Inweekly nov 12 2015 issue

Transitioning the Conversation Independent News | November 12, 2015 | Volume 16 | Number 45 | inweekly.net

FREE â–ś

winners & losers 4

outtakes 5

news

buzz 8

6, 7

I realized how incredibly important it is for us as individuals and communities to protect these places that we love.

a&e

cover story

15

9

22

publisher Rick Outzen

art director Richard Humphreys

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Jason Leger, Jennifer Leigh, Emily Richey, Chuck Shepherd, Shelby Smithey

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

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WSRE PRESENTS

ALEXANDRA COUSTEAU FILMMAKER, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EMERGING EXPLORER AND GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED ADVOCATE FOR PROTECTING THE OCEAN AND ITS INHABITANTS AND HUMAN COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON FRESHWATER RESOURCES

Tuesday, Nov 17 7pm Doors open at 6:30pm WSRE Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio Free Admission

RSVP requested; not required

wsre.org/speakers

WSRE is a Service of Pensacola State College.

The Public Square Speakers Series is an educational outreach initiative of WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast.

November 12, 2015

5287-1015 Public Sq Cousteau InWeekly ad.indd 1

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winners & losers

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NORTHEAST SERTOMA Over 30 teams took to the water to raise money for charity, paddling their 40-foot dragon boats at the 2nd Annual Dragon Boat Festival.

The Festival that was hosted by Northeast Sertoma was so successful that the civic club was able to give the Gulf Coast Kid’s House $15,000 for GCKH to continue child advocacy work for victims of child abuse and to further their prevention efforts.

PAOLO GHIO The Santa Rosa Island Authority Board voted unanimously to name Ghio as the interim executive director, effective Jan. 15. The board gave him the option to either remove the “interim” title or return to his current role as director of Environmental and Developmental Services after a few months.

BELLAFONTE The Corsair 31R trimaran was the first overall to finish in the 2015 Andrews Institute Pensacola a la Habana Race. ‘Bellafonte’ led the Multihull Division out of Pensacola Bay on Oct. 31 and completed the 511 nautical-mile course early morning on Nov. 4.

losers FLORIDA LEGISLATURE After having spent over $13 million on drawing district lines, the two state chambers could not agree on the Senate district boundaries.

The Florida Senate rejected what was considered a compromise plan by a 23-16 vote.

Now the plan will be sent to Tallahassee Circuit Court Judge George Reynolds. He will review it in court on Dec 19 and decide whether to recommend it to the Florida Supreme Court.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY PRETERM BIRTHS The March of Dimes Prematu-

rity Campaign aims to reduce preterm birth rates across the United States. The organization has set a goal of reducing the premature birth rate to 8.1 percent by 2020.

What is Escambia County’s percentage of preterm births? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is 16.4 percent, which earns the county a “F” grade from the March of Dimes. The state has a 9.9 percent rate of premature births.

PENSACOLA CITY STAFF Mayor Ashton Hayward promised that he would move past the series of blunders that kept his administration in the headlines this summer and move city government forward for the betterment of the community. Instead, he is dealing with questions about how his administration mishandled the permitting and inspection of the construction of a radio tower located in the troubled Long Hollow Stormwater Basin.

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outtakes

by Rick Outzen

CELEBRATING ENTREPRENEURSHIP Last week, the Studer Community Institute hosted its first convention that focused on entrepreneurs, EntreCon. I moderated two panels. The first, “ Brewing up Success, turning a dream into reality,” featured Scott Zepp, co-founder of the World of Beer chain, and Celeste Beatty, founder of the Harlem Brewing Company.

Zepp moved to Tampa after Hurricane Ivan wiped out his home on Pensacola Beach.

He saw the growing craft beer market and started World of Beer with high school classmate, Matt LaFon. Today, the chain has 75 locations in 19 states.

When asked about his company’s phenomenal success, Zepp accredited the strong customer-oriented culture that he instills in his staff.

“It’s everything about giving the customer a positive experience, every time they enter a World of Beer,” he said.

Beatty backed into the craft brewing business. For years, she tinkered with brewing in batches of beer in her apartment.

Finally, her friends agreed she had the right taste. The revitalization of Harlem inspired the name of her company.

She combined her love of music with her brand, sponsoring events at the Apollo Theatre and Jazz at Lincoln Center. When she introduced her beers to Detroit, Beatty learned that Baker's Keyboard Lounge, the oldest operating jazz club in the world, needed a new piano, so she held a fundraiser to buy it.

“Music gives a lot to me in terms of my inspiration,” she said. “I just think we’re given so much, we have to give back.”

The “Start-up 101, the Do’s and Don’ts” panel featured two Inweekly Rising Stars—Justin Beck, president of the Commercial Real Estate Division of Beck Partners, and Jeff Phillips, co-founder of Accountingfly.

Beck heads a business that his father started. In 2014, he merged Beck Property with McGraw Insurance, which broadened the services to their clients. He stressed the importance of developing the right team and smart expansion. He said that new services need to fit the company's mission.

Phillips lives on the razor’s edge of a tech start-up, balancing the expectations of his investors, meeting cash flow needs, product development and building a client base.

Accountingfly uses technology to help accounting firms recruit accountants. He freely talked about the challenges and both his successes and failures.

What made that panel special was the camaraderie between Beck and Phillips, even though their businesses couldn’t be more different. Their openness and friendship demonstrated the value of networking outside one’s field.

Pensacola needs to attract more entrepreneurs like Zepp, Beatty, Beck and Phillips. Their creativity, energy and community spirit will kick our revitalization into high gear. {in} rick@inweekly.net

“I just think we’re given so much, we have to give back.”

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5

PENSACOLA: FLORIDA’S BEST SMALL CITY The category in which Pensacola excelled was Quality of Life.

The city was ranked 8 in what was the most difficult to measure.

“That was probably the most complicated category, just because quality of life really takes into consideration so many things,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub spokesperson. “First of all, we looked at things like your average commute time to work, which is about 19 minutes, a lot better than most other cities which are looking at the half hour mark.”

Gonzalez told Inweekly that Pensacola ranked at or near the top of the number of restaurants per capita; 1,200 restaurants per capita in Pensacola, and the number of bars, 166 per capita, which tied for number one.

“Coffee shops, there are quite a few,” she said. “Fitness centers, 187 per capita. You can eat everything and then go workout afterward; a lot of things here for quality of life. “ WalletHub was impressed with how many millennials are coming into Pensacola per year.

“They're making up five percent of that inbound population. That's just from last year alone. That means a lot of entrepreneurial spirit, some fresh talent is really pumping more money into the overall economy there,” said Gonzalez.

Several of the small cities on the “2015 Best & Worst Small Cities in America” list were ‘bedroom’ communities for larger cities nearby.

Pensacola is different.

“Pensacola has really established itself as a top smaller city that doesn't need a bigger city next to it to really attract people,” she said.

“The unemployment rate is a little bit less than the national average. Household income isn't anything spectacular, I mean it's right under $50,000 a year, but because it's affordable and because it has such a variety of things to do, it's still done really well for itself.”

How can Pensacola attract more residents?

Gonzalez said, “I think by just making sure that you're really kind to your entrepreneurs, you’re facilitating new businesses and job growth; that's how you're going to keep these millennials coming in.”

She advised Pensacola to provide incentives to create more jobs and wage growth, which, she pointed out, has been stagnant pretty much across the country.

“Even at the grassroots level to help business owners reach out to one another. It doesn't necessarily have to be a huge policy move,” she said. “You can do all of these things without creating a lot of legal work for anyone.”

Gonzalez was pleased to hear about the University of West Florida Center for Entrepreneurship and EntreCon. “I think a lot of smaller cities might think, ‘I can't compete with a Miami, or an Austin, or a Chicago or a New York’,” she said. “You absolutely can because if you think about it, you have much more affordable housing to offer. “ She added, “Why not start your business somewhere where you can actually put down roots, raise a family and not be putting half, or more, of your paycheck toward rent every month?” {in}

“Pensacola has really established itself as a top smaller city that doesn't need a bigger city next to it to really attract people.” Jill Gonzalez

Scott Zepp and Celese Beatty / Courtesy Studer Community Institute

By Rick Outzen Pensacola is the best small city in Florida, according to WalletHub’s 2015 Best & Worst Small Cities in America report. The key for the high ranking was the city’s quality of life.

Nationally, Princeton, NJ was the top overall small city, followed by Littleton, CO and Dublin, OH. Pensacola ranked 52nd overall.

Small cities, for the purpose of this ranking, were determined to be cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 residents.

To determine the best cities, WalletHub analysts compared 1,268 cities on their affordabil-

ity, economic health, education and health, and quality of life. Its analysts compiled 22 relevant metrics and assigned a weight to each.

Affordability included metrics for housing costs, the cost of living and homeownership rate. Pensacola was ranked 601.

