoy active living and highlight our community on the worldwide stage." 13

Activities will include a bike skills clinic, Zumba, music and dancing, free kid's helmets, rental bikes and Ciclovia specials at select businesses and restaurants as well as a Family Zone and bounce houses. Zaragoza Street between Palafox and Alcaniz Streets through Historic Pensacola will also be open to allow participants to engage with costumed interpreters. Free basic bicycle safety checks are available in advance of the event through participating local bicycle shops. "The history of other cities holding Ciclovia events did so by strong preferences

by the citizens," Rosendahl said. "There's something to it. It begins to change your mindset of what exercise is. Some people have this idea that exercise is only doing reps in a gym. But anything that gets you moving is exercise." Several restaurants will be having specials for the event, and there will be a number of exhibitions and activities along the route. At 11 a.m., for example, the WEAR Channel 3 morning news crew will be at the corner of Palafox and Main Streets for a Smoothie Bike Race. They will be racing

on stationary bikes attached to blenders making smoothies. Rosendahl said that afterwards at 11:30 a.m., there will be a special surprise brewing at The Bodacious Shops. "Mayor Hayward's early endorsement and the support of the City of Pensacola, along with the backing from community leaders and organizations, have been vital to this effort," Rosendahl said. Parks along the route will serve as special event spaces. Bartram Park will be the place for dancing and will feature a DJ playing the classics, while Veterans Park will be holding a scavenger hunt. Rosendahl said that "parklets"— something else that's been done around the world—will also have their debut in Pensacola on Saturday. "Parklets" provide more space and seating for pedestrians. "Parklets are turning a parking lot into a small park," Rosendahl said. "We will have several of these along the route by Jackson's, O'Riley's Irish Pub and Hopjacks. Jerry Pate Design will be laying the AstroTurf, and duh will be decorating." Rosendahl also said that Open Streets Pensacola wants to be inclusive to all types of activity, including skateboarding, which is often not allowed in many areas. "Skateboarding is exercise too," Rosendahl said. "We promote the effort to get a new skateboard park because they don't currently allow them in our city parks. This event welcomes walkers, runners, strollers, tricycles, bicycles, skateboards, skaters, etc… No one is excluded and this is not a race. We encourage people to stop for lunch, shop and enjoy the city. We just want to flood the streets with people." {in}

CICLOVIA OPEN STREETS PENSACOLA

WHAT: A free event where streets are closed to cars but opened to all nonmotorized ways to move WHEN: 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Saturday, March 25 WHERE: Downtown Pensacola COST: Free DETAILS: pensacolaopenstreets.com

FOREVER DIETING? TIME TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT FOOD. A LUMINOUS LIFE HYPNOTHERAPY

EXPLORE THE CITY Looking for things to do while you stroll (or roll) downtown during Ciclovia? Here are some suggestions. PALAFOX MARKET Support local farmers while buying the freshest produce around. Grab a snack and then head over to the other side of the market at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza to check out the local art, antiques, handmade jewelry, carpentry and other artisan products. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF ART From Pablo Picasso to Andy Warhol, get your modern art fix this weekend by checking out “Modern Masters: Twentieth Century Prints” which is currently on display at the museum. 11 a.m. -4 p.m. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org BATTLE OF THE BROS In conjunction with Ciclovia the inaugural "Battle of the Bros" Skateboard Demo and Contest is happening on Saturday. The live action starts at 10 a.m. with Innerlight Surf & Skate Shop and Waterboyz Surf & Skate Shop team riders. At noon the “Battle of the Bros” competition will commence. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St. facebook.com/upwardintuition 2017 MARCH MADNEZZ This annual fundraiser supports the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast Pensacola Clubs. Watch the NCAA Men’s Basketball Regional Finals, plus Score some silent auction items, enjoy a live auction during halftime of the second game— all for a great cause. Ticket prices are $25 for an individual, $60 for a family. 3 p.m. O’Riley’s Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox emeraldcoastbgc.org KUNG FU CLASS Learn Kung Fu Martial Arts at Uru Yoga with Sifu Warren Yetman. There are two classes scheduled Saturday, one for kids and one for adults. Cost is $10 for the kids class and $15 for adults. 1-1:45 p.m. (kids) and 2-3:30 p.m. (adults) Uru Yoga Downtown, 100 S. Baylen St. Suite. D. uruyoga.com

Let’s Wine!

