Inweekly March 30 2023 Issue

winners & losers

losers

In advance of their annual event happening in mid-May, they recently hosted a beach cleanup in the Fort Morgan area. Seventy-six volunteers attended, and they collected 3,860 pounds of trash. In addition to Hangout Fest, other organizations involved were Alabama Coastal Foundation and the Fort Morgan Civic Association.

D.C. REEVES The mayor of Pensacola spoke out for his citizens who voted to switch to an appointed superintendent in 2018. Fortunately, three school board members—Patty Hightower, Bill Slayton and David Williams—agreed with him and rejected the move for another referendum in 2024.

LINDA FUSSELL The retired educator with 24 years in the Escambia County School District pushed back against the Escambia County Republican Party and others who wanted to remove four more books from our public schools. She urged the school board to trust the district's review process. Fussell prevailed at the school board meeting.

TYLER CHASE NORWOOD The University of West Florida announced a $250,000 gift and the naming of the Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Program. Norwood, a UWF alumnus, served on UWF's construction management program's advisory council. Norwood passed away during a boating accident in 2018. The gift will expand funding available through the existing Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Scholarship Endowment established by Randy and Stacy Norwood in 2020.

PENSACOLA FIRE & POLICE Pensacola Fire Department and the Pensacola Police Department responded to a house fire on Zarragossa Street. They received reports of three children trapped inside the home. Fire station No. 4 arrived on the scene within five minutes. Unfortunately, one child died in the blaze. Police Chief Eric Randall said, "This was a heroic response from our first responders that took the call, got there and immediately went into the mode of survival and trying to save a life, including the police officers that got there first and were able to grab the child that was at the doorway and worked in collaboration with our fire teams."

ESCAMBIA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PAR -

TY While they have won most local political races, the local GOP failed to take over Escambia County's public schools. Its leaders rallied its members to get the school board to remove four more books and support a referendum to return to an elected superintendent. The majority of the school board wasn't swayed on either issue.

WILSON ROBERTSON The former county commissioner came out of retirement to voice his support for a referendum to return to an elected superintendent. Crazy Uncle Wilson was a big supporter of the last elected superintendent, Malcolm Thomas, so it was no surprise that he prefers the old system. However, it was surprising how little the school board cared about what he said.

MICHELLE SALZMAN

The state representative's demand that School Superintendent Tim Smith either quit or the school board fire him also fell on deaf ears. Dr. Smith isn't resigning and has embarked with the board on a series of town halls across the county to discuss the district's new strategic plan and listen to residents. Meanwhile, Inweekly is waiting for public records regarding Salzman's Mental Health Task Force.

TORT REFORM

Less than 24 hours after the Senate vote, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 837, which tipped the scales of justice in favor of insurance carriers. Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book said, "Despite strong objection from Floridians across the political spectrum, the Republican-controlled Legislature shoved through a bad piece of policy, now Florida law, which goes against the best interests of the people of our state." In anticipation of DeSantis' quick action, local attorneys last week filed over 5,000 lawsuits in Escambia County to avoid falling under the new law.

COVID-19 DEATHS

The key to Gov. Ron DeSantis getting away with hammering COVID-19 vaccinations is ignoring the virus' death toll. We now get the death numbers every two weeks without much detail. As of Friday, March 16, the state reported 87,141 COVID-19 deaths, up from 86,850 deaths two weeks earlier.

Photo Courtesy of Hangout Music Fest

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

OF HOPE

We devoted our news stories this week to the Escambia County School Board and its two momentous decisions to not remove four more books from schools and to stay the course with an appointed superintendent. Though the victory margins were slim, the votes gave hope to us who believe in public education without political and religious interference.

During the last election cycle, we heard Republican candidates preach that they wanted to rid public schools of indoctrination. As with so many things on the far right of the political spectrum, the definitions get mixed up. They don't like indoctrination unless they are doing the indoctrination, which might be why they have been so hell-bent on funding private schools with vouchers.

Our book banning began with one teacher determining that over 100 books in our schools were pornographic, indoctrination of LGBTQ, race-baiting or anti-whiteness. She didn't consult her fellow teachers, but she didn't have to talk with anyone because the Florida Legislature gave her the power to challenge not only books at her high school but all schools in the county.

And when the district's review committee reviewed the books and found merit in them, she exercised the appeal process to create a political spectacle and pressure the school board to remove the books. And it worked, at first.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is a book my three daughters loved. The Escambia County School District had it listed as optional reading for high school seniors. Still, the school board overruled its advisory committee and booted the book. To make the book available for free, Inweekly partnered with Open Books to make it available for students. Ironically, many of them were donated by Escambia teachers who had removed them from their classrooms.

In February, the school board booted three more books. More people spoke out in favor of keeping them. The discussion got heated, so much that Board Member Kevin Adams argued that the school superintendent should remove all the challenged books and have the public petition the board to bring them back.

However, the school board's attorney said the district needed to follow the review process established by the state legislature. Otherwise, the superintendent and board would be subject to legal challenges.

Last week, four more books came up for expulsion. The book-banning crowd saw it as a slam dunk. Read a few passages out of context, thump the Bible and tell the board if they keep the books, they would go to jail, hell or both. Easy peasy.

But this time was different. More people from all sectors of the community spoke in favor of keeping the books. The damnation crowd met its match, and the majority of the board upheld the advisory committee's recommendation to keep the books. Small miracles can still happen.

The next night, the school board had to debate whether to have another referendum to return the district to having an elected superintendent. The facts against having a referendum were overwhelming—only one full year under the new system; the school board has the power to remove the superintendent if unhappy; we've had to deal with an unprecedented pandemic; and the district's overall ranking has improved.

However, we learned that the elected system worked for those who had the superintendent's ear. Support the elected superintendent, and your requests get fulfilled. Disagree with the supreme ruler of the district, and you're punished. Before Dr. Tim Smith was hired, "good ole boy" politics were alive and well in our public schools.

The "good ole boys" saw a chance to revert to the elected system, especially if they could get the referendum placed on the 2024 presidential preference primary ballot that has a much lower voter turnout. Fortunately, three board members saw through the scheme, and we won't have a referendum next year.

However, the hope for our public schools' future depends on those three board members staying united. It's tenuous, but let's celebrate the victories while we have them. {in} rick@inweekly.net

More people from all sectors of the community spoke in favor of keeping the books.

FOUR BOOKS SAVED FROM THE BURN PILE

Eye," considered standard high school reading for decades. And like previous titles, each book on the list had won awards from literary and education organizations and institutions that seem to consider them appropriate, even enriching, material for students. But this had never saved them from the burn pile in the past.

In past considerations, the Escambia County School Board—typically with some pushback from District 4's Patty Hightower, maybe even District 5's Bill Slayton—has forged ahead with a savage, take-no-prisoners swagger, most exemplified by District 1's Kevin Adams.

But this time was different, with District 3's David Williams leading a charge into the weeds, where board members dug into more nuanced debates about what age students each title might be appropriate for. These conversations and resulting decisions provided quite an insightful window into each board member's mental calculus and rationale as they continue further into a process that has the potential for culling who-knowshow-many titles from Escambia's schools.

throwing out titles, right up to last month's departure of Justin Richardson's "And Tango Makes Three," a nonfiction children's book about two male penguins raising a chick at New York's Central Park Zoo.

The books under consideration this go-round were Morrison's "The Bluest Eye," as well as "Drama" by Raina Telgemier, "New Kid" by Jerry Craft and "The Nowhere Girls" by Amy Reed. All four titles were flagged by Baggett, who cited offenses such as "indoctrination of LGBTQ," "race-baiting," "anti-whiteness" and, in the case of "The Bluest Eye," "graphic rape scenes; pedophilia glorified; violent acts"; she charged that the intent of such works' was to "shock" and "sexually excite."

As in past meetings, a large public crowd showed up to comment. The school board's March 21 engagement was as exceptional as ever, even in Escambia, where local government meetings tend to blow minds and all expectations of time. More than 150 people jam-packed the room, wanting to weigh in on the school board's consideration of the night's four books, each allotted an official three minutes of speaking time, stretching the meeting nearly eight hours long. The evening was less so spectacular in substance, as everyone was saying the same things that had been said at each of the school board's book-consideration meetings.

A WINDOW IN

Beginning with the consideration of "Drama," Williams suggested the book be retained for middle school and high school students, a suggestion readily taken up by everyone but Adams. A similar fate befell "New Kid," with Slayton making a winning motion to leave the book in availability for middle and high school students. Hightower descented on the grounds that the book should also be available to upperlevel elementary students.