Economic Health measured unemployment rate, median household income, the percentage of residents below poverty level, population growth and income growth. Pensacola was ranked 767.

Education & Health covered school–system quality, the percentage of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher, percentage of the population with health insurance coverage, and the number of pediatricians per 100,000 residents. Pensacola’s rank was 510.

TOP 10 BEST SMALL CITIES IN AMERICA

66

SOURCE: WALLETHUB.COM

Overall Rank

City

Overall Score

Affordability Rank

Economic Health Rank

Education & Health Rank

Quality of Life Rank

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Princeton, NJ Littleton, CO Dublin, OH Brookfield, WI Leawood, KS Southlake, TX Westfield, IN Northampton, MA Ankeny, IA Crystal Lake, IL

61.90 57.62 57.22 57.18 57.09 57.04 56.98 56.69 56.58 56.23

1144 742 171 206 77 3 24 865 26 222

1 331 43 169 14 18 3 241 100 291

7 54 112 8 123 204 106 4 48 12

41 28 190 248 523 403 1054 55 436 413

52

Pensacola, FL

52.77

601

767

510

8 inweekly.net

ALEXANDRA COUSTEAU: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDESS

Alexandra Cousteau / Courtesy Photo

By Shelby Smithey Keeping the family name alive and well, environmentalist Alexandra Cousteau has dedicated her life’s work advocating the importance of conservation and sustainable management of water. On Tuesday, Cousteau will give a free lecture as part of WSRE’s Public Square Speakers Series at the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio to talk about the importance of conservation and sustainable management of water.

Around the globe, her last name is synonymous with discovery and protection of the natural world. When her grandfather, Jacques Cousteau, earned the first of his three Oscars for “Le Monde du silence” in 1957, he paved the way for leveraging film and media to teach environmental stewardship. “Le Monde du silence,” or “The Silent World,” was one of the first films to use underwater cinematography to show the ocean depths in color.

“Obviously, I was influenced by my family and my travels and the things I saw as a child,” Cousteau said. “These natural places I visited as a child really shaped me.

I realized how incredibly important it is for

us as individuals and communities to protect these places that we love.”

In the television series, “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau,” Alexandra’s father, Philippe, and grandfather produced the most popular documentary series in broadcast history, setting a record at the time for Emmy awards and eventually showing in more than 100 nations. This pioneering family of explorers is widely credited for turning National Geographic into a global brand.

Cousteau said that the opportunity she gets to go on expeditions has allowed her to continue that legacy in her own work. She said that technology has allowed her to further that legacy even more.

“My family had to figure out how to tell stories underwater,” she said. “Now we can easily shoot a story underwater entirely on an iPhone.”

Like Cousteau’s world-famous father and grandfather, she’s a filmmaker at home in the sea and has mastered the storytelling tradition handed down to her. Her global initiatives seek to inspire and empower individuals to protect not only the ocean and its inhabitants, but also the human communities that rely on freshwater resources.

Cousteau said that it’s important for us to manage our growth and think of conservation as a whole.

“How we can protect our system so that it protects our environment that we depend on?” she said.

Named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2008, she is part of an elite group of young visionary trailblazers who push the boundaries of discovery, adventure and global problem solving, and she’s done it all before turning 40.

Cousteau also works with Oceana, the world’s largest international ocean conservation and advocacy organization, as a senior advisor.

150 short films that Blue Legacy International “My work for Oceana includes campaigns, distributes for free.” fundraising, expeditions, media and speaking Cousteau’s work locally includes several on their behalf, as well as brainstorming with trips to work in the Dead Zone in the Gulf them and supporting their work in any way I of Mexico, the second largest hypoxic area can,” Cousteau said. “Right now we are working worldwide. Hypoxic areas are an environmental on a great campaign called Save the Oceans, phenomenon where the concentration of disFeed the World.” solved oxygen in the water column decreases An environmental advocate and water to a level that can no longer support living policy expert, Cousteau urges people to view aquatic organisms. Dead Zones have increased global water issues not as a disparate collection in duration and frequency across our planet's of unrelated problems, but rather through a oceans since first being noted in the 1970s. systems-based approach that recognizes the “I went to the Gulf Coast in 2009 to work in the fundamental interconnectivity of these issues Dead Zone, which was already pretty horrific,” and places renewed emphasis on protecting Cousteau said. “I met some lovely fishermen our planet's most vital resource. and conservationists. Then the oil spill hapShe advocates an approach, “watershedpened, and it was a nightmare.” first thinking”, that recognizes how crucial it is Cousteau said that many people have to preserve natural water systems while taking developed health problems due to stress from into account the numerous demands, threats the oil spill. and developments within a watershed. From “We went out and saw the spill, and it’s managing resources and addressing pollution hard to say just how deeply this affected to planning appropriately for the placement people I knew,” she said. “Fishing isn’t just a of cities, factories and farms, she focuses on paycheck for them; it’s a way of life. It’s their careful economic planning and ecosystemidentity. When you take that away, it can result based management. in depression, drug addiction and suicide.”

“All these tiny tributaries and creeks in She said effects continue to be felt the U.S. used to flow all the way to the Sea and that she has done work in Mobile Bay of Cortez or this enormous delta,” she said. testing different species on possible side “We’ve over-allocated these sources so it’s a effects of oil contamination. tragic thing caused from us not thinking about “We don’t yet know the long-term effects the whole system.” of the spill,” she said. “It’s a multigenerational In 2008, she founded Blue Legacy Internaissue that has an incredible cost for all of us as tional with the mission of empowering people a community.” {in} to reclaim and restore the world’s water. She has led Blue Legacy expeditions across six continents and produced over 100 award-winning short films about water issues around the world, engaging record numbers of people to take action on water conservation issues at home.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 17 “We would do interactive expediWHERE: Jean & Paul Amos Performance tions looking at all the issues facing our Studio, 1000 College Blvd. waterways,” Cousteau said. “We examCOST: Free (Reservations are encouraged ined water spirituality in India, ecosysand can be made at wsre.org/speakers) tems in Botswana and water change DETAILS: wsre.org/speakers in Australia. We traveled 18,000 miles around North America and produced

WSRE’S PUBLIC SQUARE SPEAKERS SERIES PRESENTS ALEXANDRA COUSTEAU

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Bay County Commissioner George Gainer have prefiled to run for the seat.

There is a third option that has been buzzing around the Santa Rosa County Courthouse. Evers may file for Santa Rosa County Sheriff after the 2016 Legislative Session ends.

Sheriff Wendell Hall has announced that he plans to retire next year.

SCARLET LETTER C

Greg Evers / Photo by Mark Foley

EVERS READY TO MOVE One Florida

lawmaker that wasn’t upset about his district boundaries shifting was State Senator Greg Evers (R-Baker).

Evers told Inweekly that he wanted his fellow lawmakers to draw him out of District 2 and set its boundary at the Okaloosa-Santa Rosa county line because he wanted to keep the small towns in his district whole.

“Right now, I’m within one mile inside my district and the line splits my little town of Baker in half,” said Evers.

The redistricting proposal passed by the Florida House and will now be considered by the courts has a substantial portion of northwest corner of Okaloosa County from Senate District 2 to District 1, which is represented by Don Gaetz (R-Niceville). About the same number of people from a southwestern portion of Okaloosa will be moved to offset the shift.

Evers said the new district boundaries give him two options. “I can move to Santa Rosa County and retain my seat, or I can run for the District 1 seat.”

Don Gaetz will term out of office next year. His son, State Rep. Matt Gaetz, and

Keyontay Humphries has said it once and she has no problem saying it again. “Escambia County incarcerates more children per capita than any place else in the free world,” the ACLU regional organizer reiterated at a public forum recently at Franco’s sponsored by the Pensacola Bay Area League of Women Voters, the Escambia Youth Justice Coalition, the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

To further discuss this sobering statistic that has branded Pensacola, a panel of local experts were on hand to address the School to Prison Pipeline and why our county is sending so many children to adult jail.

Paula Montgomery, League of Women Voters chair of education committee, said that the good news is the increased use of civil citations instead of arrests for first-time juvenile offenders.

“There are too many kids that are falling into the pipeline, too many are being tried as adults and too many are not rehabilitated before they come back to the community,” Montgomery said. “Every child that is being arrested is on their way to being unemployable, a single parent or an absent parent.”

Humphries said that the EYJC is writing to State Senator Greg Evers to ask him to support bills in this legislative session that deal with juvenile justice. On Nov. 2, the Florida Senate ruled favorably for a bill that would remove a provision that requires a court to impose adult sanctions under certain circumstances as well as revise the way other aspects of the case are handled.

"I can move to Santa Rosa County and retain my seat, or I can run for the District 1 seat.” Greg Evers

88

Kelly Richards, a public defender on the panel, is tasked with resentencing of juveniles that have been already been sentenced to life for either homicide or serious non-homicide cases.