Free Wine Tasting Every Thursday AWM 5pm - 7pm

SUSAN DUNLOP, MA, CHT

INTERNATIONALLY CERTIFIED HYPNOTHERAPIST

850-346-7865 EAST HILL

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calendar THURSDAY 3.23

WORK ON FLORIDA TRAIL 8 a.m. Regular meet up of Western Gate Florida Trail Association to work on National Scenic Trail and side trail. Meet at Blackwater River Forestry Center, 11650 Munson Highway. meetup.com/ ftawesterngate WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com NATURAL HEALING/CANCER STUDY 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SPANISH WINE DINNER 6:30-9 p.m. $75 per person. SoGourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com LATIN DANCE LESSONS AND PARTY 6:30-9 p.m. $10. Salsa, Cha Cha, Bachata and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. $10. dancecraftfl.com WEEDEATER ASG 7 p.m. $20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com THE KITCHEN SINK: FROM MENOTTI TO MEATLOAF 7:30 p.m. UWF Theatre Depart-

ment show. UWF Center for Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway. Bldg. 81. uwf.edu 2017 DANCE PENSACOLA 9 p.m. Dance competition. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com

FRIDAY 3.24

PILATES MAT 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Free. City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave. HAPPY HOUR COOK OUTS 5 p.m. Drink specials, free cookout. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com VINYASA YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org DATE NIGHT DANCING 6:30-8 p.m. $15. Learn the basics of several romantic ballroom and country dance styles in unique group classes that keeps partners together. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. dancecraftfl.com OPEN MIC 7-11 p.m. Single Fin Cafe, 380 N. 9th Ave. facebook.com/singlefincafe GENERATIONALS 8 p.m. $10. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

SATURDAY 3.25

SANTA ROSA FARMERS MARKET 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods and live music. Pace Presbyterian Church, Woodbine Road, Pace. CLEAN UP WITH OCEAN HOUR 8:45 a.m. Meet at the fishing pier parking lot at the very end of Ft Pickens Road, 7-8 miles from the park entrance. Buckets, grabbers, gloves and trash bags will be supplied. For more information, contact oceanhourfl@gmail.com. CICLOVIA: PENSACOLA OPEN STREETS 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Five miles of roadway will be closed to

Dinosaur Jr. / Photo by Levi Walton motorized vehicles to encourage people to walk, bike, skateboard or just play in the streets. pensacolaopenstreets.com PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com LEAPS 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

GEOGLYPHS AND MYTH 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Free.

Lecture and discussion with Scott Davis. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org OVERVIEW TO HERBAL MEDICINE 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BALLET AND BBQ 5-7:30 p.m. $55. Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center, 913 S. I Street. balletpensacola.com MEMPHIS MAY FIRE 5:30 p.m. $18-$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com CROWNING GLORY 7:30 p.m. Choral Society of Pensacola performance of Mozart and Puccini. $20-$25. First United Methodist Church, 6 E. Wright St.

ONLINE CALL

March 23, 2017

calendar WHITE TIE ROCK ENSEMBLE: AN EVENING OF BRITISH ROCK 8 p.m. $28-$38. Saenger The-

atre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com

SUNDAY 3.26

WAKE UP HIKE 7 a.m. Meet at Bay Bluffs

Park, Scenic Highway at Summit Ave., for a brisk one to two-hour walk with brunch to follow at an area restaurant. CANNING 101 2-4 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org BEER GARDEN PARTY 2 p.m. $45. Menu from Chef Nathan Butner. The Courtyard at Skopelos at New World, 600 S. Palafox. Reservations required, call 432-6565. SOUTHEASTERN TEEN SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: SHENANIGANS 4-5 p.m. Free. 1010 N.

12th Ave. setsco.org/first-city-shakespeare DINOSAUR JR. 7 p.m. $25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com

MONDAY 3.27

PILATES MAT 1:30-2:30 p.m. Free. Ever’man

Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org SEVILLE QUARTER MILERS 5:30 p.m. Runners meet in front of Seville Quarter for a run around downtown Pensacola. Free pasta and drink specials after the run at Fast Eddie's. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. sevillequarter.com CULTURES COOK: GERMAN SPAETZLE 6 p.m. $35. Pensacola Cooks Kitchen, 3670 Barran-

cas Ave. pensacolacooks.rezclick.com

BALLROOM DANCE LESSONS 6:30-8 p.m. $10.

Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, and more. Professional dance instruction for all skill levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. dancecraftfl.com

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS WITH NIKKI TALLEY

7-8:30 p.m. $10. From the Ground Up Community Garden, 501 N. Hayne St. eventbrite.com ALL HANDS ON DECK 7:30 p.m. $35-$55. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. pensacolasaenger.com HIP-HOP DANCE LESSONS 8-9 p.m. $10. Learn hip-hop moves from a professional instructor. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. dancecraftfl.com

TUESDAY 3.28

COMPLEMENTARY WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. SoGourmet, 407-D S. Palafox. sogourmetpensacola.com FUNKY YOGA FLOW 6-7 p.m. Free. Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WFLF OPEN MIC 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. COUNTRY DANCE LESSONS 6:30 p.m. $10. Country Two Step, East Coast Swing, Competition Choreography and more. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123 dancecraftfl.com MEDITATION /PRANIC HEALING 7:15-8:30 p.m. Free. Ever'man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org

TUNESDAY SOUND CAFE 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a cup

of coffee or tea and tunes from the baby grand piano. Pensacola Library lobby, 239 North Spring St.

WEDNESDAY 3.29

VINO MAGNIFICO 5:30 p.m. $10. V. Paul's

Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox. impact100pensacola.org UWF DOWNTOWN LECTURE SERIES 5:30-7 p.m. Ron Finley, The Gangsta Gardener. Historic Pensacola’s Museum of Commerce, 201 E. Zaragoza St. uwf.edu

PENSACOLA OPERA TOWN HALL MEETINGS 5:30 p.m. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox.

pensacolaopera.com

RESTORATIVE YOGA 6-7 p.m. Free.

Ever’man Educational Center, 327 W. Garden St. everman.org WATERBOYZ SLOW SKATE 6-7 p.m. Every Wednesday. Skate starts and ends at Waterboyz, 380 N. 9th Ave. waterboyz.com SWING DANCE LESSONS AND PARTY 6:30-10 p.m. $5-$10. Professional west coast swing instruction for all levels. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. dancecraftfl.com KATCHAFIRE 7 p.m. $15. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com FREE DANCE LESSONS 8-8:30 p.m. Free beginner west coast swing dance lesson. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. 503-1123. dancecraftfl.com

arts & culture

≥Events

HOT GLASS COLD BREW: SPRING FLING EDITION 6-9 p.m.

Friday, March 24. $20-25. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard firstcityart.org IN BETWEEN THE LINES RECEPTION

5:30-9 p.m. Friday, March 24. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org ANNUAL MEMBERS JURIED EXHIBIT OPENING 5:30-7:30

p.m. Friday, March 24. Awards will begin at 6 p.m. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

PANHANDLE FOLK MUSIC CLUB 5-7:30

p.m. Wednesdays. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. panhandlefolk.org

≥Exhibits

ART STUDY CLUB ANNUAL MEMBERS SPRING SHOW On

view through April 9. The Wright Place, 82 E. Wright St. WATER WATER, EVERYWHERE On

view through April 7. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery.org WALK ON THE WILDSIDE On view

through April 7. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery.org

I AM NOT AN EXIT

On view through April 7. Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery.org IN BETWEEN THE LINES On view

through April 22. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org SPOTLIGHT ON ART On view

through March 25.

presents Pensacola Little Theatre’s annual fundraiser

Color Me

CABARET Experience the Spectrum

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calendar Featured artists, James Emery and Chuck Lisner. Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox. bluemorninggallery. com MODERN MASTERS

On view through May 6. Styles and techniques of the first hundred years of twentieth century art. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407

S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org ANNUAL MEMBERS JURIED EXHIBIT On view through

April 23. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

≥Call for Art

GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS

Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival and

Artel Gallery are teaming up again this year to find our next Emerging Artists. This grant opportunity is available to up and coming artists. Two grant recipients will receive support from a mentor, a shared booth during the festival and great exposure. Visit artelgallery.org

or ggaf.org to download the application and go for it! Deadline to submit the application is April 30, 2017. Email hatchingartists@ gmail.com for more details.