The clearest view of the mental machinery driving Escambia's book-banning process—the purest glimpse at the gears grinding in real time in consideration of what constitutes inappropriate material in the public schools—could be observed during the school board's consideration of Morrison's "The Bluest Eye."

On this book, Adams took the lead, recommending that the book be removed. But Williams laid out a counterargument, recounting his time as Pensacola High School principal, where the book is read by students attending the campus's International Baccalaureate, or IB, program.

"Being an administrator of 17 years, I never received any complaints," Williams.

"It was optional to read, with also, I believe, "Beloved," a Toni Morrison book as well."

They were just another four books on the list. Presumably, just a bit more kindling for Escambia County School District's proverbial burn pile of banned books.

But there was something different this time. The Escambia County School Board voted not to ban the books.

This is a first in Escambia, where school board members are currently in the process of ticking off a growing list of more than 175 books that have been challenged as potentially pornographic and must be reviewed and assessed. Thus far—beginning with Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" last fall—the board has tossed every title that has overruled the review process and removed the books.

Like previous titles, the books under consideration during a March 21 special meeting treaded the politically sensitive territory of race, sex and gender. Critics of such titles argue that they run afoul of new state legislation and directives from Gov. Ron DeSantis. At the same time, those against pulling the books contend these efforts equate to a politically motivated overhaul of the state education system and a trouncing of free speech.

Also, as with past considerations, this most recent batch of books included recognizable titles, such as Toni Morrison's classic "The Bluest

WELL-TRODDEN TERRITORY

Like other school districts throughout Florida, Escambia County School District is living through the ripple effects of initiatives being pushed at the highest level by Gov. DeSantis and carried to fruition by an energized political base. Under new state law, any citizen may challenge any material available in the public school system, which then must be reviewed by the local district to ensure that it meets new state standards on so-called pornographic or obscene material.

In Escambia, the book challenging has been led by one person, Northview High School English teacher Vicki Baggett. Baggett has nearly singlehandedly compiled a growing list of books that, as of late March, stood at 178 titles. Many of the titles on the list do indeed pertain to the issues of race, sex and gender.

Beginning last fall, the school district started the dense process of reviewing each title, with each book assessed by a committee of both professional educators and public volunteers, before facing a challenge—and Baggett has said she'll challenge any book not tossed from availability—and finally undergoing a judgment from the school board.

In November, the school board tossed "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." Then it continued

For instance, Aaron Schneier, a meeting regular, reliably regaled the room with readings from the Bible—notably, a book the school board has exempted from any potential challenges—wondering aloud about sexual content contained within LGBTQ-themed works before reading from Romans about how people "consumed with shameless acts" and engaged in relations "contrary to nature" in effect "worshipped the beast, rather than the creator, who's blood is forever more," before warning school board members directly, "There's a day of judgment coming."

"This is what God's telling us. It's the Bible. You can't be a Christian and not believe in the Bible," Schneier said. "So the Bible says that these things are unnatural; that's another reason that we don't want them in our schools. We don't need to bring perverted things and perversion to our children."

Conversely, Rev. Rick Branch of First United Methodist Church Pensacola asked board members to consider "whether it's better to live in a society that bans books and bans lifestyle and therefore actually bans some of our children, or whether it's better to live a society where we live and let live and love and let love," while Sarah Latshaw, the American Civil Liberties Union's deputy political director in Northwest Florida, implored them to "stop allowing a fringe group of people to make decisions for every student in this entire community."

This went on for hours. And while exceptional in expanse and even energy, the marathon of public comment was pretty well-trodden territory at this point. The far more insightful and interesting portion of the Escambia meeting occurred more than seven hours deep, as members got down to business, deciding each of the four titles' fate.

More telling than William's dispassionate defense of an accepted classic—a position that eventually won the day on a 3-2 vote—was an elaboration of why the title should be pulled from circulation by Board Chairman Paul Fesko, who joined Adams in pushing for the book's removal.

Fesko recalled his time as a high school English teacher, where he was quite taken with the work, considering it a literary accomplishment. Even so, the author's inclusion of the subject of sex was a breaking point for the chairman and identified as a redline in his consideration of whether the title should be pulled.

"When I started reading "The Bluest Eye," I thought, 'This is the most phenomenal writing I've read in a long time.' It reminded me of Hemingway. I said, 'The detail, the descriptions, the use of language was phenomenal,'" Fesko recalled, before laying out a backhanded compliment of a case against the book.

He continued, "But when I got to the part concerning the sexual content, that's where that detail worked against it for me. I understand that there are probably students who are mature enough, and with leadership from a teacher at the IB program, but to have it available at every high school for 11th and 12th grade, without that kind of—I can't vote for it."

"The Bluest Eye" was retained, followed by "The Nowhere Girls," representing a clean sweep for the keep-the-books contingent, but pretty clear division lines had been drawn. While three of Escambia's school board members appear to have an appetite to attempt to inject some form of nuanced debate rooted in educational and literary value, Adams is committed to forging ahead with Gov. DeSantis's state-level directives, and Chairman Fesko is more than willing to explore that path as well. {in}

Photo by Wirestock Creators / shutterstock.com

REFERENDUM REJECTED

He continued, "It barely passed (in 2018), but we gave up our right to vote for school superintendent. I think that was a big mistake, and I think the current board of county commissioners will do just like I used to do. They will vote to approve putting it on a referendum."

PRE-MEETING DISCUSSION

Florida is one of only two states that allow for elected superintendents. About 98% of superintendents nationwide are appointed. In an interview with Inweekly before the meeting, entrepreneur Quint Studer shared he believed the elected system didn't provide the best leadership.

"What I wanted was the option for the school board to find the very best person they possibly could to lead the school district. You know, it's a difficult job—thousands of employees, millions of dollars, thousands of students," Studer said. "Why limit yourself to only people that are residents of Escambia County?"

The school board considered the resolution one month after State Rep. Michelle Salzman sent a letter on her official letterhead calling for Superintendent Tim Smith's resignation. Salzman stated, "Every day that we prolong this transition to new leadership, there is a child who is bullied, a child who drops out, a child who attempts suicide, a child who loses hope."

Smith refused to resign after only being on the job since November 2020. The school board appointed the Orlando educator after voters had approved a 2018 referendum to move from an elected superintendent to an appointed one when Malcolm Thomas finished his third term.

"My job is all about our kids learning, growing and moving forward—period," Smith said during the meeting. "That's what I'm here to do."

A global pandemic and a shortage of employees have mired his brief tenure. However, the school district did improve slightly, ranking 48th out of 67 counties in total points earned on the Florida School Accountability Reports in 2021-22. During Superintendent Thomas' last three years, Escambia ranked 53rd twice and 51st once.

DEFENDING APPOINTED

Prominent community leaders, including Studer, Mayor D.C. Reeves, hotelier Julian MacQueen and attorney Peter Mougey, voiced support for Smith and/or the appointed model.

Reeves spoke last during the public forum and passionately defended Smith and the appointed system. The mayor pointed out that each of the five school board members evaluated him favorably in 2022.

"Our citizens voted to give this board the actual authority to put items on the agenda, to make decisions about leadership and to have the ability to hold the day-to-day operations accountable," Reeves said. "No data suggests that after two years, what our county voted for needs to change."

The morning after the board vote, Dr. Smith appeared on WCOA and discussed the appointed system's benefits.

"What it really all boils down to is our focus every day to be on our students and having them learn at high levels, be successful and grow," he said. "One of the things that I learned in research about elected and appointed superintendents is the importance of stability. The more stability, the longer the superintendent's in place and systems are put into place and operated, the better the outcomes are."

Smith continued, "I'm excited about the vote last night. I think that was the right move for the board to take, and it's a vote for stability moving forward."

The superintendent shared that the district needs to improve its communications, especially when telling the public about its new strategic plan. He and the school board have scheduled town hall meetings in all five school districts before the end of the school year.

"With these town halls, we want to communicate our strategic plan to the community, and it circles back to the vision that we have—united for every student to succeed," Smith said. "I'm really excited about this great community and where we're going with our schools."

He added, "We've got an exciting future, and we've got a lot of work to do, but we've got a team of dedicated people to accomplish it." {in}

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Dr. Tim Smith / Photo Courtesy of Escambia County Public Schools

house, Fort Barrancas and the National Na val Aviation Museum. The naval base has been closed to the general public since a terrorist attack in December 2019.

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves told Inweekly that his efforts to give the public more regular access to the base have stalled. "Like a lot of things at the federal level, it's one step forward, two steps back. I've had some conversations with folks in D.C. about this late last year. Then the person that was working under the Secretary of the Navy that was kind of in charge of this renewed priority of museum access got promoted."

