Inweekly March 24 2022

SPRING BREAK OUTS

Things to see, hear and do this season (and into the next) Independent News | March 24, 2022 | Volume 23 | Number 12

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winners & losers

outtakes

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news

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As it turns out, it’s true.

feature story

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publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Tim Bednarczyk

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

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

contact us info@inweekly.net

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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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winners & losers

Gabe Bullaro / Courtesy of HCA Healthcare

March Madness has begun, and we can't find the Winners & Losers staff. They were last seen grumbling about missing New York Nick's and why Texas A&M didn't make the tournament. If you see them roaming on a scooter, please tell them all is forgiven.

Meanwhile, we have another all-winners edition of this column.

GABE BULLARO HCA Healthcare North

Florida Division announced the appointment of Bullaro as chief executive officer of HCA Florida West Hospital, effective April 4. In his new role, Bullaro will oversee the 515-bed acute care hospital in Pensacola, which has served the Northwest Florida community for nearly 40 years.

Bullaro has more than a decade of experience in health care, having served in various leadership roles at HCA Healthcare. He currently serves as HCA Florida West Marion Hospital CEO, where he executed numerous strategic and operational initiatives resulting in the most successful years in the history of the hospital. His commitment to establishing a culture of service and quality has also garnered success as measured by the hospital's Leapfrog A rating, as well as top decile performance for Physician Place to Practice and near top quartile for Inpatient Experience.

GULF WINDS CREDIT UNION Gulf Winds and the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) recently presented the Studer Family Children's Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart with a donation for $10,662. The gift was the culmination of weekly donations made by Gulf Winds staff members that participate in the casual day jeans program. Since 2012, Gulf Winds staff members have donated over $95,500 as part of the jeans day program. These donations are initially provided to NAFCU/PAC, who matches the donation to the children's hospital.

JOSHUA SEAMOUNT Cmdr. Seamount, U.S.

Navy, relieved Cmdr. Edward Ahlstrand, U.S. Coast Guard, as the 58th commanding officer of the "Doerbirds," Training Squadron Two (VT-2), in a ceremony at Naval Air Station Whiting Field earlier this month. VT-2 is one of three fixedwing aircraft training squadrons at Whiting Field under Training Air Wing Five (TRAWING FIVE), which conducts 60% of all Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps primary training for aviation students. It is the Navy's oldest primary training squadron. Ahlstrand and Seamount conducted their change of command in an airborne ceremony while family, friends, distinguished guests and squadron personnel watched below.

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COX CHARITIES Cox Communications employees in the Gulf Coast Market have awarded $16,000 to local nonprofits through the Cox Charities Community Investment grant program. Over a dozen applications were received from local organizations seeking funding for various programs. After much deliberation, Cox employees who serve on the Cox Charities Selection Committee awarded the grants to One Hopeful Place for its Homeless Cold Night Program in Fort Walton Beach, Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida for its Hope for Hurting Families program, YMCA of Northwest Florida for YReads! and Valerie's House for No Child Grieves Alone.

RUTH PAIGE The Century Town Council last week honored the "matriarch" of the town with a proclamation. Paige passed away this month at age 100. According to the proclamation, "Mama Ruth" was the nurse-midwife for Century and surrounding areas for over 70 years and is credited with delivering over 2,000 babies "of all ethnicities." The proclamation stated, "She is gone from this world yet will forever be etched in the hearts of Centurions."

PENSACOLA CYBERCOAST A study conducted by the Brookings Institute has found that coastal cities have dominated tech work as cyber workers have relocated during the pandemic.

Brookings cited Pensacola among the smaller cities that saw a 6% or greater surge in tech employment surge. At the beginning of the pandemic, FloridaWest launched a marketing strategy to attract cyber professionals to Pensacola as high-tech businesses shifted to remote working. It appears the strategy's success is showing up in the metrics.

PENSACOLA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE The Pensacola Christian College Lady Eagles basketball team won their first Division II National Championship of the National Christian College Athletic Association with an 85-74 victory over the Arlington Baptist University Patriots of Arlington, Texas. Player Lauran Alvarez was named the tournament's MVP. The PCC Lady Eagles season record was 23-3. inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

ANOTHER JAIL TALE In 2005, Inweekly covered conditions in the Escambia County Jail when the late Leroy Boyd of Movement for Change told us how Robert Boggan died while awaiting trial.

The man had been stripped naked, thrown in a shower cell, shocked repeatedly, strapped into a restraining chair with a towel wrapped around his head and put in the back of his cell facing the wall for about four hours before being found dead by authorities (Inweekly, "The Death of Robert Boggan," 10/13/05).

Sheriff Ron McNesby and his supporters did their best to get me to fire my editor, Duwayne Escobedo, and shut down this newspaper, but we refused to bend. As the jail deaths began to pile up, McNesby was forced to admit he had to change how he dealt with inmates with physical and mental health issues.

In 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice completed its nearly four-year investigation into the county jail and submitted a list of changes that needed to be made to the facility.

Sheriff Morgan had requested $6.3 million to hire 83 detention deputies and 12 detention assistants to respond to the DOJ findings. The Board of County Commissioners balked and took over the county jail over this newspaper's objections (Inweekly, "No Blinking," 6/27/13).

Less than a year later, Central Booking and Detention exploded due to leaking gas lines after rainwater flooded the laundry facilities in the basement. The jail's chain-of-command was so damaged that no one reported the smell of natural gas to county administration. Two inmates died, and one correction officer was paralyzed in the blast.

County officials initially denied the gas leak and that the basement had flooded.

Inweekly and the daily newspaper uncovered the truth by interviewing inmates (Inweekly, "Inside the Chaos," 5/8/14).

In December 2015, Inweekly called for the Board of County Commissioners to examine jail operations after our six-month investigation had covered the county's six jail deaths in

a little over six months didn't match what other cities and counties were experiencing.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, around 80% of all local jails have no deaths in a year. Less than 7% have two or more deaths. When we reviewed the state's recorded jail deaths, 1-in-10 deaths occurred in Escambia County. Our investigation pointed to how poorly the county ran its jail infirmary and the lack of precautions to handle suicidal inmates (Inweekly, "Jails Come Under Scrutiny," 12/3/15).

After we published our report, County Administrator Jack Brown fired Corrections Director Michael Tidwell. Assistant County Administrator Chip Simmons was put in charge of the corrections department. Changes were made in politics and procedures, and the jail deaths fell in line with other counties' statistics.

Since then, the county has spent $142 million on a new jail, which commissioners like to call "the county's largest public works project."

When the building opened in March 2021, County Administrator Janice Gilley said, "Each of us hopes for a better day … We are hopeful this is going to be a game-changer in the way we manage these types of services in our community."

A year later, few are happy with the new jail.

The commissioners are disappointed that the efficiencies promised by their consultants and contractors haven't been realized. Pods in the new facility have only recently become available due to plumbing and other construction issues, and inmates are still housed in the old jail that has been allowed to deteriorate horribly.

Corrections officers, inmates and their families, criminal defense attorneys and bail bond agents aren't happy with how the facility is run. In this issue, I share the story of Sheridan Davis, whose mother contracted COVID-19 while serving a 60-day sentence and died (Inweekly, "Fixing the Jail," 3/24/22.)

Once again, the commissioners will have to fix the jail. Let's hope that they go beyond just tending to the physical plant. We plan to keep digging. {in} rick@inweekly.net

The jail's chain-of-command was so damaged that no one reported the smell of natural gas to county administration.

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GOP'S RED MEAT REVUE tion looking for a problem that doesn't exist in our state."

"This is nothing more than an attempt for him to not speak to the base here in Florida, but to the base he has nationwide," Davis said.

Amy Turkel, interim executive director of the ACLU of Florida, sees the elections police "as a dangerous solution in search of a problem."

"Following the 2020 election, Gov. DeSantis and his allies in the legislature praised the accuracy and efficiency of the election," Turkel said in a statement. "Yet, they continue to undermine Floridians' access to the ballot box."

CHIPPING AWAY AT A CORNERSTONE

By Jeremy Morrison Florida lawmakers recently wrapped up the state's regular legislative session in Tallahassee. While the session was extended a few days to pass a $112.1 billion budget, the real headlines came from lawmakers buying into Gov. Ron DeSantis' culture-war agenda.

Republican lawmakers exercised their power like never before, spending little time to listen to those outside their alt-right ideology.

Lawmakers passed legislation covering such GOP red meat issues as abortion, elections, education and sexual orientation. They also handed out new favors to businesses and the state's electric utilities.

"These bills don't address real issues.

We still have a minimum wage issue in Florida. We still have a COVID issue in Florida. We still have an affordable housing issue in Florida." Jamil Davis "These are bills that essentially have been playing to the base that our governor wants to play to, to increase his chances of becoming president," said Jamil Davis, Florida state organizing manager for Black Voters Matter.

"These bills don't address real issues. We still have a minimum wage issue in Florida. We still have a COVID issue in Florida. We still have an affordable housing issue in Florida."

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FIXING A NON-PROBLEM

Following the 2020 presidential election, Florida's governor praised his own state's election process—"Why can't these states be more like Florida?" However, he tapped Trump gold when he pushed lawmakers to pass stricter elections laws that made mail-in voting more difficult.

Critics charged that the 2021 bill discriminates against Black and Hispanic voters and curtails third-party registration efforts. The bill is currently the subject of a federal lawsuit brought by organizations including Florida Conference of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Florida and Black Voters Matter.

This year, he returned to Trumpian riggedelection narrative and asked lawmakers to expand state government and create what some have dubbed an "election police force."

The legislators passed SB 524, which establishes an Office of Election Crimes and Security within the Florida Department of State.