“In the First Judicial Circuit of Florida which is the area that our office covers, we have determined that there are at least 72 former juveniles who will fit into the category of perhaps being entitled to a resentencing or at least entitled to a review of their sentences,” she said.

Richards said that her office did not receive any funding to handle the resentencing and that she and her attorneys have a 2-year window to get the cases back to court.

“It’s going to be quite a task,” Richards said. “A lot of these juveniles have been in prison for over 20 years now.”

Also on the panel was Marjorie Anders, Juvenile Supervisor with the State Attorney’s Office, who is responsible for making filing decisions, approving civil citations and transferring cases to the adult division.

Anders said that she consults with her supervisor Greg Marcille, Assistant State Attorney, on transfers to adult court.

“We follow the statute as to how those decisions are made,” Anders said. “We look at the seriousness of the offense, prior juvenile citations and prospects of rehabilitation in the juvenile system.”

Marcille said that approximately 2 percent of juveniles are transferred to adult court.

“Of that percentage, some are mandated to be transferred to adult court by statute,” Marcille said. “Once a case is transferred, the ultimate decision to what sanction will be imposed is up to the judge.

Of the cases that we do transfer, over 90 percent of those cases where there is a disposition, the court imposes adult sanctions. The courts are ratifying those decisions.”

Tania Galloni, managing attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center also spoke on the panel. SPLC studies both nationwide and in Florida show that Escambia is a major place of juvenile incarceration.

“Escambia County is in a particularly dire situation,” she said. “A child in Escambia County is four times more likely to be charged as an adult than in Miami Dade County. The treatment of a child should not depend on where they live.”

Galloni said that the entity that is driving sentencing is prosecutors because 95 percent of cases are resolved by plea agreements.

“Why aren't we using judicial waiver?”

Galloni said. “A neutral arbiter should be making these decisions.”

Marcille said that the majority of the people that he transfers have extensive prior criminal history in the juvenile justice system.

“They have committed serious offenses,” Marcille said. “We do not transfer minor offenses including property crimes or runof-the-mill misdemeanor cases. Juvenile numbers are down and adult court is down.

No one can give a definition as to why.

However there is an uptick of certain types of crime including burglaries.”

Marcille said that the State Attorney’s Office does take a very tough stand on burglary because of the nature of the crime.

“We will treat those individuals as adults,” Marcille said. “We feel that's appropriate. We do not overcharge and race is never a consideration in making a decision. Until society is changed we have to do the best with what we have. Are we sending people to prison? Yes. Is it a bad thing? Yes.”

"A child in Escambia County is four times more likely to be charged as an adult than in Miami Dade County.”

Tania Galloni

CALLING ON DOJ The National Movement for Civil & Human Rights has requested the U.S. Department of Justice intervene on behalf of the students expelled from West Florida High School over what the organization’s executive director, Ellison Bennett, described as “horse playing.”

In a letter to DOJ, Bennett alleged the “individual who actually started the ‘panting’ incident had the tables turned on him and his brother, and two of his friends actually ‘panted’ him.” He claimed that the victim didn’t want to get his friends in trouble so he told the authorities that another player had done it.

The executive director called out the WFHS coaching staff and administration for not providing adult supervision on the bus— other than the coach who was driving the bus.

“No one is condoning the results of the student’s behavior, but we believe we should make the people responsible for our children bear the blame for not doing so,” said Bennett.

He wrote that the coaches should have cared enough for the students to ride the bus with them to ensure they were kept safe.

Contributors: Shelby Smithey, Rick Outzen and The News Service of Florida {in} inweekly.net

Transitioning the Conversation

By Shelby Smithey

November is Transgender Awareness Month, and individuals and organizations around the country will participate to help raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people and address the issues these communities face. Caitlyn Jenner may currently be splashed

November 12, 2015

across every media outlet known to man, but it’s important to understand that she isn’t prototypical within the transgender community because of her status.

Transgender people still face discrimination, poverty and violence and, even though people like

Jenner and Laverne Cox have started a conversation, more attention is deserved to issues and acceptance of those not in a position of affluence. Locally, the Gulf Coast Transgender Alliance provides support for the transgender community in Pensacola.

9

Deborah Johnson and Deeana Hathaway / Photo by Shelby Smithey Founder Deborah Johnson said that the group started in her living room over four years ago. Johnson also serves on Equality Florida’s Transaction Advisory Board.

“We started growing, and now we have about 18 to 30 people who meet once a month for support and education,” she said. “It gives everybody a place to come and talk to other people who feel the same way they do. Our long-term goal is to become a non-profit organization so that we can solicit funding to help others in the community.”

Johnson said that she started her own transition to living as a woman in March 2010 after a suicide attempt. Transition is a process that some transgender people undergo when they decide to live as the gender with which they identify, rather than the one they were assigned at birth. Transitioning can include medical components such as hormone therapy and surgery. However, not every transition involves medical interventions.

“After that is when I finally came out and told everyone that I was transgender,” she said.

“I’ve felt that way all my life but have kept it bottled up.”

After spending time getting treatment at Lakeview, Johnson said that the VA tried to find a support group but none existed. Johnson, who is a veteran, said that she decided to start the alliance because of the lack of other support groups in the area.

“Before I started my transition, I had a lot of built-up anger and depression inside,” she said. “Once I was on hormones for about six months, the anger just went away.”

Johnson said that her veteran benefits cover hormone therapy but do not cover any gender-affirmative surgeries.

“I’m hoping that will eventually change,” she said. “Legislation has been passed for Medicare that makes gender-affirmative care a requirement, but it’s still in the works.”

GCTA Co-Founder Deanna Hathaway said that about a year ago, S-Tr-Ive was formed as the activism arm of the alliance. She and Johnson met online before starting the group.

010 1

“Because the trans community has had so much publicity with Caitlyn Jenner coming out, the average person is starting to see that it exists more,” she said. “Until the internet really came about, people thought they were alone.

The more people are educated, the more accepting they become.”

But it’s still an uphill battle, said Hathaway.

“People are sometimes not accepting, especially being in the center of the Bible Belt,” she said. “The biggest point we want to stress is that it’s not a choice.”

Hathaway said that she considers it more like a birth defect.

“I cross-dressed for 58 years,” she said.

“I wanted to come out for a long time. It wasn’t until after my wife passed away and my kids had moved out is when I felt like I had more freedom to come out. It wasn’t until I met Deborah and some folks from the group that I decided to come out full time.”

favorable feelings toward them, compared with 13 percent who did not.

Susan Walch, University of West Florida associate professor of psychology, has been involved on some level with LGBT advocacy efforts for over 20 years. Her research has been focused on transgender stigma clinical work, and her published work includes cis gender attitudes on transgender people.

“The simple answer is that transgender stigma levels are pretty high overall, but not everyone stigmatizes the transgender community,” Walch said. “It’s been a couple years since my research, so recent media coverage of transgender people may alter that in some ways.”

Walch said that another piece of her research concluded that personal contact with someone who is “different” than you helps to reduce stigma.

“Separation leads to greater unfamiliarity,” she said. “People who know someone in the LGBT community seem to be less homophobic, but the general population doesn’t know the transgender community. Gay-identified people make up less than 5 percent of the population, and transgender people make up a small portion of that percentage.”

Walch said that the sense of being the only one in the world is not like it used to be with the internet and information age.

“I know some post-op transsexual people in their 60s and 70s, and their stories start when they were very young, and there wasn’t even a word for it,” Walch said. “Transgender is not an old word, but transsexual is. It was a medical term.”

However, Walch said that acceptance of the transgender community isn’t very high.

“When people come out as transgender, it’s always a courageous thing,” she said. “They don’t have a choice about their gender status. Some people may feel more choice validity, some people may feel less. There are many forces going on there, but I do think more people are coming out. We have a narrative in the nation that we didn’t use to have.”

"Because the trans community has had so much publicity with Caitlyn Jenner coming out, the average person is starting to see that it exists more.” Deanna Hathaway

REDUCING STIGMA

Results from a new national survey commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, reveal a significant uptick in the number of Americans who say they personally know or work with someone who is transgender, as well as a corresponding increase in favorable feelings toward transgender people.

The data, collected for HRC by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, shows that 22 percent of likely voters surveyed reported that they personally know or work with a transgender person, up from 17 percent who said they did in a similar poll last year. And knowing a transgender person translates powerfully into positive impressions: 66 percent of those who said they know a transgender person expressed

MEDICALLY SPEAKING

In the psychological community, gender dysphoria is the label for the diagnosis that is required for surgical procedures for access to sex reassignment surgery or other genderaffirmative procedures.

“For gender-affirmative care to be considered non-elective, the condition needs to be identified as a medically-necessary diagnosis,” Walch said.