He continued, "And so we kind of start over, but I have to give a lot of credit to Senator (Doug) Broxson, who has since sent a letter sent in the last 30-45 days to share our concern and hopefully be the kind of that extra tap on the shoulder to reinvigorate this issue."

The mayor assured the newspaper that the city will continue to "push forward." He added, "I do know that the Navy knows the city is ready to help in any way we can—whether that's a place for people to get on a bus, whether that's a conference room to register for background checks. Whatever direction they end up going, they are fully aware that the city's ready to help them any way we can."

Retired Rear Admiral Kyle Cozad, who heads the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, is happy to hear of the mayor's efforts. "We've got a national museum that the folks who live here in our community feel like it's a piece of their identity. Over the past four years of being closed to the public, we've lost probably two million visitors that have been denied the opportunity to come into the museum."

He continued, "And priority one for me every single day is to continue to needle at this. It's like eating an elephant, one bite at a time. It's never going to come quickly enough for me, and certainly not for anyone else who wants to visit. But we're making modest progress."

The Secretary of the Navy has stated his commit ment to this. It's the people in the middle—'the iron majors'—who have to come up with the plan and resources to support something like this."

IMPACTFUL IMPACT IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area on Tuesday announced its 2023 membership drive successfully concluded with a total of 1,192 members. On Oct. 22, IMPACT 100 will give back to the community $1,192,000 by awarding 11 significant project grants of $108,364 each to nonprofit organizations serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Before this year's grant awards, IMPACT 100 has awarded 142 grants to deserving nonprofit organizations in the Greater Pensacola Bay Area. After awarding the 2023 grants in October, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area will have funded grants totaling $16,282,020. The Pensacola chapter is the largest IMPACT 100 in the world.

"What a joy it is to live in a wonderful, giving community," said IMPACT 100 President Kristin Longley. "The spirit of philanthropy is alive and well among us, as demonstrated by the 1,192 women who have chosen to be a part of IMPACT 100. The women of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area continue to help our nonprofit organizations launch truly transformative projects that benefit thousands of people, young and old, in our communities."

On WCOA's "Real News with Rick Outzen," Longley saluted Pensacola founders—Debbie Ritchie, Carolyn Appleyard, Belle Bear and others. "They were trying to recruit a hundred women that first year and think of those women as visionaries because who knew that 20 years later we would've donated over $16 million to the community? So I really thank them for their ongoing support and thinking through the model and making sure that it's effective philanthropy for our community."

On Thursday, April 20, the organization will host a free workshop and social for nonprofits

considering applying for a grant. The event will feature Patrick Leddin, Ph.D. and best-selling author. In his keynote, Leddin will share how to Step Up and Disrupt: Trust Your Gut, Take a Risk, and Change the World. Nonprofit leaders are urged to visit impact100pensacola.org for details and registration.

USS MONITOR CONNECTION The University of West Florida's Sea3D Lab recently partnered with The Mariners' Museum and Park, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary to create artifact replicas recovered from the shipwreck of the USS Monitor.

The USS Monitor, the U.S. Navy's first ironclad vessel built for the American Civil War, fought during the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 8-9, 1862. It sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras, N.C., nine months later. NOAA and the U.S. Navy recovered hundreds of artifacts from the ship, including the anchor, propulsion engines, gun turret and cannons.

With the help of UWF's Sea3D Lab resources, the Monitor's artifacts are now being replicated at The Mariners' Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia. Murilo Basso, the UWF Haas Center's mechanical engineer, traveled to The Mariners' Museum and Park to scan the artifacts using Artec Eva, a scanner that takes 16 pictures a second and puts pictures together to create 3D models.

"Artec Eva is a 3D scanner technology that captures high-resolution, accurate and textured 3D models of objects in real-time," Basso said. "The handheld scanner is equipped with structured light technology and uses a combination of white light and a high-resolution camera to scan and capture data with precision."

Tāne Rēnata Casserley of NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary learned about UWF's Sea3D Lab from Nicole Grinnan, public archaeologist for Florida Public Archaeology Network's Northwest Florida region, who told him about the lab's printer and how it was used to create a replica of Tristán de Luna's anchor. The original anchor is now on display in Pensacola's Museum of History, and the full-scale 3D copy is on display at the UWF Archaeology Institute.

"Much like the Pensacola Museum of History, even after conservation, Monitor's artifacts are extremely delicate, and by creating exact replicas with 3D printing, we're providing access to this incredible naval history in ways we nev asanctuary's resource protection and permit coordinator.

The Monitor's anchor will be showcased at upcoming events commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of Hampton Roads at Newport News local business Ironclad Distillery and The Mariners' Museum and Park.

"The Monitor story is, in part, a story of technology and innovation which brought people together for a common goal in 1862," said Will Hoffman, director of conservation and chief conservator at The Mariners' Museum and Park. "So it's exciting that through technology and innova-

tion today, we are now bringing people together to share the story of the USS Monitor with current and future generations."

CITY BUDGET At his Tuesday, March 21 presser, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves told reporters that his staff has begun the budget process for the 2023-24 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

"My schedule now is inundated with different budget meetings across all fronts these next couple of weeks," the mayor said. "We really had one meeting as an administration so far to get the lay of the land to where we are, but we haven't gotten into any specific requests or priorities. Any of that stuff will be soon to come; I would say probably over these next 30 days."

Mayor Reeves shared that he hasn't given the department heads any specific instructions and is waiting to hear from them. "I want to rely on our department directors who are subject matter experts, and we're going to let them come talk to us in the administration about what they're seeing and how they can operate optimally."

MENTAL HEALTH DOLLARS Last week, the Florida Department of Children and Families announced $21 million in available funding for essential programs to enhance mental health crisis services in Florida's communities and the Recruit and Maintain Behavioral Health Professionals grant program through select managing entities.

"We understand the importance of supporting the well-being for all of Florida's families, and it is critical that we continue to devote funding not only towards programming but also in the workforce that delivers these critical services," said Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris.

Funding will be allocated for crisis services and supports that help to address specific community needs deploying a three-pronged approach focused on prevention, intervention and recovery. The services provided include immediate triage, assessment, care coordination, case management and crisis intervention for individuals with behavioral health challenges.

Possibly the two central receiving facilities for Baker Act patients that Baptist, Lakeview and HCA Florida West have discussed would receive dollars from this fund.

In addition, through the grant opportunity, funding will support increased recruitment and retention efforts for professionals in social work and psychology, as well as marriage and family therapists, mental health therapists, psychiatrists and certified peer specialists.

The grant will be implemented through Northwest Florida Health Network, Southeast Florida Behavioral Network, and Central Florida Behavioral Health Network Managing Entities. Providers will be awarded funds based on the development of sustainable strategies, plans and programs to address the workforce challenges in the behavioral health labor force.

Though we have yet to receive the list of donors to Rep. Michelle Salzman's mental health

Photo Courtesy of Naval Aviation Museum Foundation

task force, we've heard that Northwest Florida Health Network made a significant contribution, and Salzman serves on its board.

Let's hope the Ernst & Young report—for which the mental health task force has paid—will fast-track funds for local mental health programs.

GO, FRANK, GO Former state Rep. Frank White, R-Pensacola, loaned $200,000 last month to his campaign to succeed term-limited Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, according to a newly filed finance report. The check further discouraged any GOP challengers.

White, who also raised $47,625 in February, is the only candidate who has opened an account to run in 2024 in Senate District 1 in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. White unsuccessfully ran for Florida Attorney General in 2018.

CLUB CLIMAX In response to the March 12 fatal shooting at Club Climax on North Palafox Street, Mayor D.C. Reeves met with the club's owners, Pensacola Police Department leadership and city staff on Wednesday, March 16, to address the shooting along with previous safety concerns at and around the property.

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves told reporters that he wanted to ensure all parties were serious about improving the situation. "I left our meeting Wednesday satisfied with that. Now you know that there's words and there's action, right? And that's on our police department and the owners and the operators. I'm just glad that right out of the gate in the meeting, we all agreed this is an issue."

PPD conducted a CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) assessment at Club Climax on Monday, March 20. The owners have committed to implementing the CPTED recommendations to improve safety and discourage criminal activity and will provide Club Climax with recommendations on safety improvements.

The city and PPD also sent a letter to area property owners with information related to the opportunity to utilize CPTED for their property and to further encourage other businesses in the area to participate in communication and collaboration with PPD to enhance public safety.

Property owners interested in CPTED can contact Police Sergeant Jeff Brown at (850) 4365414 or jcbrown@cityofpensacola.com.

THOMAS SENTENCED In 2022, Inweekly broke the story of Pensacola insurance broker John Thomas who took money for insurance policies that didn't exist. U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody recently announced Thomas has been sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges related to selling fraudulent insurance policies. He also has been ordered to pay $8,340,153.34 in restitution.