This agency will investigate any reports of voter fraud. In addition, this bill also increases penalties for so-called "ballot harvesting," or the collection of completed ballots by a third party. It also requires local supervisors of elections to more frequently conduct voter roll maintenance.

The elections bill passed along party lines.

Republicans painted it, as Rep. Tommy Gregory said, as a way to maintain Florida's "gold standard of election integrity." Democrats, meanwhile, fear what Rep. Fentrice Driskell described as "a monster that will eat us alive if we let it."

Davis describes SB 524 as "literally a solu-

Another bill Florida lawmakers passed this session is HB 5, which prohibits access to abortion later than 15 weeks of pregnancy. Though the bill does allow for an abortion if necessary to prevent injury to the mother or in the case of fetal abnormality, no exceptions are allowed for rape or incest. Currently, the state allows the procedure up to 24 weeks into a pregnancy.

"The government should never be able to force anyone to carry a pregnancy against their will, yet HB 5 will do exactly that," said Turkel.

"This intrusion on Floridians' bodily autonomy and right to make medical decisions for themselves is unconstitutional."

Debbie Deland, president of Florida National Organization for Women, released a statement describing abortion access as "a cornerstone to reproductive justice."

"Floridians do not need cruel bans that result in the criminalization of medical care," Deland said. "Every person and every pregnancy is different. The complexities of this must be acknowledged. Patients' and families' decisions must be listened to and respected. One-size-fits-all restrictions have no place in health care delivery or the state's public health laws."

While Florida's 15-week ban would be less restrictive than some states, which ban abortions upon detection of a fetal heartbeat, it is in line with states like Mississippi, whose 15-week ban is being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

DUMBING DOWN

In another nod to national partisan divides, Florida legislators also passed DeSantis' "Stop WOKE Act" and a second bill that's been dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" law.

Out of fear that critical race theory might creep into Florida's public schools and workplace training, lawmakers passed HB 7 to forbid discussion of systemic racism or just about anything that makes a student or worker feel uncomfortable about their race. With HB 1557, they banned any discussion in kindergarten through third grade about sexual orientation and gender identity.

"All Floridians should be outraged by the legislature's abandonment of one of our most cherished freedoms—the First Amendment," said Turkel. "The many dangerous government

censorship bills that were passed this year will impact all Floridians, including private business owners and employees, universities and professors, public schools and teachers, and students at every grade level."

The American Historical Association released a statement pointing out that such laws could potentially lead to accreditation concerns for Florida institutions and financial aid concerns for its students and would most certainly lead to a general dumbing down of its educational offerings.

"If passed, these bills would result in ignorance of basic facts about American history and undermine the education of Florida students," the AHA statement read.

HOME RULED

Lawmakers also gave a big gift to the business community, giving them the right to sue local governments if an ordinance significantly impacts their profits.

"There are some crazy things going on in Tallahassee," Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson bemoaned this effort a couple of months ago.

"It's definitely something that concerns us," said Escambia County Commissioner Robert Bender, invoking the legislative effort's nickname—"the preemption bill to end all preemption bills."

Bender points out that such a law would hinder elected officials from carrying through on directives from constituents and result in local governments using tax dollars to defend lawsuits brought by businesses.

"We don't believe the unintended consequences have been vetted," Bender said.

SUNSHINE SHADOWS?

Legislators also passed HB 741, which critics contend deals a blow to rooftop solar in the sunshine state. The bill regards an issue called net metering and phases out subsidies to increase rooftop solar in the state.

"The net metering legislation is a huge disappointment," said Christian Wagley, a coastal organizer for Healthy Gulf. "By dramatically reducing the amount that utilities pay for the solar energy that residents generate on their own rooftops, it makes solar systems less affordable for the thousands who want them."

He added, "It also continues the legislature's recent history of favoring monopoly utilities over the people of Florida and will slow down the transition to renewable energy that Florida needs and the people want."

According to documents obtained by the Miami Herald, lawmakers based this bill on a draft provided to them by NextEra Energyowned Florida Power & Light.

This bill's passage led Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, to make a dark proclamation— "FPL just killed the customer-owned solar market or at least significantly throttled it." {in} inweekly.net

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7

DIGGING INTO JAY'S HISTORY

Photo Courtesy of Tom Garner

By Jeremy Morrison An awful anniversary slipped by quietly last month. Local historian Tom Garner observed the moment alone up in Jay, in a field full of ghosts haunted by the town's reputation. Garner believes the town of Jay's lack of Black residents can be traced back to a 1922 shooting that occurred in that field.

Garner has long enjoyed studying regional history. In 2015, he discovered the local site where Spanish explorer Tristan de Luna established a colony on Pensacola Bay. Two years ago, he alerted the Pensacola City Council that the local history museum's namesake, T.T. Wentworth Jr., was the Exalted Cyclops of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

For more than 15 years, Garner has been digging into a tale he's heard since he was a child about the north Santa Rosa County town of Jay and racist road signs targeting Black people.

"I decided to see if there was something to it," the historian said. "As it turns out, it's true."

"I heard about the signs my whole life. I've spoken to four different people who saw the sign, or at least a version of the sign," Garner said. "It was always some variation [of this], and I'm gonna use the exact term—'Nigger, don't let the sun set on you in Jay.'" Though visibly uncomfortable repeating the racial slur, Garner is a stickler for historical accuracy.

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Santa Rosa County Historical Society Vice President Cassandra Sharp recalled such signs as "common knowledge" in the area. She told Inweekly, "The sign did exist. Pretty ugly. Put a lot of fear in people."

Sharp said that in the late '80s and early '90s, she had friends on her school's basketball team who were keenly aware of Jay's reputation.

"I heard the stories, especially about women's basketball teams, having to travel to Jay and having African American players on the team and being so fearful going into Jay," she recalled, "because of the climate and because of that sign that existed."

"I FOUND THE PLACE"

Garner thinks he can trace the catalyst for the alleged signs to a farm field in 1922.

He spent years pouring over census data, court records, memoirs and newspaper archives to arrive at that field.

"I found the place where the shooting took place," Garner explained.

He believes the field is where Albert Thompson, a Black man, killed Sam Echols, a white man.

His research shows both men worked as tenant farmers on the land owned by John C. Pace—the namesake of the University of West Florida Library.

A disagreement over a stalk cutter that Thompson owned triggered the incident. The Pensacola Journal and Milton Gazette reported how Echols "made a desperate effort to over-

come his injuries, but his strong constitution and all medical assistance failed to save him" after being shot twice by Thompson, who was "said to have been a peaceful negro."

Thompson was eventually convicted of second-degree murder. He served time in prison until his sentence was commuted in 1928.

After that time, Garner said, records indicate he began working as a butler and chauffeur for another branch of the Pace family residing in Jacksonville.

But Garner thinks that Thompson wasn't the only person who left the area after the incident.

The historian believes the event led to every Black person being forced out of the area that is now Jay. "What I was told by one old-timer, it would have been from the Alabama line all the way down almost to Chumuckla," Garner said.

This forced exodus is alluded to in the memoirs of J.C. Franklin, which are posted on the Jay Historical Society website and also sold in book form—"A Negro killed a white man [*] over the use of a stalk cutter, and all the blacks were moved from the area. [*Sammie E. Echols, May 18, 1895 - February 24, 1922 - Buried in Concord Cemetery on Highway 89, 3 miles south of Jay]" Garner also points to a reference he found in some of the court documents from Thompson's trial—"This defendant therefore alleges that immediately after the incident's occurrence, the public talk and different demonstrations by the friends of Mr. Echols was so bitter and threatening toward colored people in the community around where the trouble occurred in said county that all of the colored people, many of whom were witnesses to the unfortunate occurrence, were advised, directed, ordered and made to leave that section."

"PEOPLE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED"

"So people know what happened," Garner said. "The old-timers know, right?"

Maybe, but it's not something that anyone is anxious to discuss. No one with the Jay Historical Society or within the halls of local governments responded to Inweekly's requests concerning this topic.

It hasn't always been so difficult to get people in Jay to talk about race. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, when the town was experiencing a brief oil boom, the outside world often got an unvarnished glimpse of Jay. While articles of this era tend to focus on Jay's oil fortunes, they also include mention of the town's racial tensions. An article from the August 28, 1974, edition of the Tampa Bay Times quotes J.D. Bray, who served as Jay's mayor for 44 years—"The sun doesn't set on a colored man in Jay. Come 4 o'clock, they're gone. They were run out of here back in the days of the turpentine still. And they know better than to come in here."

Similarly, a December 1, 1985, Fort Lauderdale News article quotes an elderly diner at the Kountry Townhouse saying, "They don't let the sun set on them in Jay." B.C. Davis, the café owner, recounted how he had to "get permission from unnamed white citizens of Jay before he could hire the Black woman who cooks in his kitchen."

Garner is convinced the 1922 ThompsonEchols murder triggered a forced mass exodus of the area's Black population and led to decades of the local population nursing a simmering, seething, almost defiantly proud brand of racism.

The historian said that attempts are now being made to locate any descendants of individuals who were run out of Jay in 1922. They deserve to tell their story, he said.

"Somebody has to finally say this happened. We have to have the courage to face that, and it takes courage, and we haven't been very courageous with this history." Tom Garner "If we don't talk about it, they're denied a piece of themselves, a piece of their history, a significant piece of their history," Garner said.

"You're talking about hundreds of people. By now, the descendants are probably in the thousands."

He hopes the town of Jay will eventually explore this part of their past and even find a sense of redemption in embracing its retelling.

He said, "The best thing for Jay to do is to face this head-on."

A hundred years after the shooting, the historian believes it's time for a conversation.