In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders changed the classification of gender identity disorder to gender dysphoria.

“It’s not the identity that’s broken, it’s the psychological distress that comes with having

a body that doesn’t align with one’s inner self,” Walch said. “Gender incongruence is not a mental disorder in and of itself; it’s a normal variance of human experience. It’s kind of a Catch-22, but when this mismatch causes suffering, it does become a disease that needs treatment.”

Florida has neither a ban on insurance exclusions for transgender healthcare nor does it provide transgender-inclusive health benefits to state employees.

“There is a wide variety to what it available but, then again, a good portion of trans people are not even insured,” Walch said.

DISCRIMINATION

According to the HRC, the reality of many transgender people involves high levels of discrimination, harassment and violence, as well as major hurdles accessing employment, housing and healthcare. Many transgender people live in poverty, rejected by family and society.

“Institutional barriers work to push transgender people out of school and workplace settings that provide financial benefits, which means that a lot of transgender people don’t have health insurance,” Walch said.

Transgender people are far more likely to be the target of hate violence than lesbian, gay or bisexual people, and police are far more likely to emphasize transgender victims’ arrest records to diminish and miscast the lives of those killed. In 2014, 13 transgender people were murdered; already this year, 19 transgender people have been murdered, with trans people of color being the most common victim.

“The violence against the transgender population is doing damage,” Walch said.

“When you throw multiple minority statuses into the mix, it sadly leaves the trans community at risk and vulnerable.”

Walch said that the most beneficial thing for the transgender community is reducing stigma on the personal and institutional level.

“Give the transgender community a chance to be who they are and do what they do, and a lot of suffering would go way,” she said. {in}

•The UWF Gay-Straight Alliance will be hosting a Trans Panel as part of Transgender Awareness Month Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. on campus, Building 36, Room 191. The panel will consist of seven trans individuals from GSA, Gulf Coast Transgender Alliance, and S-Tr-Ive: Devin Cole, Deborah Johnson, Deanna Hathaway, Ceejay Mock, Britt Luck, Katharine Jones and Asher Balfour, discussing trans issues and answering questions from the audience.

•The Gulf Coast Transgender Alliance holds a support group meeting every third Sunday of the month from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Ever’Man Education Center, 315 W. Garden Street. inweekly.net

Legal Logistics of Being Transgender

Human Rights Campaign From discrimination lawsuits to getting a new driver’s license, it can be a struggle for transgender individuals to feel as if they have a voice.

“Transgender people do have rights, but they vary drastically from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and are not always enforced,” said Daniel Tilley, staff attorney of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. “We need explicit protections for transgender people written into our local, state and national laws.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign website, 32 states in the U.S. have no state laws protecting transgender people from being fired for simply being who they are. The other 18 states prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Florida is in the former category.

But it doesn’t stop at job security. Tilley adds that transgender people face “numerous” issues, including physical violence, lack of access to healthcare, discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations, difficulty obtaining identity documents that reflect who they are, abuse from law enforcement and the prison system, disproportionate homelessness, family rejection, marginalization by members of the LGB community, and denial of basic needs, such as access to public spaces consistent with the gender identity.

policies on human rights. In 2014, the Escambia County School Board added language to include discrimination against one’s gender identity in its bullying and harassment definitions of the Students Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

The school board approved the handbook with the added language in a 3-0 vote.

“The time was right,” said Sara Latshaw, director of the Northwest Region of the ACLU of Florida. “It’s important to protect all children. After establishing the Gay Straight Alliance at Booker T. Washington High School (a first for Pensacola), more and more kids are feeling comfortable to share their identities.”

This year, ACLU has partnered with Pensacola Alliance for Equality to ask the City of Pensacola to adopt the Human Rights Ordinance that not only protects transgender individuals, but everyone and anyone from discrimination.

The city council took up the issue at a workshop meeting Nov. 9.

“It’s a local policy that says as a city we will not tolerate discrimination of any form.

It’s not just for the inclusion of one group, but for everyone,” Latshaw said. “It might be bold for a city in the panhandle. We’re seeing it done in other parts of the state and the country. We’re ready for it.”

"We need explicit protections for transgender people written into our local, state and national laws.”

Daniel Tilley

HUMAN RIGHTS

That’s why the local chapter of ACLU has been working to improve established November 12, 2015

LEAVE ABUSE BEHIND

Knowledge is power — and especially powerful when taught early on, which is why Legal Services of North Florida have implanted the LEAVE project into its list of services.

While the nonprofit organization serves low-income and elderly individuals, LSNF also works with the LGBT community and, more specifically, the transgender community.

With the grant money awarded from Sunday’s Child earlier this year, LSNF created the Legal Education and Advocacy for Victim Empowerment (LEAVE) to offer

victims and allies legal tools to prevent bullying in families, schools and the overall community. The project was created for all clients, but includes a specific focus on LGBTQ youth, relationships, homeless and dependent youth and youth with disabilities. And as Deputy Director Leslie Powell pointed out, LGBT youth make up anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of the national homeless youth population.

Powell said the program is not necessarily geared toward litigation, but providing valuable information early on. It can also keep kids in school and out of homelessness.

“It’s another layer of protection,” said Powell. “Most of us don’t fully understand our rights. For the LGBT community, it’s a matter of exercising rights — some may not be willing for fear of being outed in some sort of way.”

There are also the logistics. Birth certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, etc. all have different criteria and requirements.

In some cases, a transgender individual has to show proof of irreversible genital surgery with a letter from the surgeon.

Carrie Cromey, senior attorney with LSNF, said laws are constantly changing to try and catch up with the culture, although sometimes not fast enough; that most issues involving documents should be looked at on a case- by-case basis, which is why legal assistance is beneficial.

By Jennifer Leigh

These issues of discrimination don’t have to be fought alone. Allies can show support by being involved and standing up for transgender rights, which are human rights.

Voting is also a strong weapon against discrimination. Two Florida house bills stand on either side of the issue.

“There is no state law that explicitly protects LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations, and the Competitive Workforce Act (HB 45) would change that—all Floridians should support it,” Tilley said. “On the other side of the spectrum, HB 401, one of the broadest anti-LGBT bills in the country, would allow any person to discriminate against LGBT people (and any other group) by refusing to provide a wide range of goods and services, including government services and medical care, with impunity—all Floridians should oppose it.”

While the majority of the country celebrated marriage equality as law of the land this past summer, leaders in the LGBT community said there was more work to be done. And they were right.

“The most difficult thing about working for the ACLU of Florida is knowing that, because of resource constraints, we are unable to assist the vast majority of the thousands of folks who write to us for assistance each year,” Tilley said. “Whether it’s in a courtroom, a legislative body, a commission or school board meeting, or a public forum, I try to use a variety of approaches to create change for folks.” {in}

"For the LGBT community, it’s a matter of exercising rights — some may not be willing for fear of being outed in some sort of way.” Leslie Powell

LOOKING AHEAD

When it comes to serving the LGBT community, everyone can use some education. LSNF staff receives regular training from partner agencies to learn more about the issues and even using the right words in conversation.

“It helps us to put ourselves in their shoes,” Powell said. “It’s more like cultural competency.”

For more information: •American Civil Liberties Union of Florida: aclufl.org •Legal Services of North Florida: lsnf.org •Human Rights Campaign: hrc.org

11

Vocabulary List Being informed about transgender issues is more than remembering proper pronouns (although that is important). Here’s a list of terms you may hear when reading or talking to and about transgender individuals and what they mean.

Transgender Transgender – or trans – is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity or expression is different from those typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth (e.g., the sex listed on their birth certificate).

Cisgender Cisgender – or cis – is the term used to describe people whose gender identity or expression aligns with those typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth.

Gender identity Gender identity refers to a person’s innate, deeply-felt psychological identification as a man, woman or some other gender.

Gender expression Gender expression refers to the external manifestation of a person’s gender identity, which may or may not conform to socially-defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

Sex Sex refers to the designation of a person at birth as either "male" or "female" based on their anatomy (e.g. reproductive organs) and/or their biology (e.g. hormones).

Gender Gender refers to the traditional or stereotypical roles, behaviors, activities and attributes that a given society consider appropriate for men and women.

Transition Transitioning is the process some transgender people go through to begin living as the gender with which they identify, rather than the sex assigned to them at birth.

This may or may not include hormone therapy, sex reassignment surgery and other medical procedures.

FTM FTM stands for female-tomale and refers to someone who was designated female at birth but identifies and expresses himself as a man.

Many FTM transgender people prefer the term "trans man" to describe themselves.

MTF MTF stands for male-to-female and refers to someone who was designated male at birth but who identifies and expresses herself as a woman. Many MTF transgender

Stamped Part II

people prefer the term "trans woman" to describe themselves.