Thomas operated an insurance business between September 2013 and February 2021 known as Thomas Insurance, LLC. and defrauded customers through a type of insurance fraud known as premium diversion. Thomas executed this scheme by collecting insurance premiums from

customers and keeping the funds for personal use instead of producing insurance policies. To conceal his acts, Thomas gave the customers fraudulent documents referencing insurance policies that did not exist (Inweekly, "The Buzz," 4/15/21).

SCHOOL TOWN HALLS Escambia County

Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tim Smith and school board members have scheduled a series of town halls to share the new strategic plan.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity to share with our community members the exciting plans we're implementing across the district," said Smith.  "It's important we all be on the same page if we are to successfully meet the needs of our students, their families and, ultimately, this community."

The first two sessions were held at Pensacola High and Escambia High on March 27 and 28.

The next three town halls are set to begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, with District 4 Board Member Patty Hightower, Booker T. Washington High School Auditorium; Tuesday, April 11, with District 1 Board Member Kevin Adams, Pine Forest High School Media Center; and Monday, Tuesday, May 8, with District 5 Board Member Bill Slayton, Tate High School Cafeteria.

Dr. Smith told Inweekly that the strategic plan is built on the district's vision, united for every student to succeed. He said, "Communicating that is very important. It's quite a plan, so what we want to do is really capture the essence of it and communicate that in a way that will resonate with people."

PSC WOMEN'S SOCCER On Wednesday, March 29, Pensacola State College announced it would field a women's soccer team this fall of 2023. Mark Yepishin will coach the team.

As a volunteer assistant coach at the University of West Florida women's soccer program from 2019-2022, Yepishin helped the UWF Argos to two NCAA National Tournament appearances. From 2013-2023, he served as head coach of the girls' soccer program at Pensacola Catholic High School.

Pensacola State College also introduced four local signees—Maddison Laina (Navarre High), Maddie Motes (Pace High), Paige Phillips (Milton High) and Sidney Roest (Pace High).

STARTING A BUSINESS You have an idea for a business. Develop your business idea with the Florida SBDC's "Starting a Business" workshop from 9-noon on Friday, April 7. In this workshop, participants will discuss the details of launching a new venture, including how to determine feasibility and legal structures, licensing and permitting, funding options and basic marketing strategies. Location is Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, CO:LAB Building, Fourth Floor, 418 W. Garden St. Fee: $50. To register, visit sbdc. uwf.edu and open "Training & Events." Presented by Christa Wilson, Associate Director, Florida SBDC at UWF. Sponsored by Cadence Bank and Wells Fargo. {in}

Where fun meets

Our Corner, formerly known as Keep Pensacola Beautiful, is an Escambia County-based nonprofit that works strategically with community partners to implement programs that advance the environmental quality and beauty of our community, today and for future generations.

OurCornerEscambia.org

Because small actions today make a big impact tomorrow.

responsibility.

SERIES REGULARS

Whether it's a family outing or a date night, these live music series create the perfect opportunity for a cool seasonal routine. All three are also free to attend, which makes them even cooler in our book.

BEACH VIBES

Pensacola Beach's popular outdoor concert series Bands on the Beach kicks off April 4 with a full music roster every Tuesday evening all spring and summer long and well into the fall too. Organized by Santa Rosa Island Authority and located at the Gulfside Pavilion, the series features local and regional artists performing weekly through the last week of October.

Bands on the Beach 2023 Schedule

• April 4 Reunion Band

• April 11 Disco Kiss

• April 18 Whitesands Panhandle Band

• April 25 Bay Bridge Band

TRUE BLUES

Outdoor music is more than just a beach thing here in Pensacola. Thanks to Blues Angel Music and the City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department, you can enjoy live music on the mainland too—at the Blues on the Bay series. This year's season is bigger than ever, featuring eleven dates, on select Sundays through September.

MUSIC IN MILTON

Held at Jernigan's Landing on the west bank of Blackwater River in downtown Milton, this series' spring dates start this Friday, March 31, and run through June 9. It returns in the fall, with shows in September and October. The City of Milton coordinates with food vendors, so there are dining options on-site each week too.

• May 2 Jessie Ritter

• May 9 Grits & Greens

• May 16 Modern Eldorados

• May 23 Jordan Chase

• May 30 Cristi Dee's BAD JUJU

• June 6 Tyler Mac

• June 13 The Astronauts

• June 20 12Eleven

• June 27 Mass Kunfuzion

• July 4 Johnny Earthquake & The Moondogs

• July 11 Southern Breeze

• July 18 On the Rox

• July 25 Wester

• Aug. 1 Mr. Big and the Rhythm Sisters

Blues on the Bay 2023 Schedule

• April 30 Modern Eldorados

• May 14 Nobius

• May 28 Civilized Natives

• June 4 Platinum Premier Band

• June 25 Robert Wayne Band

Bands on the Blackwater Spring

2023 Schedule

• March 31 Winters Brothers Band

• April 7 Hired Guns

• April 14 Honey Island Swamp Band

• April 21 Ben Loftin & The Family

• April 28 Stormfolk

• Aug. 8 Sandy Roots

• Aug. 15 Class X

• Aug. 22 Float Like a Buffalo

• Aug. 29 Jay Williams Band

• Sept. 5 John Hart & the Prince Brothers

• Sept. 12 Rust & Gold

• Sept. 19 Eklektik

• Sept. 26 Vinyl Revival

• Oct. 3 True Blue Band

• Oct. 10 Crosstown

• Oct. 17 String Farm

• Oct. 24 Knee Deep Band

• Oct. 31 Not Quite Fab

BANDS ON THE BEACH

WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesdays, through Oct. 31

WHERE: Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach, 735 Pensacola Beach Blvd.

COST: Free

DETAILS: visitpensacolabeach.com/ whats-happening-bands-on-beach

BLUES ON THE BAY

WHEN: 6 p.m. Select Sundays, through Sept. 10

• July 2 Hi Tide Band

• July 16 The Blenders

• July 30 Not Quite Fab

• Aug. 13 Still Standing (A Tribute to Elton John)

• Aug. 27 Bay Bridge Band

• Sept. 10 The Astronauts

WHERE: Community Maritime Park, 301 W. Main St.

COST: Free

DETAILS: facebook.com/ bluesonthebaypensacola

• May 5 Jessie Ritter

• May 12 Bay Bridge Band

• May 19 Doc Johnson Band

• May 26 The HooDoos

• June 2 Blue Levee Band

• June 9 Disco Kiss

BANDS ON THE BLACKWATER

WHEN: 7 p.m. Fridays, through June 9

WHERE: Jernigan's Landing, 5158 S. Willing St., Milton COST: Free

DETAILS: facebook.com/ bandsontheblackwater

Arts & Entertainment

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

Musically Inclined

By Hunter Morrison

"What makes them interesting is they deliver a very unique and original sound to jazz, which has had an evolution of sound over the last twenty to thirty years," Fishback said. "They deliver energetic and fusion-based songs to the audience that will have everybody involved."

While there are a variety of jazz bands that have performed along the Gulf Coast, Pensacola is unique because it brings a fusion of these sounds together. While many unique jazz bands were formed in New Orleans and Mississippi, traditional and classical jazz genres have come together in Pensacola. "Musically Inclined" strives to highlight this and the influence of the Gulf Coast's jazz scene as a whole.

"It's a wonderful companion to what we're doing," Fishback said. "You get to see the historical context of jazz, which helps us to showcase the growth of jazz in the Pensacola area."

"It's good that it's going to be there during the festival and in the future," Vickers added.

Despite its evolution, jazz is a vibrant and all-encompassing art form that is still relevant today. With the help of Jazz Pensacola, the Voices of Pensacola can draw connections between jazz's history and the modern day.

across the Gulf Coast before making its way to the global stage. Timed to coincide with Pensacola's annual JazzFest, the Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center is displaying "Musically Inclined," an exhibition that highlights the history and influence of jazz music throughout the region.

Much like the rest of the country, the jazz scene of Pensacola saw its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, with musicians playing local venues almost nightly. Several jazz greats called Pensacola home, including Frank Horne of the Bourbon Street Six jazz band and Junior Cook.

"The history of jazz is incredible once you start to dig into it," said Jessie Cragg, curator of exhibits at the University of West Florida Historic Trust. "Sometimes when you mention jazz, people don't have a strong recollection of specific songs they've heard, but when they come on the radio, they're instantly recognizable, and that's because jazz is timeless. Everyone has heard a jazz song, so this exhibit really taps into that collective memory we have."