"Somebody has to finally say this happened," Garner said. "We have to have the courage to face that, and it takes courage, and we haven't been very courageous with this history." {in} Historian Tom Garner is continuing to research the history of the town of Jay and the apparent forced exodus of its Black population. Anyone with information regarding this topic is encouraged to contact him at tomgarnerhistory@gmail.com. inweekly.net

March 24, 2022

9

FIXING THE JAIL AGAIN

By Rick Outzen On March 3, Sheridan Davis addressed the Escambia County Commission during its open forum. The mother of two small children told them about how her mother had died due to COVID-19 while serving a 60-sentence in the county jail.

"On Aug. 24, my mother was taken to Baptist Hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia and sepsis, and that being 1.2 miles from my home," Davis said. "Now, I was neither informed when my mother was diagnosed with this virus nor when she was hospitalized. Seven days later, a nurse documents into my mother's charts these words—'Patient states: I think I'm going to die of this.' I was not informed, and my mother was forced to deal with her impending death alone."

Three days later, the mother was found on the floor in the hospital. She was diagnosed with critical lung failure, intubated and rushed to the ICU. According to hospital records, the woman continually asked for her daughter.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

"On Sept. 5, 13 days after my mother was hospitalized, she crashed and was induced into a coma at 10 a.m.," Davis told the commissioners. "I was finally informed at 12 p.m. that my mother was sick, then to find she was at the end of her life. I sat with my mother as she died two hours later."

She asked, "Can you imagine my mother's position going through that and knowing that I was 1.2 miles away? Her love was there, but my mother was sentenced to a jail-dealt death sentence of solitary, essentially. Now, I've come, not pointing fingers at anyone, but to draw attention that the chain, the entire chain, is flawed."

Over the past six months, corrections officers, families and attorneys representing those held in the Escambia County Jail have complained of the conditions for both the workers and inmates. Commissioners have been disappointed about the lack of communication from those in charge of the jail and that several representations by consultants haven't panned out in the new $141 million facility.

Attorney Gene Mitchell has been an outspoken critic of the county jail and the county's corrections chief, Rich Powell. He wanted to make clear who is in the jail. He told Inweekly, "It's a pretrial detention facility. It's not a prison.

These are not prisoners. These are inmates awaiting trial, most of them. The great majority are presumed innocent, sitting here. And the role of a pretrial detention facility is to protect society, theoretically, and assure that someone's going to show up for their trial."

Even with the new facility, the old jail has continued to house inmates, partially because several of the pods in the new jail have plumbing issues. Commissioner Jeff Bergosh toured the old jail last month and came away disgusted with the conditions. He found mold growing

on walls, leaking ceilings, cracked windows and "a sink that has had the hot water running, I am told, nonstop for a year that goes unrepaired."

The commissioner wrote on his blog, "'Tickets are put into maintenance, then they are closed and come back as 'having been repaired'—yet the problems are not fixed,' stated one of the escorts when I asked why maintenance crews had not addressed these issues."

"There are inmates in the old jail that are supposed to be housed two inmates per room, so often have three people in them, one of the people sleeping on the floor," said Mitchell. "I have clients that sit in the old jail and say things to me like, 'Gene, I don't really want to fight this anymore. I'd like just to get a state prison sentence and get out of this facility. The mattress thingy that I sleep on is soaking wet because the ceiling leaks on it. Just get me a deal so I can go to prison and move on.' And that's the truth."

The attorney blamed jail conditions and operations on Corrections Chief Powell. He said, "I don't think you'll find a person who's saying, 'Man, Mr. Powell is just doing a great job.' Instead, you'll find the majority of people say, 'Look, Mr. Powell doesn't really have the spirit of a jailer in his heart. He has the spirit of a warden at a prison.' And that is the base of the whole problem."

The Board of County Commissioners held a Committee of the Whole on March 10 to discuss what to do about the old jail. Interim County Administrator Wes Moreno recommended converting the county's work-release facility on Fairfield Drive and a building on L Street that is leased to the state, but unused, to accommodate minimum and medium-security inmates at an estimated cost of $1.5 million.

Moreno recommended an additional $3.5 million be spent repairing and renovating the lower floors of the old jail to handle the maximum-security inmates. That recommendation drew some opposition.

Bergosh said, "I'm not interested in spending another nickel in the old jail. I don't think we need to spend another dime on that thing.

I'd like to introduce it to the wrecking ball based upon what I saw."

Commissioner Lumon May also appeared frustrated that more money would be spent on the old jail and that promised cost savings with the new facility haven't been realized.

"We were led to believe, after change orders of millions of dollars, that the central stations would reduce personnel and get more efficient," said May. "Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

And so, as we look at the modifications, I want to make sure that before we spend money, that it's actual. I mean that we have the experts coming back to this board telling us because, ultimately, we get the responsibility of it."

Commissioners Robert Bender and Steven Barry asked that Moreno come back to the board with more fine-tuned estimates. If spending some money on the old jail was cheaper than other alternatives and provided time for the county to build the next phase of the new facility, they were open to Moreno's recommendation.

The week after the meeting, Bergosh appeared on WCOA's morning show. He reported that the county had moved 239 inmates out of that old jail as of Friday, March 11, and would have an additional 160 relocated by March 18.

He also reported that the correction officers' union had accepted the county's offer of increasing the starting annual pay for certified corrections officers to $45,000 and a 16% pay raise for the existing COs. "We're stepping up on the personnel side, the salary side and the facility side, and we're going to fix the problem because some problems have been left to fester," Bergosh said. "Now, we got to roll up our sleeves as leaders, as commissioners, and we're going to get it done."

Moreno will bring his recommendations back to the board for a vote at its regular meeting on Thursday, March 24. Davis hopes the board won't forget how her mother was treated and delve into jail policies and procedures.

At the public forum, she pleaded, "You, as the board, I know that you're able to influence whether my mother's experience will be a mistake that we as a community can learn and grow from or have to deal with again. So I just look to you to see what we can do to make sure that doesn't happen to other families." {in}

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11

ENTERPRISES BOOMING On WCOA, Assis-

tant City Administrator Amy Miller told Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen that the city's port, airport, natural gas utility and sanitation services are having a very good year.

"It is a good time to be an enterprise in the city of Pensacola," said Miller. "All of our enterprise funds are doing really, really well."

She continued, "The port is just growing leaps and bounds every year, breaking records every year in cargo and vessel activity. And we see that continuing well into the future. The airport, of course, did very well even through the pandemic. It has kept numbers that really were better than average numbers when you looked at airports across the state of Florida and the Gulf."

The port's newest tenant, Streamline Boats, has had some delays in completing its work on its warehouse due to supply chain issues but has started putting the siding on the building.

Miller said, "Once they get the walls closed in, they'll start working on the roll-up doors, the personnel doors, the life safety equipment, HVAC, all of those kinds of things. And then the next step will be actually equipping the facility for manufacturing."

Jeff Bezos' vessel, Blue Origin, is expected to stay at the Port of Pensacola to the end of the year.

She explained, "The speed of the rocket development program is what drives the speed with which they do the conversion work on the ship. And so 212 1

the goal is for the vessel delivery to be rolled up to about the same time that they want to start retrieving the recoverable portion of the rocket from their launches over off Cape Canaveral."

Miller added, "But we also continue to think there are some long-term opportunities for the port to work with Blue Origin."

The assistant city administrator said the Pensacola International Airport's new surface parking lot is expected to be completed soon.

Because of its rapid growth, the city has begun advancing the airport's long-range master plan.

She shared, "The recovery out of COVID-19 has occurred more quickly than originally anticipated. So we're looking at advancing that expansion program to add additional ramps and additional gates at the airport."

MAYORAL FORUM A packed hall inside the

Bayview Community Center got an initial look at the field of Pensacola's mayoral candidates on Tuesday, March 15—most of the field, anyway.

Hosted by the East Hill Neighborhood Association, the forum offered candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves to voters and for city residents to hear directly from the candidates on issues relevant to city affairs.

Two candidates had experience on the Pensacola City Council—current Councilwoman Sherri Myers and former Councilwoman Jewel Cannada-Wynn. They were joined by two newcomers—Steve Sharp and Tim Horton. Missing

were two candidates on either end of the campaign-finance spectrum—James Hilburn, with nothing in the treasure chest, and D.C. Reeves, with about 20 times the amount of funds as the next closest candidate.

One of the more hot-button questions the candidates entertained during the early-season forum concerned Florida Power & Light and the increase in local power bills. The city is currently in cooled franchise negotiations with FPL, operating on a month-to-month arrangement with the company in lieu of a long-term contract. The city council briefly explored the concept of starting a municipal utility company, but that effort did not progress beyond spirited conversations.

"My mom called me the other day, and she about busted a gasket," said Horton, relaying a conversation with his mother about a high power bill.

Each candidate agreed not to accept any campaign contributions from FPL, and each stressed that any franchise agreement with the company would need to be advantageous to the city. Myers wanted it to include a buyout clause, and Cannada-Wynn thought the city should assemble a more experienced team of negotiators. Sharp suggested that perhaps the city could engage a power provider from outside the area.

"There's a lot of different options out there," Sharp said.

Another issue placed before the candidate was how best to respond to the area's homeless. Recently, city officials decided to dedicate federal funds to create more shelter and services opportunities for the city's homeless, some of whom had been camped at a temporarily sanctioned encampment near downtown.

"Most of the people on the street corner are getting money for drugs and alcohol, and that's just the truth," said Sharp, lobbying for a more aggressive, punitive approach.

Cannada-Wynn said of the council's effort, "They were compassionate and saw the need to address it." However, she added it amounted to only a "Band-aid."

Horton thought that many in the homeless community could fill job vacancies in the area.

He said, "Let's put these people to work."