Genderqueer An umbrella term for gender identities other than man and woman. People who identify as “genderqueer” may see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories. Use this term only when an individual self-identifies as “genderqueer.”

Gender non-conforming A broad term referring to people who do not behave in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit neatly into a category.

Cross-dressing Cross-dressing refers to people who wear clothing and/or makeup and accessories that are not traditionally associated with their biological sex.

Many people who crossdress are comfortable with their assigned sex and generally do not wish to change it. Cross-dressing is a form of gender expression that is not necessarily indicative of a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation.

Source: Human Rights Campaign, hrc.org.

Florida initiative, which trains teachers If you missed the Stamped LGBT to recognize and intervene in anti-gay Film Fest last month — or you’re bullying. just want more — there is one last The short film “R.S.V.P.” will also chance to get in on the fun. be shown again, which was written As part of the Foo Foo Fest, and directed by Shannon Beeby who Stamped has added one more night grew up in Pensacola. The film deals and will be showing two films, a full with love and loss as it follows a widlength and short, at Treehouse Cinower who tries to fulfill his husband’s ema in Gulf Breeze. last wish to have his ashes spread at The films to be shown are “Not sea with the family that disowned Safe to Be Me” and “R.S.V.P.” him. {in} “Not Safe to Be Me” is “a bird’s eye view of the issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from the early 20th century and the present,” according to the film’s website.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 The documentary film also WHERE: Treehouse Cinema, 1175 Gulf tells the story of Miami-Dade Breeze Pkwy. educator Robert Loupo whose COST: Free (donations accepted) own experiences with suicide DETAILS: foofoofest.com and assault caused him to create the Safe Schools South

STAMPED: PENSACOLA LGBT FILM FEST

Feeling Cheated by Volkswagen Diesel?

Did you buy a 2009-2105 VW because you wanted an environmentally friendly car that got great mileage? Recently, VW has admitted they programmed cars to cheat emissions tests so thier cars appeared more economical and environmentally friendly. You may have a claim for:

•Diminished value of your car, •Unfair and deceptive advertising and trade practices, •Several other violations and misrepresentations.

We are reviewing these cases now at no cost to you. If you have a 2009-2015 Volkswagen diesel or certain 2014-2105 Porsche or Audi diesels, we would be happy to talk to you about your potential claim. Call us now to discuss how you can seek justice for this misrepresentation to you, the innocent consumer.

127 Palafox Place, Suite 100 Pensacola, FL 32502 | 850-444-0000 www.stevensonklotz.com 212 1

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A C E L E B R AT I O N O F D I F F E R E N C E M A K E R S I N P E N S ACO L A Pensacola has been blessed with families who have helped to mold our community, generation after generation.

This series of stories celebrates the 1st generation to come to Pensacola and the legacy of contributions they started. Here’s a look back at the 1st generation of difference makers.

THE

Theophalis & Mary May FAMILY

Theophalis May was born in 1927 to a rural Alabama family. Orphaned at age five, he moved to Pensacola and was raised by Rebie Trawick, his mother’s sister. Theophalis left school at age nine to assist the family. He worked odd jobs, hauling kindling and building and repairing the cartage wagons he used, all the while honing carpentry skills that would became the foundation for his career. As a teenager, Theophalis joined the Navy. In his late 30s, he earned his GED and then a degree in philosophy and religion from Florida A&M University.

Theophalis & Mary May

Reaching Out and Up In 1952, the now Reverend May established May’s Construction Company, and soon his fine hand was seen in restorations of The Dorr House, Julee Cottage, Tivoli High House, The Walton House, Moreno Cottage and the waterfront offices of the L&N Railroad, which he disassembled, moved and rebuilt, all without blueprints.

May was also skilled at demolition work, and he adopted sustainable building practices before they were fashionable. Using salvaged materials, May built quality, affordable homes on Pensacola’s west side, spurring neighborhood revitalization and earning May the Florida Folk Heritage Award in 1991 and the City’s Affordable Home Builder of the Year Award in 2005.

A Family Church In 1967, Theophalis married Mary J. Jackson. The devoted couple raised seven children in Pensacola: Lorenzo, Lumon, Lemuel, Lorraine, LaRuby, LuTimothy and LaDonna. Each in their own way has carried on the values instilled in them by their parents—community outreach, public service, spreading love of their fellow man.

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church has been a cornerstone in the life of all May family members. The Church was founded in 1937 by Theophalis’s aunt, Rebie J. Trawick and her husband, the Rev. George W. Trawick, who served as pastor for more than 20 years.

Mayor Ashton Hayward, Mary May and Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May at the dedication ceremony for the Theophalis May Community Resource Center.

Theophalis was proud to build Friendship’s church on West Blount Street, where he served as pastor for 38 years until his death in 2006. In 2013, the church moved to West Strong Street into the former Brownsville Baptist Church, where a third generation of Mays continues to pastor the Friendship family.

The Friendship Missionary Baptist Church built by Theophalis May on West Blount.

Mays Lead & Light the Way As a preacher, mentor, leader and parent, Theophalis May was a leading light for Pensacola. His brick and mortar legacy is evident throughout our area. The legacy he and Mary built as parents lives on in their children. Our community continues to benefit from the lessons shared and the example set by Theophalis and Mary May.

Saluting 1st Generation Difference Makers: If you have a suggestion for a family to feature, email Quint@studergroup.com.

SponSored November 12, 2015

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Quint and R ishy studeR 13

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WEEK OF NOVEMBER 12-19

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

Sterling & Gold

by Shelby Smithey

lots of films together, but this is the biggest project we've done together. We went down to Nicaragua and caught amazing waves and had a great time. Bob Saget is a close friend of mine, and I talked him into doing a scene for my movie.

INWEEKLY: Starting out in competitions, you took your career in surfing to a new level in terms of what you do as an entertainer and with comedy in your work. Did you always want to make films and entertain in addition to surfing?

SPENCER: I grew up watching surf films and knew that was my calling. Surf competition was my way of breaking into the industry and for people to take me seriously as a professional surfer. When my films took off, it was an easy decision to stop competing and do exactly what I want. I've always viewed life differently and never understood why humans always have to do what each other are doing to feel accepted. So for me, I wanted my surf career not be the same boring thing.

people's concepts. This film was directed, produced and everything you can think of by me. So it was a huge task, way bigger than I thought. It's hard to balance when you’re behind the scenes directing and then you got to go out and focus on surfing and the little things.

“I'm happy to be having a son and to carry on the name, and one day he can see his grandfather’s statue on Pensacola Beach.” Sterling Spencer

Sterling Spencer / Courtesy Photo Sterling Spencer, the Pensacola native who is one of the most prominent pro surfers to come out of the Gulf Coast, is back in his hometown and will be premiering his fourth surf film this Friday.

“GOLD,” which Spencer has directed and produced with co-star and pro-surfing icon Rob Machado, will premiere at Vinyl Music Hall. The event is free and will benefit Tom Davis, a Pensacola man who was paralyzed several years ago from a surfing accident. Donations will be accepted at the premiere.

Spencer started competing at a young age and quickly found success, winning four East Coast Championships and a National Title. He went pro at age 15, was immediately sponsored by surf company Billabong and began traveling the world competing. By the age of 19, he had placed ninth at the World Junior Championships, which took him to the big leagues on the World Tour. His biggest international win was placing first at The Von Zipper Pro, taking him straight into his first World Championship Tour to surf against world champions Andy Irons and Kelly Slater.

It didn't take long for Spencer to realize November 12, 2015

that competing was not the path for him, and at age 22 he quit competitions and focused on making surf films and his website Pinchmysalt.tv. His quirky humor landed him on the cover of Surfing and Surfer magazine and his first independent film “SURF MADNESS.” Spencer has lived in California through most of his career but moved back to his hometown to take part in his father Yancy’s business Innerlight Surf Shop as Creative Director. Widely regarded as the father of Gulf Coast surfing, Yancy Spencer III passed away while surfing in Malibu in 2011.

Inweekly caught up with Spencer to talk about his new film and what he’s been up to since moving back home.

INWEEKLY: Tell us about your film “GOLD.” STERLING SPENCER: “GOLD” is a documentary of my professional surfing career for the past year and a half. I declare that I'm the number 1 surfer in the world. When you watch the film, it would be hard to say I'm not. I don't abide by human rules and thoughts or expectation. I live the life that I want. Rob [Machado] and I have done

INWEEKLY: You had been living on the West Coast for several years but recently moved back home. What was the decision behind that?

SPENCER: I moved back home, because I felt like it was important to me to be here in Pensacola for my family’s surf shop and for my life. I've been a pro surfer for 15 years now, so I'd rather visit California than live there. There’s no place like home. With Innerlight, I've taken a creative director role. I run the website and social media and design of certain Innerlight products and manage the surf team; stuff I can do while still being able to travel and do pro stuff.