The exhibit was brought together in part with the help of Joan Jacobson, the daughter of Frank Horne. Jacobson donated many of her father's

"[Jacobson] has kept her father's band's music stands for years, preserving that piece of history so wonderfully, and we're honored to be the caretakers of them for the next generation," Cragg said. "If artifacts could talk, those band stands would have the best stories. They were witness to every performance, were part of every party and held every sheet of music, so they're certainly a very special piece."

In addition to photographs and band stands, the exhibit features sheet music, jazz instruments and other items. Numerous plaques from the Music Maker Hall of Fame are also on display.

"We have several that have been gifted to us over the years, and it is for recognition of artist talent by their peers, which is a second aspect of jazz that I find so important," Cragg said. "Not only is music appreciated by audiences, but the community of jazz musicians is powerful. They advocate for the art form and each other in a way that is inspiring. The sense of community is very strong, and these plaques represent that."

Norman Vickers, who is a founding member of Jazz Pensacola, was also instrumental in bringing this exhibit together. Vickers, who photo -

"Preserving these materials is terribly important," Vickers said. "I took a lot of pictures for the jazz festival early on with film. I donated all my film materials, and now, when I need a photo, I just describe what I need, and they email me a picture."

JazzFest, which occurs every spring, is a free event put on by Jazz Pensacola that celebrates jazz music and its unique art form. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the event.

"It's such a fun festival that has become part of the fabric of our community over the years," Cragg said. "An exhibit about the music was our small way of acknowledging the power of jazz."

"The audience gets an opportunity to experience both the culture and history of jazz," added Derrick Fishback, president of Jazz Pensacola.

JazzFest features live jazz music from local school bands, regional acts and national headliners. This year's lineup includes music from Pat Casey and the New Sound, Matthias Williams, ZAZU East and others.

One of the featured musical acts is The 4 Korners, an Atlanta-based jazz fusion band. The high-energy group refers to their original jazz fusion mix as "Journey Music."

"Hopefully this exhibit will be meaningful to everyone who views it and provide them with some background on a vibrant, rich, and significant part of Gulf Coast history," Cragg said. "There's something for everyone—jazz lovers will be able to appreciate the artifacts and music, while those who have no background in jazz can learn something new. This exhibit is small but mighty, linking the past and the present through a universal love of music." {in}

MUSICALLY INCLINED

WHAT: An exhibition that highlights the history and influence of jazz music throughout the Gulf Coast

WHEN: On view now-Jan. 2024

WHERE: Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center, 117 E. Government St.

DETAILS: historicpensacola.org

PENSACOLA JAZZFEST

WHAT: An annual two-day music festival presented by Jazz Pensacola

WHEN: 10 a.m.-7 p..m., Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2

WHERE: Seville Square, 311 E. Government St.

DETAILS: pensacolajazzfest.com, jazzpensacola.com

Photo by Jessie Cragg, UWF Historic Trust

•

a&e happenings

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

THE ESCAMBIA-SANTA ROSA BAR FOUNDATION ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR 2023 The Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association, is currently accepting grant applications for 2023. Grants are awarded to organizations that successfully demonstrate how a proposed program aligns with one or more of the tenets of the mission of the Foundation, which are to foster greater accessibility to the judicial system, improvements to the overall quality of the administration of justice, law-related education and increased public awareness of the judicial system, and improved management and operation of the court system.

Grants awards are typically in the $500$1,500 range. For more information on the Foundation and to download an application form, visit esrba.com/bar-foundation/about-esrbf.

KITTEN AND CAT ADOPTIONS Animal Allies will be at Pet Supermarket, 6857 N. Ninth Ave., 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, April 1. Many beautiful cats and kittens will be looking for their furever homes. If you can't adopt, you can talk about opportunities to donate, foster or volunteer. All cats are up to date on shots, and adoption fee includes spay or neuter with microchip.

ANIMAL ALLIES BINGO Animal Allies hosts bingo twice a month at Scenic Hills Country Club, 8891 Burning Tree Road. 10 rounds of bingo for $10 with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. A full bar and restaurant offer special adult beverages just for Bingo Nights. Must be 18 to play. The next event is Tuesday, March 28. For more information visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. On Tuesdays, the ministry feeds the homeless at 10:30 a.m. The ministry's food pantry opens at 11:30 a.m. and has clothing. Food donations needed are pop top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken, and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women and sweatshirts and new underwear for men sized small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at 723-3390 for details.

GRANT PROGRAMS

VISIT PENSACOLA EVENT GRANT PROGRAM Visit Pensacola is now accepting grant applications for its event marketing program for events in Escambia County occurring between Oct. 1, 2023-Sept. 30, 2024. Grant submissions are due by June 6 at noon and must be emailed or timestamped by drop off at the Visitor Information Center at 1401 E. Gregory St. Grant workshops will be hosted at the dates and times below in the Bowden Building at 120 Church St. to aid the submission process. All grant applicants are required to attend one of the workshops.

Dates:

•

• April 17: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

• April 17: 3:30-4:30 p.m.

The Visit Pensacola Grant Committee will meet to review and score applications on June 20 at 8:30 a.m. at the UWF Historic Trust Bowden Building, First Floor. Applicants are required to attend to present to the committee. Following, the Visit Pensacola Board of Directors will vote to approve grants on June 28 at the monthly board meeting.

For more info zmation on grant guidelines, scoring and the application process, please get in touch with Nicole Stacey at nstacey@visitpensacola.com.

FLORIDA HUMANITIES GRANT WORKSHOP Cultural nonprofits and public institutions in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties are invited to attend an informational funding workshop hosted by statewide grantmaker Florida Humanities at 1 p.m. Monday, April 17 at the Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. To attend, participants should register at bit.ly/FHworkshop_Panhandle. For more information about Florida Humanities, visit floridahumanities.org.

CALL TO ARTISTS

309 ZINE FEUD 309 Punk Project announced a Zine Feud. Requirements include a minimum page count of 16, minimum print run of 15 and no reprints. Deadline is June 1. Send or deliver at least one copy of your zine before 5 p.m. on June 1 to Alabama Contemporary Art Center, 301 Conti St., Mobile, AL 36602, or 309 Punk Project, 309 N. Sixth Ave. Pensacola, FL 32501. Submitted zines will be included in the 2023 Zine Challenge and be part of the 309 archives. For more information, visit 309punkproject.org.

ARTS & CULTURE

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

2023 The annual UWF Women in Leadership Conference educates the next generation of business leaders destined to positively impact the state of Florida. Women, including CEOs from across the state, share their stories through inspiring speeches and panels dedicated to both personal inspiration and practical application. Event is 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday, March 30, on the UWF campus, 11000 University Parkway. For details and tickets, visit uwf.edu/cob/community-outreach/ women-in-leadership.

PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS:

THE ADDAMS FAMILY From the creators of the "Jersey Boys," Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, and Drama Desk Award-winning composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa, the frightfully delightful world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and Lurch comes to life on the PLT stage. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 31; 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 1; 2:30 p.m., Sunday April 2. Thursday showtime is 7:30 p.m., March 30, at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $9-$33. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

EXPLORING NATURAL PIGMENTS AND DYES Artist Angelica Tilton will discuss her experience working with natural paints, pig -

ments and dyes, explaining how she makes and uses paints created with organic materials found in nature.

Participants will have the opportunity to experience natural paints by painting a piece inspired by the Gulf Coast's wildlife using some of the artist's own watercolors made from natural pigments. Workshops is 6-8 p.m., Friday, March 31, at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Cost is $25. For ages 14 and up. Register at pensacolamuseum.org.

WELL PAIRED: AN EVENING OF BOOK AND WINE PAIRINGS Join Bodacious Bookstore, 110 E. Intendencia St., and Monsieur Touton Wines for an evening of book and wine pairings, 5:30 p.m., Friday, March 31. Tickets are $55. More information at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.

INFERNO BURLESQUE The next Inferno Burlesque show is 8 p.m., Friday, March 31, at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $25-$500 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

MILLION DOLLAR TIME MACHINE A roundup of impersonators from the past decades. Show is 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 31, at the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $59-$89. Visit pensacolasaenger.com to purchase.

STANDUP COMEDY FEAT. JEFF D Show is 8 p.m., Saturday, April 1, at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $20-$30. Visit vinylmusichall. com for details.

OLD EAST HILL HISTORIC HOME BIRTHDAY CARD YARD SIGNS In celebration of the historic neighborhood of Old East Hill, artist and resident Lou Mitchell Courtney is painting simple versions of its adorable and historic homes.

Beginning with 15 homes, each birthday card style painting will be placed in front of the house it represents displaying the year built.