Infill development versus urban sprawl—an issue particularly relevant in East Hill—also came up. Each candidate stressed the importance of addressing the city's density regulations, making an effort to ensure that historic neighborhoods did not lose too much of their identity with the influx of new development and not forcing out longtime residents as development fosters gentrification

and rising home values make it difficult for some residents to afford insurance or property taxes.

"Growth is good, but we've got to remember," cautioned Sharp, "growth can also have a negative impact on some of the folks."

MORE JOBS CREATED According to a Florida Department of Economic Opportunity report released last week, the total number of jobs in Florida has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and the state's unemployment rate in December and January dropped to 3.5%.

The number of jobs in Florida reached a new record level of 9,163,800 in January 2022, up 504,000 jobs compared to a year ago. All 10 major industries experienced positive overthe-year job growth in January.

FDEO reported Escambia County had a 3.7% unemployment rate for January and adjusted the December rate from 3.6% to 3%, mainly because of annual U.S. Department of Labor revisions.

In January 2021, the unemployment rate was 6.1%. Over the past 12 months, Escambia County has created 7,805 jobs. The labor force has grown by 4,444. Escambia created more jobs than Santa Rosa (4,634) and Okaloosa (5,196).

VIETNAM WAR 50TH ANNIVERSARY

The Pensacola Vet Center is holding a Vietnam War Commemoration ceremony at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 29, at the Veterans Memorial Park on Bayfront Parkway. During the event, Vietnam War Veterans and surviving spouses will be recognized with a pinning ceremony.

Food trucks and many Veteran-centric organizations will be on-site. Vietnam Veterans, their families and friends, and members of the public are encouraged to attend.

BYE TOM THUMB EG Group plans to re-

brand its 113 Tom Thumb store locations to the Cumberland Farms brand over the next two years starting in May 2022 at the cost of $50 million. Company officials said the rebranded locations would position the stores to lead the company in organic organizational growth.

"We decided to move forward with this brand conversion after conducting extensive research that projected the tremendous growth opportunity to expand the Cumberland Farms brand," said George Fournier, EG America president.

He continued, "In addition to updating and refreshing all of the stores with the Cumberland Farms design, layout and equipment, we plan to bring expanded food service offerings, including a new fried chicken concept, to guests in these communities."

The rebrand will not impact the employment of current Tom Thumb team members.

They will remain employed under the Cumberland Farms brand.

ANOTHER RADIO MILESTONE Last week, "Real News with Rick Outzen" had its 600th interview since its debut on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, on WCOA 1370 AM/104.9 FM. Escaminweekly.net

bia County Commissioner Robert Bender discussed the options the board is considering to move inmates out to the old Escambia County Jail. The radio show runs from 7-9 a.m.

Mondays-Fridays.

CHAMBER ROAD TRIP The Greater Pensacola Chamber has scheduled a visit to Savannah, Ga., April 18-20. The cost is $1,750 per person and includes airfare and a hotel room for two nights.

The focus will be on cultural tourism, waterfront development and quality of life advancements.

"The Pensacola Chamber is building a structure for a chamber-led, regional strategic planning partnership in conjunction with community leadership," explained chamber officials on their website. "We will use this trip to build on our momentum and implement best practices that promote a thriving business community."

To register, visit bit.ly/3t9cMB2.

SPRUCING UP GARDEN Improvements to the Garden Street median are now underway as part of the city of Pensacola's Garden Street Landscaping Revitalization Project, which will significantly improve aesthetics along Garden Street between A and Alcaniz streets.

The city's project contractor began work on Monday, March 14, and the project is expected to be completed by late summer 2022, weather permitting.

The Garden Street Landscaping Revitalization Project will install landscaping and irrigation within the grassy medians, with landscaping to include shrubs, trees and other plants that a licensed landscape architect selected to ensure they will thrive in the areas they are planted.

The existing grass and groundcover within the medians will be removed as part of this project, which will involve spraying a specific product designed to destroy unwanted groundcover and weeds while protecting the desired existing plantings. The city's contractor is permitted to spray this product, and it complies with all environmental state and federal regulations. Florida Department of Transportation landscape inspectors, the city's construction inspectors and the city arborist

will be onsite to verify the plantings are completed properly and safely.

MORE START-UPS Axios reported America is witnessing the biggest business startup boom of our lifetimes, which is good news for FloridaWest's CoLab and SCI's Spring, which help entrepreneurs in our area.

More than five million people applied for small-business licenses last year—a 53% increase from 2019, pre-pandemic. Axis said more young people are willing to go into business for themselves because the hot job market for college-educated talent provides a safety net. Also, the remote work model helps entrepreneurs cut office overhead and find partners and workers not confined to a specific city.

DAY OF CARING STATS More than 500

volunteers from 35 companies and organizations rolled up their sleeves and completed service projects at nonprofit agencies and schools across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties during United Way of West Florida's Day of Caring. The volunteers put in 1,625 hours of work on their projects. The value of donated time for those volunteers is $46,370.

"We are so thankful to live in such a caring community," said Laura Gilliam, United Way of West Florida president and CEO. "The heart and sweat these volunteers put into Day of Caring make a huge difference for local nonprofits and our neighbors they serve."

The next Day of Caring is only a few months away. It will return to its traditional fall date in October of 2022. An exact date will be announced soon. The Day of Caring was sponsored by Central Credit Union of Florida, Florida Blue, Gulf Winds Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union and Xtreme Plumbing and Septic.

SPECIAL SERVICE Bishop William A. Wack, CSC, of the Catholic Diocese of PensacolaTallahassee, will join Pope Francis in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 25, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola.

Bishop Wack will also lead the faithful in praying the rosary and conclude with a reflection. The diocese invites the faithful to attend in-person or via livestream at ptdiocese.org/consecrationto-mary. Pope Francis will hold the consecration to Mary simultaneously in St. Peter's Basilica during the Celebration of Penance.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS The Greater Pensacola Chamber has formed the Women in Business Council to "promote full participation and leadership of women at all levels in the workplace, the community and the government." The first quarterly meeting is set for 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, on the fourth floor of the CoLab building, 418 W. Garden St. CITY NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP The next Mayor's Neighborhood Cleanup will be on Saturday, March 26, in the East Hill area, including portions of surrounding neighborhoods. This event allows the City of Pensacola sanitation customers in the cleanup area to leave eligible items at the curb for pickup. The city's sanitation services will pick up the items free of charge.

Sanitation customers in the cleanup area must place items curbside by 7 a.m. on the cleanup day. Please do not place items at the curb before Wednesday, March 23. The cleanup includes bulk items only. Yard waste or garbage will not be collected.

Through the Mayor's Neighborhood Cleanup program, all city neighborhoods have a cleanup once a year from January-October.

In addition to Sanitation Services collecting items left at the curb, Code Enforcement conducts a sweep of the cleanup area and addresses any code violations. For more information about the Mayor's Neighborhood Cleanup Program, visit cityofpensacola.com.

SBDC WEBINAR How does your small busi-

ness find customers or clients? Is your small business continually successful at winning new business? One of the biggest challenges for a business owner is finding customers to buy what you sell. "Selling" may come with a less-

than-pleasant connotation, but make no mistake, selling is crucial to growing your company.

Join the SBDC at UWF from 11 a.m.-noon on Wednesday, March 30, for this one-hour session that includes relevant sales topics and a panel discussion covering the variety of ways to bring people to your business and create a relationship that brings you revenue growth. No fee. To sign up, visit sbdc.uwf. edu under "Training & Events." A link for joining this no-cost webinar will be sent to those who register. Presented by Jenny Kunz, Business Consultant, Florida SBDC at UWF. Panel members include John Kizziah, John Kizziah Insurance Agency, Inc., and Erin L. Wilmer, financial advisor at Edward Jones.

BUZZ HISTORY FOR THIS WEEK Twenty

years ago: Jam band icons Jon Fishman of Phish and Col. Bruce Hampton of The Code Breakers were seen dining together at The Fish House. Former Redskins QB Joe Theismann also visited the Barracks Street eatery while in town for the Pensacola Sports Association's annual banquet.

Fifteen years ago: Voters wondered if Escambia Clerk of Court Ernie Lee Magaha would seek his 14th term in 2008. Magaha had held the position since 1956. He eventually would file and run unopposed. Four years later, he lost the GOP primary to newcomer Pam Childers.

Ten years ago: The Escambia County School District rejected converting its bus fleet to natural gas after Rob Doss, its transportation director, told the board that it wasn't a good fit for the district during a workshop.

He warned the board against becoming "totally infatuated with a new idea." Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward had already convinced ECUA and ECAT to convert some of their fleets.

Five years ago: The Escambia Board of County Commissioners reduced the Pensacola Beach General Public Annual Pass from $50 to $20, effective May 1, 2017. The single-trip rate remained $1 at the cash toll. The homestead pass stayed at $5 and the commercial pass at $70. {in}

MOST INVESTMENT LOSSES ARE FROM PRODUCTS WITH CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS PETER J. MOUGEY | Recovered $250 Million on Behalf of over 3,000 Investors SECURITIES & BUSINESS LITIGATION | HOLD YOUR STOCK BROKER ACCOUNTABLE

850.435.7000 | LEVINLAW.COM | PENSACOLA, FL March 24, 2022

13

SPRING BREAK OUTS Things to see, hear and do this season (and into the next)

We don't want to jinx it, but it's looking like we're in for a pretty good spring here on the Gulf Coast.

From longer days and warmer weather to the long-awaited return of some beloved annual events (looking at you, Hangout Music Fest), we're officially here for the upcoming season and all that it brings with it—and hope you are, too.

To help you make the most of the months ahead, we’ve put together the ultimate spring to-do list.