INWEEKLY: How long have you been working on “GOLD”, and how did the idea to do the film come about?

SPENCER: We filmed all over the world in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, California, Indonesia and Pensacola. My idea of this film was really my life and how I picture the number 1 surfer in the world would live. I've always made films with other pros or other

INWEEKLY: The film is free, but donations are being accepted for Tom Davis.

How will the money be used to help him out?

SPENCER: My dad used to go visit Tom when he first had his accident. We started a surf contest to help Tom with bills a long time ago. He is an amazing person, and his passion for life is very influential to me.

He has ongoing medical bills, so if you can come out and donate and enjoy a free surf movie, why not?

INWEEKLY: You are recently married and expecting a child. Do you think your father would be proud of your accomplishments today?

SPENCER: I'm happy to be having a son and to carry on the name, and one day he can see his grandfather’s statue on Pensacola Beach. {in}

GOLD

WHAT: A surf movie premiere starring Sterling Spencer with Rob Machado WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox COST: Free, donations accepted for Tom Davis DETAILS: vinylmusichall.com

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calendar

Ears & Fingers

by Jason Leger

GIVERS “New Kingdom”

There are plenty of rules to the lives we live and the societies we make up.

One of which is that we all must grow up and mature in order to progress. Calling GIVERS’ 2011 album, “In Light,” immature would be wholly unfair. While the band’s vibe seemed to be centered around a delight in playing music and having fun while doing it, the group dwells in hypnotic rhythms and soaring harmonies, which take a technical prowess all their own.

The band’s latest offering, “New Kingdom,” delivers on the intricacies of their previous release but has a feel that is very grown up and reflective. Guitarist/vocalist Taylor Guarisco and vocalist/ percussionist Tiffany Lamson work off of one another both to make each other stand out and to make their vocals a very powerful instrument all its own. On my

THURSDAY 11.12

FOO FOO FEST Daily through Nov. 16.

Check the website for a list of events. foofoofest.com

FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL Daily through Nov. 15.

616 1

first couple of listens, I was drawn in with a sense of comfort. There is a familiarity that lives on this album to the extent that I could completely zone out, not focus on it, yet still take in the vibrant urgency of songs like ‘Remember’ and ‘Blinking,’ the back room dance rhythms of ‘Mother of Love,’ and the mellowed haze on album closer ‘Lightning.’

Ultimately, “New Kingdom” is a shift for GIVERS in a very mature direction. It shows a level of growth that many bands take three or more albums to accomplish and still leaves room for additional ambition. Considering the fact that the band got its start playing Cajun and Zydeco music, they have moved leaps and bounds from it, but their roots are still very visible in what they are writing. Their foundations are something they will always have.

The growth they are able to stem from it is something that is in their hands. So far for this young band, the future is still wide open. “New Kingdom” is out Nov. 13 via Glassnote.

TRACK OF THE WEEK:

Foxing ‘Magdalene’

Every now and then, a track will catch my ear based on sheer beauty. ‘The Magdalene” came to my attention last week and immediately gave me an interest in Foxing. The track shimmers gracefully and is given an eloquent edge by the drama of singer Conor Murphy. It brought

More than 200 songwriters will perform in and around Perdido Key and Pensacola during this year’s event. To see the full list of performers and events, visit www.fbisf. com

“A NEW ENGLAND THANKSGIVING” LUNCH CLASS 12-1:30 p.m. So Gourmet, above Boda-

to mind some of the regional acts I used to love to see come through Pensacola, like Dignan and Look Mexico. Upon further inspection, I feel that Foxing is a band well worth your time, if you like your indie rock from recovering post-rockers.

Check out the track on YouTube and grab their sophomore album “Dealers,” which is out now via Triple Crown Records.

IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD:

Cigarettes After Sex

Long burning, melancholic, hazy, and poignant, Brooklyn dream pop band Cigarettes After Sex can’t help but leave a lasting effect after one listen. I caught wind of them because of their cover of REO Speedwagon’s mega-hit, ‘Keep on Loving You,’ which went from a soft rock power ballad rager to a haunting, druggy lullaby and presented a solid introduction to a band with a limited, but infectious, catalog. Billed more as a collective than a band, Cigarettes After Sex is mostly the brainchild of Greg Gonzalez and his chilling whispers. Gonzalez released the Speedwagon cover as a b-side to a new track called ‘Affection’ last month. Hopefully, this is a sign of more new things on the horizon, as there is very little to dive into so far. Keep an eye out for more from Cigarettes After Sex, and pay what you want for ‘Affection’ over at the group’s Bandcamp page (cigarettesaftersex. bandcamp.com). {in}

cious Olive, 407-D South Palafox St. $45. sogourmetpensacola.com MARKET ON THE BEACH 4 p.m. Check out Pensacola Beach's new farmers market, held every Thursday from 4 p.m. until sunset. Casino Beach parking lot, 735 Pensacola Beach Blvd. facebook.com/MarketontheBeach/info

WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Try some-

thing new every week at Aragon Wine Market’s regular wine tasting, only a few blocks from downtown. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. 9th Ave. aragonwinemarket.com BALLROOM DANCING 6:30 p.m. Learn how to waltz, hustle, and tango at this weekly class, which is followed by a social dance at 8:45 p.m. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com STAMPED 7 p.m. An LGBT film fest featuring the films “Not Safe to Be Me” and “RSVP.” Treehouse Cinema, 1175 Gulf Breeze Pkwy. stampedfilmfest.com ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID 7:30 p.m. In this hilarious comedic romp, four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on the night of Senior Prom: to be in each other’s weddings…no matter what. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. $10-$17. pensacolalittletheatre.com GOLD 8 p.m. Starring Sterling Spencer and Rob Machado. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $20. vinylmusichall.com AUTHOR & PUNISHER 9:30 p.m. With Muscle & Marrow, (User Assumes Risk), Dedritic Arbor, and Transfer Case. Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. $10. pensacolahandlebar.com

FRIDAY 11.13

FOO FOO FEST Daily through Nov. 16.

Check the website for a list of events. foofoofest.com

FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL Daily through Nov. 15.

More than 200 songwriters will perform in and around Perdido Key and Pensacola during this year’s event. To see the full list of performers and events, visit www.fbisf. com BACK ON THE BLOCKS FESTIVAL Back on the Blocks is celebrating the rhythm and soul of the art and music of the historic Belmont DeVilliers neighborhood, The Blocks. For two days, the streets of this remarkable neighborhood will play host to performing, literary, and visual arts of the classic music of rhythm and blues, jazz, blues, funk, and ne-soul genres. Belmont DeVilliers Neighborhood, N DeVilliers Square.

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calendar as outstanding performances by soprano Sheila Murphy and tenor Antonio Giuliano, all conducted by Xiaolun Chen. First Methodist Church, 6 East Wright St. $18-$22. brownpapertickets.com SQUIRREL FIGHT 9:30 p.m. With Sloppy Dollars, Dynamite Pinata, and Johnny Panic. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. $6. pensacolahandlebar.com

SUNDAY 11.15

FOO FOO FEST Daily through Nov. 16.

Check the website for a list of events. foofoofest.com

FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL Daily through Nov. 15.

More than 200 songwriters will perform in and around Perdido Key and Pensacola during this year’s event. To see the full list of performers and events, visit www.fbisf. com 2015 SEVILLE QUARTER WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL 2 p.m. Handpicked wines and

Hip Abduction / Courtesy Photo HOLIDAYS 101 COOKING CLASS 12-1:30 p.m.

Learn great tips and techniques to get you through the busiest time of the year in the kitchen! Enjoy a lunch prepared by our own Chef Sue Shattuck. So Gourmet, above Bodacious Olive, 407-D South Palafox St. $35. sogourmetpensacola.com PICK A BOWL 5-8 p.m. Pensacola State College and Manna invite you to a fundraiser with an artsy twist. The event features a wide selection of hand-crafted bowls by local artists.

Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd.

Contact: joann@mannafoodpantries.org WINE TASTING 5-7 p.m. Out and about in East Hill on Friday night? Stop by City Grocery for their free weekly wine tasting before settling in or heading out for the night. City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave. LATIN DANCING 6:30 p.m. Learn the basics of salsa dancing. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID 7:30 p.m. In this hilarious comedic romp, four friends have sworn to keep the promise they on the night of Senior Prom: to be in each other’s weddings…no matter what. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. $10-$17. pensacolalittletheatre.com

SATURDAY 11.14

FOO FOO FEST Daily through Nov. 16. Check the website for a list of events. foofoofest.com

FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL Daily through Nov. 15. More than

200 songwriters will perform in and around Perdido Key and Pensacola during this year’s event. To see the full list of performers and events, visit www.fbisf.com BACK ON THE BLOCKS FESTIVAL Back on the Blocks is celebrating the rhythm and soul of the art and music of the historic Belmont DeVilliers neighborhood, The Blocks. For two days, the streets of this remarkable neighborhood will play host to performing, literary, and visual arts of the classic music of rhythm and blues, jazz, blues, funk, and ne-soul genres. Belmont DeVilliers Neighborhood, N DeVilliers Square.