The yard signs will make their debut Saturday, April 1, at a spring neighborhood gathering. Old East Hill Preservation District's significant time period of construction was between 1870-1920. Many of those houses are still standing. For information, contact Susan Ford at susanf@oldeasthill.com.

CRAFT & VINTAGE SPRING MARKET Join Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox, Sunday, April 2, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., for local craft vendors, free photo booth, Flour-ish Pizza Truck and more. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.

BODACIOUS BIBLIOPHILES BOOK CLUB

The next Bodacious Bibliophiles Book Club meeting is 5 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, at Bodacious Bookstore, 110 E. Intendencia St. The group will be discussing "The Indomitable Florence Finch" by Robert J. Mrazek. Visit facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore for details.

•

The traveling Broadway show comes to the Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox, 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 5, and Thursday, April 6. Tickets and information at pensacolasaenger.com.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

a&e happenings

ARTIST TALK AND BOOK SIGNING ROLAND MILLER "Orbital Planes" is Roland Miller's photo book of the Space Shuttle Program. Through a combination of documentary and abstract photographs made around the U.S., "Orbital Planes" tells an expansive story of the Space Shuttle Program in a visually arresting style, describing the distinctive design of these spacecraft and the facilities where they were maintained and launched. He'll be doing a free artist talk and book signing Thursday, April 6, at 5:30 p.m., at Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

TABLE TALKS AT THE TRUST Join the Historic Trust for a monthly lunch and learn series on the third Wednesday of the month at the Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center, located at 117 E. Government St., from noon-1 p.m. The program is free—just bring your lunch and enjoy a casual opportunity to learn about a variety of topics. For more information, please email hparchives@uwf. edu or call (850) 595-5985, ext. 125. The next date is April 19 with John Sledge about the architecture and historic preservation in Mobile.

CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret drag showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors Open at 8 p.m. Showtime at 10 p.m. For more information, contact Taize Sinclair-Santi, show director, at taizesinclairsanti@ gmail.com.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST

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

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER

GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM, AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with actual ghost-hunting equipment Sundays from 6-8 p.m. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal ac-

tivities, history and more of Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E Government St. Reservations required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets available at pensacolaghostevents.com

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

BODY, MIND, SPIRIT MARKET AT EVER'MAN Local vendors, artisans, holistic practitioners, speakers and more. Held on the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. This is an inside and outside event for. Door prizes, entertainment and children's activities. Free admission. Ever'man Downtown, 315 W. Garden St. For vendor table, call (850) 941-4321 or go to empowermentschoolhouse.com.

TAGGED TAGGED is an annual exhibited at The Art Gallery of University of West Florida featuring artwork from UWF students at The Art Gallery, 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. The exhibition will be on display through April 11. Visit facebook.com/tag82uwf for details.

AVIAN NOBLE SOLO SHOW Photographer

Avian Noble's work will be on view at Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox, through April 21. Visit artelgallery.org for details.

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS Artwork in all mediums that represent at least one of the seven deadly sins. On view through April 21 at Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. Visit artelgallery.org for details.

FIRST CITY ART CENTER MEMBERS

SHOW The third annual members show at First City Art Center's Gallery 1060 will be on display April 12-28. The show features works from members of FCAC. An opening reception will be Friday, April 21.

IHMC'S SCIENCE SATURDAY 2023 SESSIONS ON HUMAN HEALTH PERFORMANCE, SMART CITIES AND ROBOTICS

Science Saturdays is a series of 90-minute educational enrichment sessions geared toward families and children in grades three-six. Topics in 2023 will include robotics, roller coasters, animal adaptations, human performance and more. The sessions are free to the families who attend. For more information, visit ihmc.us/life/science_saturdays.

• April 22: Dr. Gwen Bryan, IHMC, Robot Hands

FIGURES OF IMAGINATION AT EASY GOING

to acquire Florida. The Adams-Onis Treaty, debated and initially agreed upon in 1819, resulted in Spain ceding control of East Florida to the United States. At the same time, Spain also agreed to give up all claims on West Florida, in essence giving the entire Florida territory over to the United States. Ratified in 1821, the treaty was cause for celebration in Pensacola, the capital of West Florida, as it officially became part of America. On view at Pensacola Museum of History through Dec. 2023. Visit historicpensacola.org for details.

TEXTILES OF THE TIMES: REGENCY ERA

GALLERY

The opening reception is 5-9 p.m., Thursday, March 23. See the artwork of Mitchell Dembowski in the new exhibit "Figures of Imagination," running through the month of March, at Easy Going Gallery, 701 N. V St. "Figures of Imagination" establishes an ongoing dialogue between physical reality and the unconscious. These figures and psychological landscapes not only serve as a window into the unknown but also allow for the healthy integration of such an inner life. Learn more at facebook.com/easygoinggallery.

STEAM On view at Pensacola Museum of Art through April 9, the STEAM Exhibition is a community-centered, educational experience engaging contemporary art with science and new technologies. Artwork on display investigates concepts related to the environment, biology, digital interfaces and speculative fictions/imagined futures. Exhibiting artists challenge narratives of human and nonhuman ecologies, more-than-human relations and entangled response-abilities, as well as offer exciting insights into transdisciplinary processes. The main focus of the exhibition centers around the idea of ecosystems as a metaphor for critical thought. Visit the exhibit at PMA, 407 S. Jefferson St. Visit pensacolamuseum.org for details.

SUDDENLY AMERICAN: A MEETING OF HERITAGE AND COUNTRY

This exhibit looks at the transition of Florida from a Spanish territory to an American region, which formally occurred in 1821. Florida's embattled history dates back much farther than 1821. From refusing independence during the American Revolution to wanting their own freedom in 1810, Florida loved to cause problems. The United States eyed the region early on, using the Seminole Wars as an excuse to seize territory before turning to diplomatic means

DRESS MAKING

The period between 1811-1820 is historically defined as the Regency Period. This exhibit at the Pensacola Museum of History looks at a day in the life of a Regency-era Pensacolian through fashion and garment use. Drawing on historical documentation of stores known to have operated on Palafox, inside this recreation of a seamstress shop visitors will be able to explore the dress of yesteryear. On view at the Pensacola Museum of History through June 2023. Visit historicpensacola.org for details.

FOOD + DRINKS

ST. JOSEPH'S FISH FRY LUNCH Enjoy a fried fish basket with a side and dessert for $10 Fridays through Lent (March 31) at St. Joseph's Parish Hall, 140 W. Government St. Delivery available for orders of five or more. Call to place orders at (850) 449-4709, 206-2410.

HALFWAY TO OKTOBERFEST AT GARY'S

Join Gary's Brewery and Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave., for its Halfway to Oktoberfest celebration, 5-9 p.m., Friday, March 31. Gary's will have delicious German beers flowing, swag, Hip Pocket Deli food truck, keg tossing, stein-hoisting, German music, snow cones and more. Be sure to wear your lederhosen or dirndl's if you have them. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

UPTOWN MASTERS GOLF PAR-TEE Head to O'Riley's Uptown Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road, on Sunday, April 2, from 3-7 p.m., for a Masters Tournament Watch Par-Tee. Watch the Masters and enjoy the Golden Tee Machine and backyard putt-putt. Take advantage of $1 off all items on our spring cocktail menu.

BAKING FUN-DA-MENTALS Learn to make pavlova 1-3 p.m., Saturday, April 1, at Pensacola

Stock Market Losses?

a&e happenings

Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $50 per student. Visit facebook.com/pensacolacooks for details.

ARCHAEOLOGY ON TAP: "FINDING WOMEN IN THEIR LOST POSSESSIONS" Join Florida Public Archaeology Network at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox, 6 p.m., Thursday, March 30, for a discussion and drinks. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.

BASIC CUPCAKE DECORATING FOR ADULTS Class is a series, 6-8 p.m., Tuesdays, April 4, 11 and 18, at Pensacola Cooks, 4051 Barrancas Ave. Cost is $150 for all three classes. Visit facebook.com/pensacolacooks for details.

TED LASSO TRIVIA Trivia begins at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Enjoy English beer release and "biscuits with the boss" made by Bluejay's Bakery. Visit facebook. com/oddcolony for details.

ATLAS BEVERAGE CLASS The next Atlas Beverage Class is 5 and 7 p.m., Thursday, April 4, at 600 S. Barracks St. The featured brewery is Faubourg Brewing Co. from New Orleans. Reservations are required. Call (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@goodgrits.com to register.

EASTER BRUNCH AT AGAPI Celebrate Easter Sunday with a Brunch menu of Agapi Bistro + Garden favorites, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunday, April 9. Agapi is located at 555 Scenic Highway. Reserva-

tions are required at (850) 813-LOVE. Visit myagapi.com for details.