≥Classes & Workshops

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE STAINED

GIVEAWAY: HANGOUT FEST 2017

PM • 7:30atre 7 1 0 1, 2 nger The PRIL

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featuring

William Eddins, conductor

BORODIN Polovtsian Dances RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Suite from Mlada TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5

If you're anything like us, you're already counting down the days until May 19—aka the first day of Hangout Fest 2017. Headliners for this year's fest include Mumford & Sons, Twenty One Pilots, Frank Ocean and Chance The Rapper. They've also got Major Lazer, Weezer, MGMT, Mac DeMarco and about 65 more acts we're dying to check out. As if that badass line-up alone wasn't enough to get you packing up and heading to the beach, Inweekly has partnered with Hangout Fest to give away a pair of general admission, three-day passes to the festival. All you have to do to win is tell us your name, email and who you'd bring with you to the beach. Super easy, right? March 23, 2017

You can enter the contest here: jotform.com/70584238491967 *Please note: Each email address entered will only be counted once. Winners must provide their own hotel and travel arrangements. Contest ends March 31.

HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2017

WHEN: Friday, May 19—Sunday, May 21 WHERE: Gulf Shores, AL TICKETS: Three day GA/VIP/SUPER VIP tickets on sale now DETAILS: hangoutmusicfest.com

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calendar skills based on the academic art tradition. Ages 16-plus. Tuition is $175 for members and $200 for non-members. Class dates are February 23 through March 30, Thursdays 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Six-week

GLASS: FOIL METHOD Introduction

workshop students with instructor Julie Betts. Students will lean the basics of stained glass including scoring and breaking glass, making patterns, grinding glass, soldering and finishing.

Intermediate projects will be offered to those that have already taken the class. No experience necessary, open to students 14 and up. Class tuition is $150. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. GLASS ON GLASS

MOSIAC The class

will be offered June 11, 18, & 25 from1 to 4 p.m. with instructor Julie Betts. Participants will explore the steps of nipping and slicing, gluing, and grouting colorful glass on glass. All skill levels are wel-

comed. No experience is needed. The workshop is open to students 12 and up. Class tuition is $150. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. OIL PAINTING 101

Oil Painting 101 is a great course for beginners as well

as intermediate students. Students will learn to use oil paints to accurately and realistically portray objects and people from life. Over the course of the six-week class students will learn vocabulary, techniques, and

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m., Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at First City Art Center, 1060 Guillemard St. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org. INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL Every

6-8:30 p.m. at First City Art Center. Classes are $40. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

CLAY HAND BUILDING Six-week

workshops are held Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

CLAY SCULPTURE

Six-week workshops held Saturdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at First City Art Center. Cost is $157.25 for members and $185 for non-members. For more information, visit firstcityart.org.

BELLY DANCING

Eight-week beginner and advanced classes on Tuesday nights. For beginner, intermediate and advanced students. Classes held at First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St For more information and to sign up for a class visit pensacolabellydance.com LIFE DRAWING Artists of any skill level are welcome to draw life figures. 6-9 p.m. Monday nights. Cost is $5-$10 a person. Contact phayes@ ihmc.us if interested. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. The group is always looking for new models, contact Pat at the email address above if interested.