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inweekly.net

FEELING FESTIVE

IT'S A DATE

TOWNIE TOURS

Ciclovía Pensacola

PSO's American Classics

Historic Pensacola

Pensacola JazzFest

PSO in the Park

Pensacola Museum of Art

Pensacola Habitat Food Truck Festival

Thao with Why Bonnie

Upcoming music and food festivals

March 26 cicloviapensacola.com

April 2-3 jazzpensacola.com

April 8-10 pensacolahabitatfoodtruckfest.org

Pensacola VegFest

More upcoming events worth putting on your calendar

March 26 pensacolasymphony.com

April 3 & May 8 pensacolasymphony.com

April 4 vinylmusichall.com

Blue Wahoos Home Opener

Perfect places to play tourist for a day

(includes multiple museums and living history tours) historicpensacola.org

pensacolamuseum.org

Pensacola MESS Hall pensacolamesshall.org

Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum pensacolalighthouse.org

April 8 bluewahoos.com

Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier

Thunder Beats Music Festival

Bike Pensacola's April Slow Ride

Emerald Coast Tours

Pensacola Beach Crawfish Festival

Opera al fresco!

April 9 pensacolavegfest.com

April 22-24 thunderbeatsmusicfestival.com

April 22-24 bamboowillies.com

April 9 bikepensacola.org

April 9 pensacolaopera.com

Earth Day Pensacola

The Bachelor Live on Stage

Pensacola Crawfish Festival

Friends of West Florida Public Library's Big Spring Book Sale

April 23 earthdaypensacola.org

April 29-May 1 fiestapensacola.org

Hangout Music Fest May 20-22 hangoutmusicfest.com

GET IN A ROUTINE Reoccurring events worth making a regular thing

Palafox Market Every Saturday palafoxmarket.com

Pensacola Arts Market

Most Saturdays facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket

Pensacola Community Market First and third Saturdays starting in April pensacolacommunityhub.com

Gallery Night

Third Friday of each month gallerynightpensacola.org

Bands on the Blackwater

Every Friday beginning April 1 and running through June 10 miltonfl.org

Bands on the Beach

Every Tuesday beginning April 5 and running through Oct. 25 visitpensacolabeach.com

March 24, 2022

fishpensacolabeachpier.com

emeraldcoasttours.net

Premier Dolphin Cruise pensacoladolphincruise.com

Pensacola Bay City Ferry pensacolabaycityferry.com

April 14 pensacolasaenger.com

April 22-24 friendsofwfpl.org

Ballet Pensacola's Wizard of Oz April 22-May 1 balletpensacola.org

The Hip Abduction April 28 vinylmusichall.com

PSO's Sounds Triumphant April 30 pensacolasymphony.com

Battles

May 1 vinylmusichall.com

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real May 7 vinylmusichall.com

PLT's Cabaret on Holiday May 14 pensacolalittletheatre.com

Red at PLT

May 20-28 pensacolalittletheatre.com

Phish

May 27-29 alwharf.com/amphitheater

15

a&e happenings

10 Things to See and Do at Ciclovía Pensacola

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

CAT ADOPTIONS IN MARCH Animal Allies will be at Pet Supermarket, 6857 N. Ninth Ave., Saturday, March 26, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and Everett Animal Welfare Group will be at PetSmart on Davis Highway from noon-4 p.m. every Saturday in March. If you can’t adopt, you can learn about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up-to-date on shots, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip.

A HOPE RABIES VACCINE AND MICROCHIP CLINIC A HOPE is hosting a rabies and

microchip clinic on Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m.-noon. It will be held at the A HOPE facility, 5755 Washington St., in Milton. Rabies, distemper, and Bordetella vaccines are $16 each, microchips are $15 and a pet vet exam is $16. Dogs and cats must be on a leash or in a carrier. First come, first served. For more information, visit ahope4src.com.

PENSACOLA HUMANE SOCIETY FUR BALL The Fur Ball, a black-tie gala supporting

Photo Courtesy of Ciclovía Pensacola

This Saturday, March 26, marks the return of Ciclovía Pensacola after a twoyear hiatus.

In case you need a refresher, this event closes major streets downtown to motorized traffic, making more room for more things like walking and biking. The objective is to create open streets, which in turn create safer spaces for things like physical activity and exploration.

If you're coming downtown to check it out, here a few things to be on the lookout for.

•FRESH AIR Vehicle-free streets mean less pollution and cleaner air, so make sure you take in a big breath of fresh air and imagine what could be.

•FREE HELMETS If you have kids who love to ride bikes, it's important to make sure they have the proper safety gear and that it fits correctly. Organizations such as Escambia-Santa Rosa Safety Coalition Inc. will be giving away hundreds of helmets and providing fitting demonstrations.

•YOGA When else can you practice your downward dog in the middle of the street?

You can spread out your mat and practice or join one of the demonstrations from local instructors.

•APOSTOLIC GLOBAL CHURCH CHOIR Enjoy live music from the Apostolic Church Choir throughout the day.

•EXPLORE THE LUNG AND COLON You read that right. Baptist Health Care will have a walkthrough inflatable colon and lung at

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Ciclovía. Better yet, they will be providing screenings and disease prevention education.

•DISC GOLF Play a round or learn more about the sport with Eric Oakley Disc Golf.

•STEP TEAMS Local step teams including the Pensacola Redd Diamondz and the Pensacola Omega Lamplighters will be performing throughout the day.

•TACTICAL URBANISM Ciclovía is more than bikes. It's about rethinking how streets and communities are designed. You may see people set up in the streets playing video games or reading a book. Take part in reimaging what downtown areas can look like.

•HEALTHY SNACKS Moo-Moo's Bakery will be demonstrating how to create healthy desserts and how to avoid using allergens when baking. Passersby can decorate their own cupcakes on the spot. The Bodacious Shops will also have events happening all day, including demonstrations on the health benefits of fresh cold-pressed juice with The Daily Squeeze and cooking with olive oil.

•DANCE PARTY Ecstatic Dance Pensacola will be hosting a freeform dance party. Don't worry about having the right moves—just move.

CICLOVÍA PENSACOLA

WHEN: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 26 WHERE: Downtown COST: Free DETAILS: cicloviapensacola.com

the Pensacola Humane Society, is at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 26, at the Pensacola Yacht Club. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception, the Puppy Parade, dinner, music, silent and live auctions. A few tickets are still available at $150 per person. The silent auction will have online bidding prior to and during the event. Some sponsorships are still available.

For more information call, (850) 450-8958 or email furball@pensacolahumane.org.

REIMAGINE MILTON FREE FOOD GIVEAWAY The community is invited to Reimagine

Milton’s free food giveaway Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Jernigan’s Landing, located at 5158 Willing St. There will be free food, fishing lessons with free fishing rods, carnival rides, free baby diapers, free HIV testing, free clothing, free haircuts and more. Lunch will also be provided.

CALL TO ARTISTS

PUNK MUSEUM CALL FOR EPHEMERA

The 309 Punk Project is working on a tribute to the ragtag Old East Hill group that published a newspaper called the Gulf Coast Fish Cheer 50 years ago. “War Against Conformity: Pensacola's 1970s Underground Press” will be a pop-up exhibit with a full run of the Fish Cheer and many other underground newspapers on display.

They need your old posters, pins, patches, clothing, underground newspapers—anything related to the anti-war movement, women's movement, Black power movement or veterans’ movement circa 1965-1975. They’re especially interested in photos, fliers and ephemera with a local focus. Your donated materials will help expand the permanent collection, from which this show will be drawn, and make it more inclusive.

The deadline for drop off is March 31.

Please contact Scott Satterwhite at satterwhite309@gmail.com if you have questions.

FOO FOO FEST APPLICATIONS Applications are open for vendors to join Pensacola’s Foo Foo Festival taking place Nov. 3-14.

In 2022, the Pensacola Foo Foo Festival will once again fund top-scoring grant applicants, with the number of grants to be awarded contingent upon the number of submissions.

This year, the Foo Foo Festival will provide up to $400,000 in grant funding, and grant applicants can apply for up to $100,000 in grant funding. All organizations, businesses and community partners are encouraged to submit their various events (occurring Nov. 3-14, 2022) for consideration to become a “Friend of Foo,” receiving visibility as part of the regional marketing campaign and throughout the 12-day event. To apply for this year’s Foo Foo Festival, visit acepensacola.org. To apply for consideration as a “Friend of Foo,” visit foofoofest.com.

FOO FOO FEST APPLICATION TIMELINE: •Friday, May 6 - Foo Foo Fest Grant Application Deadline (Noon CT) •Tuesday, May 24 - Public Grant Scoring and Official Announcements

ARTS & CULTURE

SPECTACLE BY LAUREN GOODWIN SLAUGHTER BOOK RELEASE AND POETRY READING Friday, March 24, at 7

p.m., Panhandler Books and the Department of English at the University of West Florida will host a book launch and reading for Lauren Goodwin Slaughter and her new poetry collection, Spectacle, which is published by Panhandler Books at UWF and distributed by University Press of Florida. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at the Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Light refreshments will be provided.

WHAT’S SHOWING AT PENSACOLA CINEMA ART “The Worst Person in the World” will be showing Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, at 1 1 p.m. Cyrano will be showing at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 27. PCA is located at the Studer Community Institute, 220 W. Garden St. Tickets are $10 cash donation per person.

Face masks are recommended. Reservations are not required. Visit pensacolacinemaart. com for more information.

A JOURNEY THROUGH SONG Visit the Opera Center, at 75 Tarragona St., 7 p.m. Friday, March 25, for four complete song cycles showcasing the 2021-22 Artists in Residence in their final concert. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at pensacolaopera.secure.force.com/ticket.