CELEBRATE EASTER SUNDAY AT GREAT SOUTHERN RESTAURANTS Join Great Southern Restaurants on Sunday, April 9, for Easter at Great Southern Restaurants.

THE FISH HOUSE The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St., will be open and serving Easter brunch and dinner on Sunday, April 9. Brunch hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with dinner service beginning at 3 p.m. For more information, please call (850) 4700003 or visit fishhousepensacola.com.

JACKSON'S STEAKHOUSE Jackson's, 400 S. Palafox, will be open and serving Easter brunch and dinner on Sunday, April 9. Brunch hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m,. with dinner service 5 p.m.-9 p.m. For reservations, please call (850) 469-9898. For more information, and to view all menus, visit jacksonsrestaurant.com.

FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ Five Sisters Blues Café will be open for their traditional Sunday Jazz Brunch on Easter Sunday, April 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information and to view our full menus, visit fivesistersbluescafe.com.

ANGELENA'S RISTORANTE ITALIANO

Angelena'se will be open and serving Easter Brunch on Sunday, April 9, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. To reserve your table for Easter Brunch at Angelena's, call (850) 542-8398 or visit angelenaspensacola.com

In addition to on-property dining, Great Southern Restaurants will be offering a full Easter Dinner Grab and Go featuring Five Sisters Blues Café. The package is based on six people with additional orders available in increments of six. The package is $85 plus tax. Orders can be placed until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5. Pickups will be available at the Fish House on Saturday, April 8, noon-3 p.m.

To place your order and schedule pickup, please contact the events team at (850) 433-9450 or email events@goodgrits.com.

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA Visit Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St., for themed trivia nights on the second Tuesday of the month from 7-9 p.m. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

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.

LIVE MUSIC

HOPOUT, MORNING TRIPS, SAINT SOCIAL AND MANUSCRIPT Show is 7 p.m., Thursday, March 30, at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at the -

REGGAE FEST Seville Quarter's Reggae Festival is Friday, March 31-Sunday, April 2, at End O' the Alley Courtyard, located at 130 E. Government St. Grab a Red Stripe Beer and Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum and prepare to celebrate the spirits of the islands all weekend long.

FREE THROW Show is 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 31, at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Featuring Can't Swim, Heart to Gold and Early Humans. Visit handlebar850.com for tickets.

PENSACOLA JAZZ FEST The 2023 Pensacola Jazz Fest features regional and local jazz artists at Historic Seville Square, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2. Visit facebook.com/ jazzpensacola for details.

CRUNK WITCH, COOKIES AND CAKE, BASILANTROS Show is 6 p.m., Saturday, April 1, at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

TRACY LAWRENCE Show is 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 1, at the Pensacola Saenger, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $45.50-$90.50. Visit pensacolasaenger.com for details and tickets.

HIRS COLLECTIVE, VOICE OF ADDICTION, OTONANA TRIO, TOKYO COYOTE AND DEAD DEVILS Show is 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.

a&e happenings

BANDS ON THE BEACH Pensacola Beach's popular outdoor concert series Bands on the Beach is back starting April 4 with Reunion Band. Concerts are held every Tuesday night from 7-9 p.m. at the Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach.

JXDN Show is 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 5, at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. Tickets are $29. Visit vinylmusichall.com.

MUSIC IN THE GARDEN WITH FLINT WITHERS Free live music and student art exhibit 7-9 p.m., Friday, April 7, at UWF Community Garden, 11000 University Parkway (next to WUWF Bldg. 88). Blankets and lawn chairs encouraged.

EASY GOING DJ LAB Show is every Saturday, noon-4 p.m., at Easy Going Gallery, 701 N. V St. Visit facebook.com/easygoinggallery for details.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia every other Wednesday at 6 p.m., located at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

GARY-OKE Sing your heart out at Gary's Brewery and Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave., every Wednesday from 6-10 p.m. Visit facebook. com/garysbrew for details.

JAZZ BY THE BOOK Joe Occhipinti performs at West Florida Public Libraries twice a month. The concerts are free. On Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 1 p.m., the concert is at Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St. Visit mywfpl.com for details.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLO -

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

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE

QUARTER Seville Quarter and the Blues Society 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

OCEAN HOUR WEEKLY CLEANUPS Ocean Hour Pensacola host weekly cleanups on Saturdays from 9-10 a.m. Closed-toe shoes are recommended. Follow Ocean Hour at facebook. com/oceanhourfl for more details and locations.

NAVY FEDERAL 5K The Gulf Coast is invited to participate in the 2023 Navy Federal 5K, 8-10 a.m., Saturday, April 1. The race starts at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Children

6 and under can also participate in the Sammie Sprint, a free quarter-mile race around Plaza Ferdinand. Visit navyfederal.org/resources/ events/5k.html for details.

U.S. FINALS Watch the U.S. Finals cheer competition, Saturday, April 1, at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St., starting at 8 a.m. Visit pensacolabaycenter.com for details.

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

FREE YOGA CLASSES AT COMMUNITY

HEALTH NORTHWEST FLORIDA Community Health Northwest Florida offers free yoga classes to people aged 18 and up. No experience required. The classes are led by Justin Nutt. Visit facebook.com/healthcarewithinreach for more information.

Schedule:

•Mondays

10-11 a.m. Community Chair Yoga at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. Desoto St.

•Tuesdays

10-11 a.m., Gentle Movement at Palafox TWO, 1380 N. Palafox

•Wednesdays 10-11a.m., Community Chair Yoga at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. Desoto St.

•Thursdays

10-11 a.m., Gentle Movement at Palafox TWO, 1380 N. Palafox

•Fridays

10-11 a.m., Community Chair Yoga at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. Desoto St.

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

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

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

FREE YOGA IN THE PARK Breathe Yoga and Wellness Center will offer free yoga throughout 2023 as a part of its Wellness in the Park Series. One-hour outdoor yoga classes will be led by Breathe Yoga and Wellness Center on the first Sunday of every month at 9:30 a.m. at Bayview Park. The next date is Sunday, April 2.

for more listings visit inweekly.net

free will astrology

WEEK OF MARCH 30

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Sometimes, I give you suggestions that may, if you carry them out, jostle your routines and fluster your allies. But after trying out the new approaches for a short time, you may chicken out and revert to old habits. That's understandable! It can be difficult to change your life. Here's an example. What if I encourage you to cancel your appointments and wander out into the wilderness to discuss your dreams with the birds? And what if, during your adventure, you are flooded with exhilarating yearnings for freedom? And then you decide to divest yourself of desires that other people want you to have and instead revive and give boosts to desires that you want yourself to have? Will you actually follow through with brave practical actions that transform your relationship with your deepest longings?

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): You have done all you can for now to resolve and expunge stale, messy karma—some of which was left over from the old days and old ways. There may come a time in the future when you will have more cleansing to do, but you have now earned the right to be as free from your past and as free from your conditioning as you have ever been. APRIL FOOL! I lied. In fact, you still need to spend a bit more time resolving and expunging stale, messy karma. But you're almost done!

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Businessman

Robert Bigelow hopes to eventually begin renting luxurious rooms in space. For $1.7 million per night, travelers will enjoy accommodations he provides on his orbiting hotel, 200 miles above the Earth's surface. Are you interested? I bet more Geminis will be signing up for this exotic trip than any other sign. You're likely to be the journeyers most excited by the prospect of sailing along at 17,000 miles per hour and witnessing 16 sunsets and sunrises every 24 hours. APRIL FOOL! In fact, you Geminis are quite capable of getting the extreme variety you crave and need right here on the planet's surface. And during the coming weeks, you will be even more skilled than usual at doing just that.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to become the overlord of your own fiefdom, or seize control

By Rob Brezsny

of a new territory and declare yourself chieftain, or overthrow the local hierarchy and install yourself as the sovereign ruler of all you survey. APRIL FOOL! I was metaphorically exaggerating a bit—but just a bit. I do in fact believe now is an excellent phase to increase your clout, boost your influence, and express your leadership. Be as kind you can be, of course, but also be rousingly mighty and fervent.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): In his poem "The Something," Charles Simic writes, "Here come my night thoughts on crutches, returning from studying the heavens. What they thought about stayed the same. Stayed immense and incomprehensible." According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you Leos will have much the same experience in the coming weeks. So there's no use in even hoping or trying to expand your vision. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is, you will not have Simic's experience. Just the opposite. When your night thoughts return from studying the heavens, they will be full of exuberant, inspiring energy. (And what exactly are "night thoughts"? They are bright insights you discover in the darkness.)

rection of exciting future possibilities. According to my astrological analysis, you are now due for a muse upgrade. If you don't have one, get one— or even more. If you already have a relationship with a muse, ask more from it. Nurture it. Take it to the next level.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Dear Valued Employee: Our records show you haven't used any vacation time over the past 100 years. As you may know, workers get three weeks of paid leave per year or else receive pay in lieu of time off. One added week is granted for every five years of service. So please, sometime soon, either take 9,400 days off work or notify our office, and your next paycheck will reflect payment of $8,277,432, including pay and interest for the past 1,200 months. APRIL FOOL! Everything I just said was an exaggeration. But there is a grain of truth in it. The coming weeks should bring you a nice surprise or two concerning your job.

en and refine how your mind understands and treats your body. And now is an excellent time to do that.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): I invite you to make a big change. I believe it's crucial if you hope to place yourself in maximum alignment with current cosmic rhythms. Here's my idea— Start calling yourself by the name "Genius." You could even use it instead of the first name you have used all these years. Tell everyone that from now on, they should address you as "Genius." APRIL FOOL! I don't really think you should make the switch to Genius. But I do believe you will be extra smart and ultra-wise in the coming weeks, so it wouldn't be totally outrageous to refer to yourself as "Genius."