November 12, 2015

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

Fresh local produce, honey, baked goods, and live music. Woodbine Road, Pace.

PALAFOX MARKET 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh produce, live plants, baked goods, fine art and antiques are just a few of the items offered at the weekly Palafox Market. Items originate directly from participating vendors, including dozens of local farmers, home gardeners and area artists. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, N. Palafox. palafoxmarket.com

“ATLANTIS, THE CAVE MYTH AND THE AFTERLIFE” 10:30 - Noon. In ancient Athens, the

Greek philosopher Plato sought to diminish the role of myth in favor of reason. Paradoxically, he presented a number of mythic stories in his Dialogues. Why? Come explore several myths from Plato’s Dialogues. Lecture and forum open to the public. West Florida Public Library meeting room “C,” 239 N. Spring St. Contact: mythos.sd@gmail.com PENSACOLA EGGFEST 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Teams can prepare any type of food they like, leading to a diverse selection of creative menus with something for everyone’s palate, from BBQ to Paella and smoked oysters. Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, 351 W. Cedar St. $25. pensacolaeggfest.com BEATS AND BBQ 12 p.m. Head down to Blend for the first ever Beats and BBQ. While you are eating your bbq, enjoy the bartender competition starting at 1 p.m., a DJ from 12-3 p.m., and Hip Abduction will be playing from 3-5 p.m.

Blend Lounge, 200 S. Palafox St. PENSACOLA CIVIC BAND 7:30 p.m. With special guest Harry Watters. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. $10. pensacolasaenger.com ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID 7:30 p.m. In this hilarious comedic romp, four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on the night of Senior Prom: to be in each other’s weddings… no matter what. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. $10-$17. pensacolalittletheatre. com SONGS WE’VE LOVED TO SING 7:30 p.m. As part of Pensacola’s second Foo Foo Fest, this concert—the first of The Choral Society of Pensacola’s 80th season, will feature some of their favorite choral pieces, as well

great food and music. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. $40-$45. sevillequarter. com ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID 2:30 p.m. In this hilarious comedic romp, four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on the night of Senior Prom: to be in each other’s weddings…no matter what. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. $10-$17. pensacolalittletheatre.com THE ‘FOO FOO’ THREE TENORS 3 p.m. Pensacola Opera will recreate the excitement and spectacle of the original Three Tenors featuring Arnold Rawls, Adam Diege, and David Portillo. Opera enthusiasts and pop music aficionados alike will enjoy the exhilarating program of selections from well-known opera, Broadway musicals and popular songs in a scale that has never before been presented on the Gulf Coast.

Pensacola Bayfront Stadium, 351 W Cedar St. pensacolaopera.com WHITECHAPEL 7 p.m. With Psycroptic, Culture Killer, and Raineys Revenge. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $16. vinylmusichall.com

MONDAY 11.16

FOO FOO FEST Daily through Nov. 16. Check

the website for a list of events. foofoofest.com

COUNTRY & WESTERN DANCING 6:30 p.m.

Learn the Country Two-step at this weekly class, which is followed by a social dance at 8 p.m. DanceCraft, 8618 Pensacola Blvd. $10. dancecraftfl.com

TUESDAY 11.17

TUESDAY NIGHT POETRY NIGHT 7 p.m. Free

open mic poetry event every Tuesday. Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant, 101 S. Jefferson St. facebook.com/TNPN CANDLEBOX ACOUSTIC 7 p.m. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. $15-$40. vinylmusichall.com NEGATIVE APPROACH 9 p.m. With Child Bite, Dicks From Mars, and Futurehate. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. $10. pensacolahandlebar.com 17

calendar arts & culture

≥Exhibits

ISAAC BURNS MURPHY: PRINCE OF JOCKEYS The

African American Heritage Society will host a traveling exhibit about the life of Isaac Burns Murphy: Prince of Jockeys. Born during slavery and coming to prominence at the end of the Reconstruction, Murphy was an example of African American success and achievement. The exhibit explores the life and career of Murphy, as well as the significance of African American men in general to the development of horse racing as America’s first spectator sport.

On display until Dec. 15. Museum hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Coulson

House, Historic Pensacola Village, 200 E. Church St.

JUST ABOVE THE WATER Presented by the

UWF Historic Trust this traveling exhibit from the Museum of Florida History features the works and lives of 35 Florida Folk Artistst. On display Nov. 5-7 and Nov. 10-14. Museum hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Center, 119 E. Government St. foofoofest.com MUCHA: MASTER ARTIST OF ART NOUVEAU On display

from Oct. 23 through Jan. 2. Museum hours and location: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum. org

MY BEAUTIFUL CITY

In a photo exhibit by area students, as

well as students from Pensacola’s sister cities including Gero, Japan; Macharaviaya, Spain, and Miraflores Peru, student photographers discover the beauty in their communities.

On display through Dec. 4. Museum hours and location: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox. artelgallery. org

STRINGS AND THINGS The Strings

& Things, Sealing Wax & Other Fancy Stuff is a group of fiber, animal, and mineral artists who have joined together to have a positively good time. .

On display from Oct. 15 through Nov. 16.

Museum hours and location: MondaySaturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m.

Quayside Art Gal-

Wine It Up

If variety is the spice of life, then Seville Quarter’s 5th Annual Wine and Food Festival will certainly be lively.

This year, festival attendees will be able to sample more than 200 handpicked wines from around the world poured by 10 local distributors.

The centerpiece of the event will be a Champagne and Oyster Bar in the End o’ the Alley courtyard. All wines will be available to purchase at special festival pricing, and admission includes a $5 coupon toward a purchase.

The selection of wines and The culinary portion of spirits available for tasting include this year’s festival includes the vendors Next Level Barbeque, samplings from local restauTaste of Tuscany, Tribeca Bread rants Crabs, Frank and Lola Love Pensacola Cafe at Mar- and Artisan Cheeses and Small Batch Bourbons. To round out garitaville, George Artisan the festival, there will be handBakery & Bistro, Jaco's Baycrafted microbrew beers, Small front Bar & Grille, Mike D's Batch Bourbon samplings and live Culinary Productions and music provided by Frank Brown's The Butcher Shoppe serving Songwriter's Festival.

Harris Ranch Natural Beef.

“It will be a unique experience Seville Quarter Gento sample and learn about wine,” eral Manager Jack Williams Seville Quarter‘s Bill Carson said. said that the wines will be “The addition of the local culinary paired to best complement the talent will make this a top-notch dishes. For example, reds will be wine festival.” {in} paired with beef from The Butcher Shoppe and sparkling whites paired with oysters.

“We will also have a Tap Handle WHEN: 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15 Takeover in End o’ the WHERE: Seville Quarter, 130 E. Alley with Lagunitas Government and St. Arnold and 12 COST: $40 advance, $45 day of festival specialty bourbons in DETAILS: sevillequarter.com Lili Marlene’s,” Williams said.

5TH ANNUAL SEVILLE QUARTER WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

WUWF PUBLIC MEDIA

Selected Shorts presents some of the best-loved selections of classic and contemporary short fiction, read by acclaimed screen and theater actors and recorded live at Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City.

Let us tell you a story

SUNDAYS

5-6 PM on WUWF 88.1FM or wuwf.org.

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Learn more and find the full list of WUWF programs at wuwf.org/ programs.

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NOVEMBER 20 DOWNTOWN PENSACOLA Sponsored by:

www.radiofreepensacola.com

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calendar lery, 17 E. Zaragossa. quaysidegallery.com

VISIONS: THROUGH PAINTINGS, POETRY, AND PROSE An

exhibition by artist Margaret Biggs that celebrates and explores Gulf Coast inspired landscapes, seascapes, still life, and holistic pieces within a stylized manner, which borders between the elements of abstraction and realism. On display through Nov. 14.

Museum hours and location: TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. pensacolamuseum.org

Classes & Workshops

“MAKE-YOUR-OWNGLASS” CLASS

10a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, November 13 and Saturday November

14. Held weekly on Friday and Saturday, First City Art Center offers weekly “Make-Your-OwnGlass” classes, no previous glassblowing skills necessary.

The classes are open to anyone age 8 and older and range in price from $25-$45.

Pre-registration and pre-payment are required and can be made by calling 429-1222. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY ON THE WHEEL 6-8:30

p.m. Monday, November 16.

During this weekly workshop held on Monday evenings at First City Art Center, instructor

Pearl VanHoove works individually with students to develop consistency in throwing on the wheel.