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inweekly.net

news of the weird LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION A highlight of the recent upmarket surge in Brooklyn, N.Y., as a residential and retail favorite, was the asking price for an ordinary parking space in the garage at 845 Union Street in the Park Slope neighborhood: $300,000 (also carrying a $240-a-month condominium fee and $50 monthly taxes). That's similar to the price of actual one-bedroom apartments in less ritzy Brooklyn neighborhoods like Gravesend (a few miles away). COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS Saginaw, Michigan, defense lawyer Ed Czuprynski had beaten a felony DUI arrest in December, but was sentenced to probation on a lesser charge in the incident, and among his restrictions was a prohibition on drinking alcohol—which Czuprynski acknowledged in March that he has since violated at least twice. However, at that hearing (which could have meant jail time for the violations), Czuprynski used the opportunity to beg the judge to remove the restriction altogether, arguing that he can't be "effective" as a lawyer unless he is able to have a drink now and then. (At press time, the judge was still undecided.) FINE POINTS OF THE LAW Residents in southern Humboldt County, California, will vote in May on a proposed property tax increase to fund a community hospital in Garberville to serve a web of small towns in the scenic, sparsely populated region, and thanks to a county judge's March ruling, the issue will be explained more colorfully. Opponent Scotty McClure was initially rebuffed by the registrar when he tried to distribute, as taxpayer-funded "special elections material," contempt for "Measure W" by including the phrase "(insert fart smell here)" in the description. The registrar decried the damage to election "integrity" by such "vulgarity," but Judge Timothy Cissna said state law gives him jurisdiction only over "false" or "misleading" electioneering language. IRONIES A chain reaction of fireworks in Tultepec, Mexico, in December had made the San Pablito pyro marketplace a scorched ruin, with more than three dozen dead and scores injured, leaving the town to grieve and, in March, to solemnly honor the victims—with even more fireworks. Tultepec is the center of Mexico's fireworks industry, with 30,000 people dependent on explosives for a living. Wrote The Guardian, "Gunpowder" is in "their blood." MISCELLANEOUS ECONOMIC INDICATORS (1) "Bentley" the cat went missing in Marina Del Rey, California, on Feb. 26 and as of press time had not been located —despite a posted reward of $20,000. (A "wanted" photo is online, if you're interested.) (2) British snack food manufacturer Walkers advertised in February for a part-time professional chip taster, at the equivalent of $10.55 an hour. (3) An Australian state administrative

by Chuck Shepherd

tribunal awarded a $90,000 settlement after a cold-calling telemarketer sold a farm couple 2,000 ink cartridges (for their one printer) by repeated pitches. PERSPECTIVE American chef Dan Barber staged a temporary "pop-up" restaurant in London in March at which he and other renowned chefs prepared the fanciest meals they could imagine using only food scraps donated from local eateries. A primary purpose was to chastise First World eaters (especially Americans) for wasting food, not only in the kitchen and on the plate, but to satisfy our craving for meat (for example, requiring diversion of 80 percent of the world's corn and soy just to feed edible animals). Among Barber's March "WastED" dishes were a char-grilled meatless beetburger and pork braised in leftover fruit solids. UNDIGNIFIED DEATHS (1) Smoking Kills: A 78-year-old man in Easton, Pennsylvania, died in February from injuries caused when he lit his cigarette but accidentally set afire his hooded sweatshirt. (2) Pornography Kills: A Mexico City man fell to his death recently in the city's San Antonio neighborhood when he climbed up to turn off a highway video sign on the Periferico Sur highway that was showing a pornographic clip apparently placed by a hacker. LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Oops! An officer in Harrington, Delaware, approaching an illegally parked driver at Liberty Plaza Shopping Center in March, had suspicions aroused when she gave him a name other than "Keyonna Waters" (which was the name on the employee name tag she was wearing). Properly ID'ed, she was arrested for driving with a suspended license. THE PASSING PARADE (1) In his third try of the year in January, Li Longlong of China surpassed his own Guinness Book record by climbing 36 stairs while headstanding (beating his previous 34). (Among the Guinness regulations: no touching walls and no pausing more than five seconds per step.) (2) The online live-stream of the extremely pregnant giraffe "April" (at New York's Animal Adventure Park) has created such a frenzy, and exposed the tiny attention spans of viewers, that, as of March 3, they had spent a cumulative 1,036 years just watching. (Erin Dietrich of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 39 weeks pregnant herself, mocked the lunacy by livestreaming her own belly while wearing a giraffe mask.) (By press time, Erin had delivered; April, not.) {in}

Send your weird news to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to newsoftheweird.com March 23, 2017

PROGRESS

A look at the mixed-use building that is under construction in Downtown Pensacola.

Better Jobs Better Lives Better Community

TOP TWO FLOORS

URBAN CORE

A preeminent Gulf Coast regional law firm serving the comprehensive legal needs of individuals and businesses as lifelong advisors and counsel.

Mixed-use building

clarkpartington.com

SPACE AVAILABLE

Total development budget

$14,625,000

Over the course of construction, the number of people that will have worked on this project Labor hours Spent each week during construction

SECOND FLOOR

STREET LEVEL

200

RETAIL & RESTAURANT

OFFICE SPACE

Leasing information

approximately

400,000 approximately

$260,000

Call Justin A. Beck:

(850) 529-7499

321 N. DeVilliers St. Ste 103 Pensacola, FL 32501

Andrew Rothfeder andrew@studercdg.com (850) 232-3003 Independent News | March 23, 2017 | inweekly.net