DISNEY’S MOANA JR. AT PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Take the kids for a

60-minute adaptation of the 2016 Disney story. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, March 25, and April 1 & 8; 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, March 26, and April 2 and 9; and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, March 27, and April 3 and 10. Two Thursday performances will be March 31 and April 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15-$31 and can be purchased at pensacolalittletheatre.com.

DR. JORDAN B. PETERSON: BEYOND ORDER Author Dr. Jordan B. Peterson will be

at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox, Sunday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $39.50-$100.

More information at pensacolasaenger.com. inweekly.net

a&e happenings HAIRSPRAY The Broadway show comes to

Pensacola 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, March 29 and 30, at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $58-$83. More information at pensacolasaenger.com.

FROM GLASGOW TO PENSACOLA: WHAT’S NEXT FOR CLIMATE ACTION?

Join local scientists, students and advocates as they discuss the results of the recent Glasgow Climate Conference and the path forward as the nations of the world work to confront climate change at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. The event is hosted by 350 Pensacola. For more information, email 350pensacola@gmail.com.

BROADWAY BOOGIE: GROWN-UPS Join

this weekly class on the basics of boogie in a fun, easy-going, non-judgmental setting.

Classes are Fridays, April 1-May 20, from 5-6 p.m., at The Gordon Art Center, 306 N. DeVilliers St. This class teaches the fundamentals of musical theatre style dancing including jazz, tap, ballet, ballroom, fosse and more. This class is a beginner-level class for teens and adults, ages 16 and up. Registration is open through March 15 at myneighborhoodtheatre.com.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT Come on down to the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox, on Saturday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m., for The Price is Right interactive stage show. Tickets are $39-$99.

More information at pensacolasaenger.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Enjoy shop-

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

PENSACOLA COMMUNITY MARKET A

community market will be set up across from Ever’man, located at 327 W. Garden St., on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

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.

309 ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: MIKE BRODIE Photographer Mike Brodie is the next artist in residence at 309. Stop by at 309 N. Sixth Ave. Visit 309punkproject.org for more information.

TEEN-Y TINY ART SHOW Tweens and

teens have the chance to express themselves with a tiny painting kit from the Pensacola Library. The library will display the work in the lobby display case from Tuesday, March 15-Thursday, March 31. Suggested for middle and high school youths. All materials provided while supplies last.

THE MAROON MARINES: ARCHAEOLOGY AT PROSPECT BLUFF A new tempo-

rary exhibit at The Destination Archaeology Resource Center, located at 207 E. Main St., features the story of the largest free black settlement in what is now the United States.

This exhibit is sponsored by City of Pensacola Councilmember Teniadé Broughton.

During the War of 1812, a fort was built by Black British Colonial Marines and Indigenous people along the Apalachicola River. Called “Negro Fort” by American officials, it eventually became the center of the largest free Black settlement in what is now the United States.

When the war ended, the U.S. believed the fort threatened the institution of slavery and must be destroyed. To the Maroon people who lived there, however, the fort at Prospect Bluff was a beacon of freedom worth fighting for.

For more information, visit fpan.us.

GALLERY 1050 MEMBERS SHOW The artists of First City Art Center will be showcasing their work through April 23 at the center’s 1060 Gallery, located at 1060 Guillemard St. For more information, visit gallery1060.com.

MONOCHROMATIC Artel Gallery’s latest

juried show is “Monochromatic,” where artists created a work of art in any medium using only one color. The exhibit is on view through May 6. Also on display is PanHandle Potters and works from Vivian Spencer. Artel Gallery is

located at 223 S. Palafox. Visit artelgallery.org for more information.

PMA MEMBERS SHOW The PMA Members Show is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art through May 29. View works of art from local artists. For more information, visit pensacolamusuem.org.

INTO THE MIRROR: CARRIE ANN BAADE

2021 Members Show winner Carrie Ann Baade describes herself as steward and axman, returning to the haunting moments in art history in order to reclaim them. By using the “bone yard” of Western painting with reverence, she cuts them up into fragments resulting in collage. In their repainting, these are fierce feminist parables.

Paintings made of paintings; the old masterworks are infused with the artist’s own experience.

The exhibit is on view through May 29. For more information, visit pensacolamusuem.org.

MAPPING NORTHWEST FLORIDA EXHIBIT AT THE PENSACOLA MUSEUM OF HISTORY Visualized Landscapes: A Selection

of Northwest Florida Maps is now on view at Pensacola Museum of History.

The exhibit explores the shifting topography of Northwest Florida through a series of maps selected from the Trust Archive. Visualized Landscapes: A Selection of Northwest Florida Maps is on view on the second floor of the Pensacola Museum of History until August.

For more information about the UWF Historic Trust or to purchase tickets, visit historicpensacola.org.

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

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

Visit pensacolamuseum.org for more information.

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

FINDING 1821 Finding 1821 is part of the

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

SCRIPTEASERS WITH PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Scripteasers, Studio 400's

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

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

OPEN MIC AT THE GORDON Show off

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

OPEN MIC COMEDY AT BIG TOP BREWERY Try out some new jokes or enjoy some

homegrown talent every Monday at 7 p.m. for Open Mic Comedy at Big Top Brewery, located at 21 W. Romano St. Everyone gets five minutes depending on the number of sign-ups.

Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.

NEW CLASSES AT MIXON MAGIC PERFORMING ARTS Mixon Magic Performing

Arts (MMPA), a boutique performing arts studio located at 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 238, will be offering a limited class schedule this fall. MMPA offers professional dance, fitness

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 March 24, 2022

17

a&e happenings and “Mommy and Me” instruction for all ages and skill levels with weekly classes including, but not limited to, Creative Movement, Ballet/ Jazz Combo, Broadway, Tap, Showstoppers, Acting and Voice. Classes will be provided for children as young as 2 years old (with a parent or guardian) through adult.

MMPA is dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of all students and families and has implemented protocols based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Masks are required for entry into the building and studio. More information about Mixon Magic Performing Arts can be found at mixonmagic.com, by contacting hello@mixonmagic.com or emily@mixonmagic.com or by calling (850) 221-7438.

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

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

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

FOOD + DRINKS

ANNUAL CRAWFISH & BLUEGRASS JAMBOREE Eat crawfish and listen to blue-

grass while sipping on lagerbier at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox, noon-4 p.m., Sunday, March 27.

More information at facebook.com/oddcolony.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT & PIZZA POP-UP Bring your acoustic instrument of

choice and play some music while enjoying Odd Colony beer 7-9 p.m., Monday, March 28.

Electric Pizza from Florence, Ala., will be on site 5-9 p.m. or when sold out. More information at facebook.com/oddcolony.

EVERYTHING FLOUR FOR BAKING & COOKING Pensacola Cooks is offering a two-

day class covering everything you need to know about flour for baking and cooking. Classes are 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday, March 28; Tuesday, March 29; and Wednesday, March 30, at 3624 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $150 per person. More information at facebook.com/pensacolacooks.

Wines and a wine pairing dinner on Thursday, March 31, at 6 p.m., at Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Cost is $89. More information is at bodaciousshops.com.

first Friday of every month for a wine tasting from 6-8 p.m. Visit bluejaysbakery.com for more information.

WESTERN MURDER MYSTERY AT GARDEN GRAIN Enjoy a delicious meal and solve

Seville Savories Food Tour will host a coffee tour of downtown Pensacola Tuesdays-Fridays from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tickets are available online at sevillesavoriesfoodtour.com.

a murder in this interactive mystery game from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at Garden and Grain, 50 E. Garden St. Tickets are $55. More information at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.

MONTHLY WINE TASTING IN AGAPI GARDEN Visit Agapi Garden, at 555 Scenic

Highway, from 5-7 p.m. to sample five wines for $10. For more information, call (850) 813-5683.

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

Abby as she demonstrates and provides hands-on instruction on classic Greek cuisine Tuesday, March 29, at 6 p.m., at Bodacious, located at 407-D S. Palafox. Cost is $69. More information at bodaciousshop.com.

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

CELEBRATION OF OREGON WINES Join

FIRST FRIDAY FINE WINES Visit The Nest

HANDS-ON GREEK CUISINE Join Chef

us at Bodacious for an evening of Oregon

General Store at 11 S. Palafox, Ste. C, on the

BAYOU BUZZ COFFEE TASTING TOUR

BURGERS AND BORDEAUX AT UNION PUBLIC HOUSE Every Tuesday night, enjoy

a specialty burger and a glass of Bordeaux for $18 at Union Public House, located at 309 S. Reus St. For more information, visit facebook. com/unionpensacola.

WEEKNIGHT HAPPY HOUR Every weeknight before 6 p.m. at The 5 Barrel, get $1 off all The 5 Barrel pints, $2 wine by the glass and half off hummus plates when you buy a pint of beer.

Visit the5barrel.com for more information.

TABLETOP TUESDAYS AT THE 5 BARREL

Join The 5 Barrel for a special Tabletop Tuesday event at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in March. A wide variety of games ranging from the classic chess to the crowd favorite Catan will be available.

Players are welcome to bring their own games.

ARAGON WINE TASTINGS Wine tastings at Aragon Wine Market are back every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. in store at 27 S. Ninth Ave. For more information, visit aragonwinemarket.com.

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

UNIONPENSACOLA.COM

309 SOUTH REUS ST. | 850.607.6320 818 1

inweekly.net

a&e happenings THURSDAY TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE 5 BARREL Gather a group for a weekly Thurs-

day Trivia Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at The 5 Barrel. There will be prizes for every round and select drafts for $3. Find out more at facebook.com/the5barrel.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6 p.m. Guests enjoy three courses for $35 per person. Diners must be seated by 6 p.m. for offer to be valid. To make a reservation, call (850) 332-5224, or go to districtstreaks.com.