Participants receive an introduction to materials, equipment and throwing techniques. Each session begins with a brief demonstration followed by hands-on time at the wheel. The class is $40 and open to individuals age 14 and up.

Pre-registration and pre-payment are required and can be made by calling 429-1222. Class is limited to two participants. First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St. firstcityart.org

for more listings visit inweekly.net

“Foo Foo Fly” – A Very Photogenic Art Installation / Photo courtesy of Evan Levin Designed and painted by artists Evan Levin and Ashton Howard. On display 24 hours a day during Foo Foo Fest, directly outside of Seville Tower (near the intersection of S. Palafox and Government St.)

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a&e

by Jennifer Leigh

‘Tis the season for giving…and subjecting your pets to cute photo ops.

It’s never too early to start preparing for the holidays.

This Saturday, sweet adoptable pets from Amazing Grace Bully Rescue, Southbark Animal Rescue, Pensacola Humane Society, Flori-Bama Chihuahua Rescue and Phoenix Rising Rescue will have lovable, adoptable pets taking over Duh for Garden & Home.

Bring in donations from the wish lists, choose a dog or cat from the Fur Angel Tree and get a head start on making the holidays a little brighter.

“Most of the rescues in our area operate completely on donations and the love of the volunteers that dedicate their time to running the facilities,” said Jim Rigsbee and Quinn Stinson, owners of Duh. “We have their wish lists posted on our Facebook page and would encourage anyone who can to bring an item, even a jar of peanut butter, a pack of batteries, or old beach towels can help.”

Rigsbee and Stinson said the store has always been a “pet friendly” shop. Customers are encouraged to bring their pups in all year round.

“We love animals, on any given day you can walk into our store and be greeted by Coco

222 2

Pet Friendly Photo Op Belle and Captain our labs and generally catch Mama Kitty and Stevie Nicks napping on one of the couches our patrolling the garden,” they said.

Bring your pet to Duh this Saturday for complimentary Christmas photos after you drop off donations. Each person will receiev a complimentary holiday photograph.

“We are still in the process of the set/ backdrop design but as of now I can tell you it includes an antique Swedish Sleigh,” said Rigsbee and Stinson. “We will have a variety of holiday photo props, but feel free to bring any of your own furry fashion accessories.”

Incorporate the photos into a personalized present or use them for your own holiday cards. You can also purchase doggie goods at The Spotted Dog located inside Duh. {in}

WISH LIST

Help support local rescues by bringing in items from this wish list.

FOR THE DOGS Purina Dog Chow (green bag) Purina ONE Healthy Puppy (red bag) Canned Pedigree (adult and puppy) Purina Smart Blends & Diamond Natural (chicken and rice)

4 Health Puppy Food Canned Alpo (chopped) Treats of all kinds Kong toys Purina Little Bites (yellow bag) Harnesses (size medium and large) Heavy leashes Rope slip leads Martingale collars

FOR THE CATS KMR kitten weaning formula (powdered) Purina Kitten Chow Purina Cat Chow Canned Fancy Feast (no fishy flavors) Carpeted scratching posts Corrugated cardboard scratching pads FOR THE HUMANS Postage stamps #I0 security left window envelopes Paper towels Laundry detergent Pine Sol Bleach Fabuloso 30 gallon garbage bags Rubbermaid professional plus mop heads Lowe’s, Home Depot or Pet Smart gift cards

FOR THE CLINICS Paper towels Newspaper 50 gallon trash bags Wire crates Pill pockets Used prescription bottles Sheets Towels Linens Pee pads Small and medium throw blankets Laundry detergent Liquid hand soap Disinfectant wipes Hand sanitizer Copy paper Stamps AA lithium batteries

HOLIDAY PET PHOTOS AT DUH

WHEN: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 WHERE: Duh for Garden and Home, 501 9th Ave. COST: Donation DETAILS: facebook.com/duhpensacola

inweekly.net

news of the weird BARNYARD THEATER HE MISSED "JUDGMENT" CLASS IN BASIC TRAINING Fort Bragg, North Carolina, declared an emergency on Oct. 30 when one of its soldiers had the bright idea to arrive for a Halloween party on base dressed as a suicide bomber, with realistic-looking canisters in a wired vest. Gates to the post (headquarters of Army special forces and airborne troops) immediately went into extended lockdown, and a bomb-disposal team was called. The soldier's name was not released.

POLICE REPORT "Police Squad!" Lives On: (1) Hugo Castro, 28, wanted for questioning in October in San Jose, California, after his girlfriend was stabbed to death, helpfully presented himself at county jail. The sheriff's deputy listened—and then suggested Castro go find a San Jose police officer. (Castro did, and the deputy was subsequently reassigned.)

(2) New Hampshire state police laid down spiked "stop sticks" in November to slow down a fleeing Joshua Buzza, 37, near Greenland, New Hampshire. Buzza was apprehended, but not before he managed to avoid the sticks while goading the drivers of three squad cars over them (flattening several tires).

GREAT ART! Recent Architectural Triumphs: (1) A 33-year-old Frenchman erected a stone table with benches over his mother's grave marker, so that he and friends could enjoy munchies and wine as he "talked" to her. (2) For the annual German Ruhrtriennale Festival in September, Atelier Van Lieshout created a temporary hotel structure that appeared from the street (even to the non-aroused) to be a couple having "doggy style" sex (to make a statement, a reviewer said, about "the power of humanity over the natural world"). (3) A homeowners' association in Winter Haven, Florida, petitioned Steven Chayt to remove the 24-by-12-foot chair he had built in his backyard as an art project—especially because of the hole in the seat—making it, said one neighbor, "essentially a toilet."

FINER POINTS OF THE LAW Daniel Darrington was spared a murder conviction in October even after admitting intentionally shooting Rocky Matskassy at point-blank range to "relieve his suffering." The Melbourne, Australia, jury decided that Matskassy, in pain from an earlier accidental shooting, was indeed already dead when Darrington shot him. However, under the law of the state of Victoria, it is still "attempted murder" because Darrington believed that Matskassy was still alive when he pulled the trigger.

LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS Dealt a Lemon, Make Lemonade: Puerto Rico's murder/voluntary manslaughter rate is four times higher than that in the 50 states, creating a "pool of (organ) donors in the 18-to-30 age range unmatched in the mainland," according to an October Reuters report. Government

by Chuck Shepherd

officials hope creating a thriving transplant industry will bring Puerto Rico out of its economic doldrums by encouraging economyconscious patients to spend money on hotels, transportation and food during their stay.

UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT A Liberty, Missouri, sheriff's deputy politely declined to identify the local man who created the sound of rapid gunfire on Oct. 13 when a "controlled" garbage burn escalated. The man decided to try extinguishing the fire by driving back and forth over it in his van, but the tires caught fire, and in addition to the van's having a gas tank, it also carried an undisclosed amount of firearms ammunition. The van was a total loss, but the sheriff's department said it doubted there would be an insurance claim filed.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL Recurring Theme: In October, Rezwan Hussain, 29, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the illegal drugs enterprise he ran from his mother's basement in Rochdale, England.

He had apparently avoided detection until March, when the Greater Manchester police arrived to question his brother. Hussain said his brother wasn't home, and they left, but a frightened Hussain ran upstairs and began tossing 500 pounds of drugs out the window in preparation for his getaway. However, police had not yet driven away, and the first bag of a nearly $5 million stash happened to land right beside their car.

UPDATE Members of the New Orleans Vampire Association are not, of course, like Dracula or those "Twilight" characters, but rather people who are convinced that consuming other people's blood prevents illness or provides energy—and thus seek "donors" to sit for regular or occasional slicings or pin pricks for friendship, or money or sex.

Though some members have gone full-gothic in dress and lifestyle (as described in an October Washington Post report), an academic researcher studying the community has concluded that the vampires generally exhibit no signs of mental illness.

READERS' CHOICE Another human was shot by his dog—this time in October in Kosciusko County, Indiana. Allie Carter's pooch had wandered over to Carter's shotgun on the ground and stepped on it, firing one round into Carter's left foot. (Bonus: Carter's dog's name is Trigger.) The next day, a Washington Post reporter, searching news archives, found 12 more "dog shoots human" stories reported just since 2004 (all but two from the gun-intensive United States). {in}

From Universal Press Syndicate Chuck Shepherd’s News Of The Weird © 2015 Chuck Shepherd

Send your weird news to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to newsoftheweird.com November 12, 2015

23

THANKSGIVING AT OUR HOUSE O P E N T H A N K S G I V I N G D AY S E R V I N G T R A D I T I O N A L T U R K E Y D I N N E R T O G R I T S À YA YA !

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OPEN DAILY AT 11 A.M. · (850) 470-0003 · 600 SOUTH BARRACKS ST. · DOWNTOWN ON THE WATER · FISHHOUSEPENSACOLA.COM

Independent News | November 12, 2015 | inweekly.net