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): If there will ever come a time when you will find a gold bullion bar on the ground while strolling around town, it will be soon. Similarly, if you are destined to buy a winning $10 million lottery ticket or inherit a diamond mine in Botswana, that blessing will arrive soon. APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating a bit. The truth is, I suspect you are now extra likely to attract new resources and benefits, though not on the scale of gold bullion, lottery winnings and diamond mines.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Do you have a muse, Libra? In my opinion, all of us need and deserve at least one muse, even if we're not creative artists. A muse can be a spirit or hero or ally who inspires us, no matter what work and play we do. A muse may call our attention to important truths we are ignoring or point us in the di-

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Sagittarian poet and artist William Blake (1757–1827) was a hard-working visionary prophet with an extravagant imagination. His contemporaries considered him a freaky eccentric, though today we regard him as a genius. I invite you to enjoy your own personal version of a Blake-like phase in the coming weeks. It's a perfect time to dynamically explore your idiosyncratic inclinations and creative potentials. Be bold, even brazen, as you celebrate what makes you unique. BUT WAIT! Although everything I just said is true, I must add a caveat—you don't necessarily need to be a freaky eccentric to honor your deepest, most authentic truths and longings.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Some of my friends disapprove of cosmetic surgery. I remind them that many cultures throughout history have engaged in body modification. In parts of Africa and Borneo, for example, people stretch their ears. Some Balinese people get their teeth filed. Women of the Indigenous Kyan people in Thailand elongate their necks using brass coils. Anyway, Capricorn, this is my way of letting you know that the coming weeks would be a favorable time to change your body. APRIL FOOL! It's not my place to advise you about whether and how to reshape your body. Instead, my job is to encourage you to deep -

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Your body comprises 30 trillion human cells and 39 trillion microbial cells, including the bacteria that live within you. And in my astrological estimation, those 69 trillion life forms are vibrating in sweet harmony with all the money in the world. Amazing! Because of this remarkable alignment, you now have the potential to get richer quicker. Good economic luck is swirling in your vicinity. Brilliant financial intuitions are likely to well up in you. The Money God is far more amenable than usual to your prayers. APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating a bit. But I do believe you now have extra ability to prime your cash flow.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK : What's the best blessing you could give someone right now? newsletter.freewillastrology.com. {in}

freewillastrology.com

freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

Rob Brezsny ©Copyright

2023

Be as kind you can be, of course, but also be rousingly mighty and fervent.

The coming weeks should bring you a nice surprise or two concerning your job.

Tired of suffering from droopy eyelids?  Uplift your eyelids with the once daily eye drop, Upneeq. Call now to schedule your appointment with the eye care specialists at Terrezza Optical: 850-434-2060

AWESOME! How's your bracket holding up? If it's busted, here's some other basketball news that might cheer you up. Sporting goods company Wilson is reinventing the basketball, Oddity Central reported on March 13, with a new prototype that doesn't require inflation. The Wilson Airless Prototype uses a "research-grade" polymer material to achieve the necessary bounce; the surface is a lattice design that keeps the traditional binding pattern so players can grip the seams of the ball more easily. There are still kinks to work out, including how to manage small objects that can get inside the ball.

FLORIDA A flamboyant woman named Ashley Cream went before the Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board on March 2 with a pressing concern: She suggested that March 10 should be designated Sugar Daddy and Mommy Appreciation Day. WFLA-TV reported that Cream, accompanied by an elderly man in a wheelchair, started her appeal by telling board members they were "looking absolutely fabulous, a little bit serious." She went on to say that sugar daddies and mommies are "responsible for college educations, cars, homes, rents, jets, Birkin (bags) and the occasional body enhancement"—though she claimed to be "all natural" as she gestured toward her chest. Councilman Arnold Sevell replied that her idea is "a city council issue," and she and her companion left the meeting.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Nothing went right for a carjacker in East Memphis, Tennessee, on March 10, WREG-TV reported. An unnamed 22-year-old victim pulled into his own driveway that night, only to have a man yank the driver's door open and point a gun at him. He asked for the victim's wallet and keys to the 2006 Honda Element, then tried to back out of the driveway, but as he did so, he rolled down the window. That's when the victim noticed the thief's gun didn't have a barrel, so he reached in and punched the carjacker in the face, causing the car to clip the side of the house and run into a pole. The carjacker jumped out and ran away; police were able to gather prints from the car and a recovered phone, but no arrests have been made.

•As authorities in Gainesville, Georgia, searched the home of 75-year-old Alan Neil Thur on March 14 after receiving a tip that Thur had child pornography on his computer, Thur sat at his computer ... "viewing five images of child pornography," Hall County Sheriff's deputies wrote in a report. WSB-TV reported that Thur was charged with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and booked into the county jail.

UPDATE News of the Weird reported in July 2022 that Dean Mayhew of Sussex, England, had his Tesco grocery loyalty card QR code tattooed on his arm. While Mayhew claims he has "no regrets" about the body art, Metro News reported on March 14 that after eight months, he's saved only 18 British pounds' worth of points. His goal is to save enough by the end of the year to pay for his Christmas food. "Sometimes when I go in there, the cashier doesn't believe it's real—I have to tell

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

them, 'just scan it, please!' and they're shocked," he said. "I love the tattoo so much."

OH, CANADA Fans of our favorite rude gesture, rejoice! Flipping the bird is a protected, "God-given" right in Canada, NPR reported, after Judge Dennis Galiatsatos ruled on Feb. 24 that "offending someone is not a crime." The decision stemmed from a court case between two un-neighborly neighbors in a Montreal suburb. "The complainants are free to clutch their pearls in the face of such an insult," Galiatsatos said. "However, the police department and the 911 dispatching service have more important priorities to address."

SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED On March 20, police officers were called to a home in Mill Creek, Washington, on a report of items stolen from the house, Fox13-TV reported. As they investigated, they discovered someone was living in the home's upstairs loft—with a bed, drug paraphernalia and half-eaten food. The oblivious homeowners did say they had noticed the smell of cigarette smoke. Police suggested the homeowners wait until the person returned, and it didn't take long: On March 21, they arrested Daniel Tomoiaga, 24. In his possession, they found the stolen items, along with meth and fentanyl. No word on how long he'd been staying at the home.

THE TECH REVOLUTION Artificial intelligence has infiltrated television news in China, Oddity Central reported. Ren Xiaorong, a virtual news anchor, was introduced on March 12 to viewers of People's Daily. "For 365 days, 24 hours, I will be reporting the news for the whole year, round the clock, without rest," (Redundant) Ren told viewers. "Whether at news sites or back in the studio, you will always see me." She has absorbed the talents of "thousands of news anchors" and will continue to evolve based on feedback. Ren can answer many questions, but her answers are all within the parameters of the Chinese Communist Party's rhetoric.

CLOTHING OPTIONAL In the early 2000s, Joseph DeRuvo Jr. of Norwalk, Connecticut, had developed painful bunions on his feet, and his doctor suggested surgery to remove them, The New York Times reported. While awaiting his operation, he started going barefoot, and he soon realized his feet felt much better. "The tactile feedback just kind of makes everything else going on feel a little bit smoother," he said. Now 59 years old, DeRuvo has been barefoot for two decades, and he says navigating weather and terrain is easier than navigating people. He is sometimes asked to leave a business and on occasion, he fights back. "If I'm feeling feisty," he said. His wife added, "We get thrown out of a lot of places." But his shoelessness contributes to a mindful life: "I pay attention to every single step I take," DeRuvo said. {in}