The District is located at 123 E. Government St.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

LIVE MUSIC

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

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market is back at

its regular location in MLK Jr. Plaza. In a carefully planned, phased reopening, Palafox Market has launched with about half its regular vendors, showcasing food, farm produce and products geared toward safety and sanitation such as handmade soaps and face masks. For more information, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.

EVER’MARKET AT NINE MILE ROAD Visit

Ever’Man at 1000 E. Nine Mile Road on the fourth Saturday of each month for the Ever’Market with food, music, giveaways, activities and more. Visit everman.org for more information.

200 SOUTH SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

Every first Saturday of the month, the businesses at 200 South will host Small Business Saturday to show support for local businesses. Bring a receipt from a purchase from any other downtown business and receive 10% off your bill at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave and Blend Lounge.

PENSACOLA POSITIVITY’S SUNDAY MARKETS Sunday Markets on Palafox Street

happen each Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in MLK Plaza on Palafox. Local makers, growers and creators gather each under the oak trees to sell their goods to the community. Interested vendors can request an application by emailing requeaskmikellah@gmail.com. For more information, visit facebook.com/palafoxmarkets.

SATURDAYS AT THE MARKET OUTDOOR VENDOR EVENT Located at 5300

Berryhill Road, the outdoor market features artisans and crafters alike from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. Social distancing guidelines will be in effect. For more information, email saturdaysatthemarket@gmail.com.

PENSACOLA POP-UP FARMERS MARKET

PENSACOLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: AMERICAN CLASSICS Enjoy

American classics performed by PSO Saturday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m. at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. For tickets, visit pensacolasaenger.com.

PAGU YOUTH LIVE Recording artist and DJ Pagu will be playing at Easy Going Gallery, Saturday, March 26, 7:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. More information at facebook.com/easygoinggallery.

CHAMBER WINDS CONCERT The Univer-

sity of West Florida Dr. Grier Williams School of Music will present a faculty and friends Chamber Winds concert on Monday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. The performance will be held in the Rolfs Music Hall at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Bldg. 82, at 11000 University Parkway. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit uwf.edu/tickets.

BANDS ON THE BLACKWATER The Six Piece Suits will be playing Bands on the Blackwater 7 p.m. on Friday, April 1. The concert is held at Jernigan’s Landing, 5158 Willing St., in Milton.

DOROTHY AT VINYL MUSIC HALL Dorothy will be stopping at Vinyl Music Hall on her Gifts from the Holy Ghost tour 7 p.m. Friday, April 1, at 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $19.50-$75.

More information at vinylmusichall.com.

YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN: A TAYLOR SWIFT INSPIRED DANCE PARTY Swifties

unite for a dance party featuring their favorite tunes from Taylor Swift. Doors open at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 2, at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. For ages 18 and up. Tickets are $25.

There is a $5 surcharge at the door for those under 21. More information at vinylmusichall.com.

SAMANTHA FISH Samantha Fish will be per-

forming at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox, Sunday, April 3. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.

More information at vinylmusichall.com.

Check out fresh and organic produce, milk, eggs, meat, fresh-baked bread, mushrooms, lumber, grits, cornmeal, pies and plants Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at East Hill Market, located at 1216 N. Ninth Ave. For a list of vendors, visit facebook.com/easthillmarket.

JAZZFEST MEET AND GREET On 7 p.m.

Friday, April 1, and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 2, The District, 123 E. Government St., invites the public to enjoy professional jazz musicians from the festival after hours.

UPTOWN PENSACOLA MARKET Check

The Pensacola JazzFest will take place 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, April 2, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, April 3, in Seville Square. Handicap parking will be at 400 E. Government St. Cost is free.

Visit jazzpensacola.com for more information.

out local vendors of art, produce and other local treasures every Saturday at 7201 N. Ninth Ave. from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/uptownmarketpensacola.

TWILIGHT THREE-COURSE SPECIAL The

District’s Twilight Three-Course special is back March 24, 2022

39TH ANNUAL PENSACOLA JAZZFEST

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE QUARTER Blues Society of Northwest Florida 19

a&e happenings and Seville Quarter present Monday Night Blues, the longest running weekly Blues Jam in Florida, starting at 7 p.m. with an opening and followed by the Blues Jam at 9 p.m. Seville Quarter is located at 130 E. Government St. For more information, visit sevillequarter.com.

JAZZ CONCERTS AT THE PENSACOLA LIBRARY Visit Pensacola Library, located at 239 N. Spring St., for a free jazz concert from 1-3 p.m. on the first and fourth Tuesday of the month through July. The next concert is March 22. Visit jazzpensacola.com for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

RAY COLEY AT CAZADORES MEXICAN RESTAURANT Ray Coley performs oldies mix

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

CURT BOL JAZZ QUARTET Visit Five Sis-

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

OPEN JAM AT ARTEL GALLERY Artel Gal-

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

Artel Gallery is located at 223 S. Palafox.

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

LIVE MUSIC AT HUB STACEY’S Sit back with good food and live music at Hub Stacey’s,

located at 312 E. Government St. For a full calendar of bands, check hubstaceys.com.

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

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

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious

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

Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

FITNESS + RECREATION

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

UPCOMING HOME GAMES: •7:05 p.m. Friday, March 25 •7:05 p.m. Saturday, March 26 •5:05 p.m. Sunday, March 27 SOLAR PLEXUS Join Marni Marni Marni of Asher & Bee and Rin Ley, of Temple Massage & Wellness, for group guided meditation and sound. Bring any of the following, but they are not required—yoga mat, water, journal, pen,

blanket, pillow and crystals you feel led to bring.

Class is Sunday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. More information at asherandbee.com.

PUBLIC SKATE Public ice skating is back at Pensacola Bay Center, located at 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are $12 with skate rental or $9 without skate rental. Groups of 15 or more are $10 per person with skate rental included.

Times are 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 27. Visit pensacolabaycenter.com for more information.

ISLAND FIGHTS 72 Island Fights is back at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Event starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24. Tickets start at $45. Purchase yours online at pensacolabaycenter.com.

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

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

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

UPCOMING DATES: •April 3: Bayview Park •May 1: Bayview Park

FINANCIAL WORKSHOP Topic: Personal Investing and Savings Products 4-5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29, 2022

UWF CAMPUS Building 76B, Room 101 (College of Business)

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER AT: uwf.edu/literacyworkshops

SPEAKER Dr. K.C. Ma

Professor of Accounting and Finance, UWF College of Business

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

SPONSORED BY:

020 2

inweekly.net

a&e happenings CHESS CLUB Learn how to play one of the

oldest games in the world with West Florida Public Libraries. Whether you are a beginner or a master chess player, this is a chance to learn new skills, practice your moves and improve your game in a friendly environment. The library will provide all the chessboards and pieces.

UPCOMING DATES: •Saturday, March 26, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Genealogy Library, 5740 N. Ninth Ave. •Saturday, March 26, 1-3:30 p.m. – Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway

F3 NATION FREE WORKOUTS FOR MEN

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

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

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

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

PENSACOLA PEGGERS CRIBBAGE CLUB LOOKING FOR MEMBERS Pensacola Peg-

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

WEEKLY FRIDAY DANCE Get moving every

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

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

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

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

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

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

RELEASE & RENEW AT FITNESS IMPACT TRAINING At 8:15 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, release into a yin March 24, 2022

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

GULF COAST BREWERY RUN Thursdays

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

TRUSTED. EXPERIENCED. COMMITTED.

BEER GARDEN YOGA Join Coastal County Brewing Company Saturdays at 9 a.m. for the new Yoga in the Garden Series. Classes will be led by Tara Taylor, a highly experienced instructor from Breathe Pensacola. All skill levels are welcome. Cost is $10 and includes a pint of beer after the class. Coastal County Brewing Company is located at 3041 E. Olive Road. For more information, visit facebook.com/coastalcounty.

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

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

YOGA CLASSES AT EVER’MAN Beginner

Yoga with John is 10 a.m. Thursdays, 4:30 p.m.

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

OCEAN HOUR BEACH CLEAN-UPS Ocean

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

KID-FRIENDLY

PMA PRESCHOOL STORYTIME Join PMA alongside the West Florida Public Library to engage your preschooler in story time and crafts.

During this free event at the Pensacola Museum of Art, a librarian will read selections of similarly themed books and encourage movement and participation. Afterward, an art educator will lead parents and preschoolers in a craft related to the reading selections. For ages 2-5 years old.

Capacity is limited to 10 pairs—one caregiver and one child—and pre-registration is required.

This month's readings are all about leprechauns and rainbows. Miss Stevie will read two books related to St. Patrick's Day. After reading, preschoolers will create a rainbow craft to take home. Register online at pensacolamuseum.org.

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21

free will astrology WEEK OF MARCH 24 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): The Carib

people from Surinam quote their mysterious Snake Spirit as follows—"I am the force of the spirit of the lightning eel, the thunder ax, the stone. I am the force of the firefly; thunder and lightning have I created." I realize that what I'm about to say may sound far-fetched, but I suspect you will have access to powers that are comparable to the Snake Spirit's in the coming weeks. In fact, your state of being reminds me of how Aries poet Marge Piercy expressed her quests for inspiration—"When I work, I am pure as an angel tiger, and clear is my eye and hot my brain and silent all the whining grunting piglets of the appetites."

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "It's always too early to quit," wrote cheerful author Norman Vincent Peale, who first popularized the idea of "positive thinking." I'm an optimistic person myself, but I think his advice is excessively optimistic. On some occasions, it's wise to withdraw your energy from a project or relationship you've been working on. Struggling to find relevance and redemption may reach a limit. Pushing ever onward might be fruitless and even harmful. However, I don't think that now is one of those times for you, Taurus.

According to my reading of the astrological omens, it is too early for you to quit.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): "You can be

as earnest and ridiculous as you need to be, if you don't attempt it in isolation." So says author Barbara Kingsolver. She adds, "The ridiculously earnest are known to travel in groups. And they are known to change the world." In my view, this is perfect advice for you right now. If you and the members of your crew focus on coordinating your efforts, you could accomplish blazing amazements in the coming weeks. You may solve riddles that none of you has been able to decipher alone. You can synergize your efforts in such a way that everyone's individual fate will be lifted up.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): About 200 years ago, poet William Wordsworth wrote, "Every great and original writer must himself create the taste by which he is to be relished." Now

By Rob Brezsny

I've come up with a variation on that wisdom— "Every great and original soul must herself create the taste by which she is to be understood and appreciated." That's what I hope you will work on in the coming weeks, Cancerian—fostering an ambiance in which you can be even better understood and appreciated. You now have extra power to teach people how to value you and get the best out of you.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): "I hate house-

work!" complained comedian Joan Rivers.

"You make the beds, you do the dishes, and six months later you have to start all over again."

I wish I could give you a six-month reprieve from having to attend to those chores, Leo. In fact, I'd love it if I could permanently authorize you to avoid all activities that distract you from thinking big thoughts and feeling rich emotions and pursuing expansive adventures. But I'm afraid I can only exempt you from the nagging small stuff for just the next three weeks or so—four, tops. After that, you'll have to do the dishes and make the beds again. But for the foreseeable future—Focus your energy on thinking big thoughts and feeling rich emotions and pursuing expansive adventures!

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): A British

plumber named Kev Crane worked for weeks to install a new bathroom at a private home.

As he toiled, he passed the time by singing his favorite songs. He didn't know that the homeowner, Paul Conneally, was the owner of a music label. So he was surprised and delighted when Conneally offered him a deal to record an album in the label's studio. There may be a comparable development in your life during the coming weeks, Virgo. You could be noticed in new ways for what you do well.

Your secret or unknown talents may be discovered or revealed. You might get invitations to show more of who you really are. Be alert for such opportunities.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): It's the start of

the Listening Season for you Libras. I propose a full-on celebration of listening: a three-week Holiday of Paying Close Attention to Important and Interesting Words Being Said in Your Vicinity. Make yourself a magnet for useful revelations. Be alert for the rich information

that becomes available as you show the world you would love to know more of its secrets. For inspiration, read these quotes. 1. You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time. —M. Scott Peck. 2. Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly. —my friend Jenna. 3. Listening is being able to be changed by the other person. —Alan Alda. 4. If you want to be listened to, you should put in time listening. —Marge Piercy.

5. Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold. —Karl A. Menninger.

At its best, worrying may serve as a meditation that helps us analyze potential problems.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): "Worry

doesn't count as preparation," writes author Lily Akerman. That sounds wise, but I don't think it's true in all cases. At its best, worrying may serve as a meditation that helps us analyze potential problems. It prompts us to imagine constructive actions we might take to forestall potential disruptions—and maybe even prevent them from erupting into actual disruptions. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Scorpio, because now is an excellent time to engage in this kind of pondering. I declare the next three weeks to be your Season of Productive Worrying.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): If I

had my way, you'd be a connoisseur of kisses in the coming weeks. You'd make it your intention to expand your repertoire of kissing styles and ask willing partners to do the same. You would give and receive unwieldy kisses, brave kisses and mysterious kisses. You would explore foolish, sublime kisses and sincere but inscrutable kisses and awakening kisses that change the meaning of kisses altogether. Are you interested in pursuing this challenge? It will be best accomplished through unhurried, playful, luxurious efforts. There's no goal except to have experimental fun.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): "Anybody

who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days," wrote author Flannery O'Connor. Her observation may be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much.

And I'm offering it to you now, as you begin a phase when you can glean many new teachings about your childhood—insights that could prove handy for a long time to come. I encourage you to enjoy a deep dive into your memories of your young years. They have superb secrets to divulge.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): "Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected," said author William Plomer. I agree with that. And I'm pleased to let you know that in the coming weeks, you will have more of this power to connect than you've had in a long time. I hope you will use it to link your fortunes to influences that inspire you. I hope you will wield it to build bridges between parts of your world that have been separate or alienated until now. And I hope you will deploy your enhanced capacity for blending and joining as you weave at least one magnificent new creation.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): "I use my in-

telligence to discover more ways of appreciating you," author Piscean Anaïs Nin told her lover Henry Miller. In the coming weeks, I recommend you activate a similar ambition. Now is a time when you can enhance your close relationships with important allies by deepening your insight into them. What magic is at play within them that you haven't fully recognized before?

How could you better see and understand their mysteries? P.S. You may be pleased when your deepening vision of them prompts them to extend the same favor toward you.

THIS WEEK'S HOMEWORK: What nonsexual experience or adventure do you lust for? freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com Rob Brezsny © Copyright 2022

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news of the weird AWESOME! Thirteen-year-old Matilda Walden of Bentham, United Kingdom, has broken the Guinness World Record for assembling a Mr. Potato Head, United Press International reported on March 14. Walden put together the iconic toy in just 5.69 seconds. The previous record had been in place for 10 years. Her secret technique? "I had to be joining the nose and mustache together as I picked them up in one hand," she said. Walden was hoping to raise awareness of Skipton Extended Learning for All, an organization that offers services to children. Walden noted, "I have disabilities, and sometimes find that in other community events I was not welcome and people judge me." She is thinking about going for the record for assembling a Mr. Potato Head while blindfolded.

INEXPLICABLE On March 12, a standoff in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, dragged on for 10 hours after Catherine Ann Imler, 57, made an odd appearance around 1:30 p.m. at another resident's home, WJAC-TV reported.

Imler was naked, and she reportedly forcefully entered the home, where she stole the man's shotgun. As she walked out his back door with the gun, he asked her what she was doing, and she said, "It's my house." Imler then returned to her own home. The victim called authorities, who set up a perimeter around Imler's house but couldn't extract her until late that evening, when she was taken to UPMC Altoona with self-inflicted injuries from a sword.

BRIGHT IDEA A big night out on March 12 led Leoni Fildes, 34, to a big idea: She would get an Uber from The Church Inn in Salford, United Kingdom, to Ukraine, to "help" the situation there. Fildes admits she had "one too many double pink gins and shots of Sambuca," the Manchester Evening News reported, and she was saved from her drunken philanthropic tendencies by fiscal realities: Her Uber app reported "insufficient funds" to back the 1,700-mile trip, which would have cost about 4,500 British pounds. (Not for lack of trying, though—Uber attempted to make the transaction nine times.) "I remember when we were looking, we said, 'Oh, we'll get the comfort one.' That's dearer—the XL one," Fildes said.

"I'm so glad I didn't have the funds available."

OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN NBC2-TV reported on March 6 that Anthony Antonaras, 38, of Venice, Florida, inexplicably rammed his pickup truck three times into the home of a woman he knows, damaging her garage doors and a window near the front door. When she came outside, Antonaras was sitting in the bed of the truck as "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus blared from the stereo. He told police that his "foot slipped"; but he also said that the woman is "not a good person" and that the incident was "a message."

Antonaras could be heard screaming expletives while the homeowner was speaking with the 911 dispatcher on the phone. He faces felony charges for criminal mischief and other offenses.

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

WE ALL NEED A LITTLE GOOD NEWS Sunday, March 13, was a holiday in New Zealand: Waitangi Day. As such, Turanga library in Christchurch was scheduled to be closed for the day, but the automated door locks malfunctioned, The Guardian reported, and the unstaffed and unsecured library was used by 380 people that day­—without any ill effects. "Our self-issue machines automatically started up and 147 books were issued by customers," a library staff member said. "No book-theft alarms went off, and at this stage nothing has been reported missing, nor have we spotted any damage." Only one disgruntled customer left a note about there being "no librarians in sight."

"We're grateful for the honesty of the people who used the library during this time," said Bruce Rendall, head of facilities, property and planning at Christchurch city council.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL Thomas Eugene Colucci of Spring Hill, Florida, wasn't quite sure that the methamphetamine he purchased from a man he met at an area bar was the real deal, Fox13-TV reported. So on March 10, he called 911 to ask authorities to test his stash.

Colucci told the Hernando County Sheriff's Office that as an experienced meth user, he knew what it should feel like, and handed two small baggies over to a deputy. He wanted officials to "put the person in trouble" who sold him the drugs, but he couldn't provide a name or contact information. Deputies did test the substance, which proved to be meth, and placed Colucci under arrest for possession.

BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL Pastor Paul Knight of Hope Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota, is puzzled. On the morning of March 9, as he drove by his own home, he noticed that someone had placed a giant K from a Kmart store on his front lawn, the Grand Forks Herald reported. The sign is believed to be from the Kmart store that's being redeveloped in town.

"I don't know who to call," Pastor Knight said.

"So I am kind of making a general announcement: The people who are responsible for this, you're welcome to remove it anytime. My wife hopes it's gone by June, I think."

YOU HAD ONE JOB On March 14, as the Norwegian Escape, a 164,000-ton cruise ship that can carry 4,000 passengers, attempted to pull away from Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, it hit the seabed, damaging the ship's hull and putting an end to the rest of the seven-day cruise. According to CNN, Norwegian Cruise Lines said the grounding was the result of wind; passengers were evacuated and will receive a full refund, plus a credit toward a future cruise. Passengers didn't seem to mind being stranded in paradise; one tweeted that "morale is high." {in} From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2022 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com March 24, 2022

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