Inweekly Nov. 23 2023 Issue

Independent News |November 23, 2023 | Volume 24 | Number 46

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winners & losers

outtakes

4

5

news 6, 7

You can't discount the capacity a compelling story has.

buzz

feature story

8

12

publisher Rick Outzen

graphic designer Kellie Coatney

editor & creative director Joani Delezen

contributing writers Joshua Encinias, Savannah Evanoff, Jennifer Leigh, Hunter Morrison, Dakota Parks, C.S. Satterwhite, Tom St. Myer

contact us info@inweekly.net

happenings 14

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. © 2023 Inweekly Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

I’m not 99% of lawyers

There are 1,400 lawyers in our area* and less than 1% are Board Certified in Civil Trial Practice* by both the Florida Bar and the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

zarzaurlaw.com • (855)hirejoe • pensacola, fl *Board Certification by the Florida Bar Association and the National Board Of Trial Advocacy.

Statistical information current as of November 2021.

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inweekly.net

November 23, 2023

3

winners & losers We are a family owned and operated Saucery, born on the Gulf Coast, producing small batch craft sauces in Pensacola, FL.

Hunter Morris / Photo Courtesy of International Paper

winners

HUNTER MORRIS International Paper an-

December Palafox Market Dates 12/02/23, 12/16/23 & 12/23/23 Retail Locations can be found on social media @Sealeysauceco

nounced Hunter Morris has been named Mill Manager of International Paper's Pensacola Containerboard Mill in Cantonment. Morris assumes overall responsibility for safety, people engagement, commercial and operational excellence and community stewardship at the Pensacola Mill. He comes here from the company's Savannah, Georgia, Mill, where he served as the operations manager. Morris joined International Paper in 2007 at the company's mill in Riegelwood, North Carolina. He has worked in several manufacturing and technical leadership roles, increasing in responsibility throughout his career with the company.

TRAVIS GILL The owner of DeLuna Oyster Co. lost his life savings when barges owned by Skanska USA broke loose from their moorings during Hurricane Sally and destroyed his oyster beds in Escambia Bay. Last week, a jury found Skanska had to compensate Gill for $445,016 in property damages and $1,244,761 in lost revenue for 2020 and 2021.

TY JONES The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners recognized Ty Jones, toll specialist at the Bob Sikes Toll Plaza in the Transportation and Traffic Operations division of the Engineering department, as the November 2023 Employee of the Month. Jones joined Escambia County full time after completing the Summer Youth Employment Program in 2022. He was recently promoted to toll specialist after serving as the lead toll technician since February 2023. He is responsible for the daily operations of the Bob Sikes Toll Plaza on Pensacola Beach, overseeing supervisory, administrative, customer service and maintenance functions.

BEN HEISTEIN The City of Pensacola selected Ben Heistein as its Parks and Recreation Director, responsible for spearheading the vision and development of the Parks and Recreation Department, ensuring high-quality recreational services for the Pensacola community. Heistein recently served as Parks Superintendent for the City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, where he was responsible for the daily operations of 200 parks and 91 miles of trails, managed 160 employees and administered a budget of more than $38 million.

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losers

WEST FLORIDA HIGH HIRING The fac-

ulty lounge at Escambia County's top high school has had more arrests than many neighborhoods. In May, social studies teacher Jerrod Novotny was arrested for aggravated assault after he allegedly pointed a firearm at his wife in the middle of the night after showing up drunk at a high school track meet. In July, ECSO deputies booked P.E. teacher Michael Taylor for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic battery by strangulation and a misdemeanor count of battery and cyberstalking when he allegedly attacked his partner after she was speaking with another man on the phone. This month, English teacher Cody Wiggins was arrested in Tennessee for attempted homicide after he allegedly shot his wife and brother-in-law during a wedding.

That's a lot of domestic violence for any workplace, especially a public high school.

URBAN DEVELOPMENT CENTER Escam-

bia Children's Trust gave the nonprofit a grant of $397,556 for its YouthFirst Century program that would develop a workforce development center in Century for youth ages 11-18. The center would provide workforce readiness and preparedness training and work-based experience, such as internships and apprenticeships, as well as life skills and technology training for 250 youth. According to the Trust's SAMIS system, Urban Development Center has spent $189,256 on 56 kids, the majority younger than 11. The nonprofit wants to lower the age limit to 5, tapping the underutilized workforce of kindergartners, we suppose.

FLORIDA PRISON SYSTEM According to a new report, the Florida Legislature needs to budget a minimum of $2.2 billion on repairs, retrofits and staffing to address immediate needs in the state prison system. State lawmakers hired KPMG to develop a 20-year plan for the state corrections system. The consultant found that a third of the state's correctional facilities were in critical or poor condition. Aging infrastructure, a projected increase in the number of prisoners and persistent problems with staff vacancies and turnover pose "security and safety risks" for employees and inmates. inweekly.net

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

AHEAD OF HIS TIME Mike Hill must kick himself for being elected to the Florida House too soon. Many of the controversial bills he proposed would have passed easily in the Ron DeSantis era. Heck, Hill could have been the Speaker of the House for his "forward-thinking" legislation.

Rep. Dean Black of Jacksonville has filed HB 395 to protect monuments honoring soldiers, including those who fought for the Confederate States of America against the federal government. The bill proposes state "protection of historical monuments and memorials" and authorizes "all actions to protect and preserve all historical monuments and memorials from removal, damage, or destruction." The state would have enforcement powers against local officials who subverted the legislative will.

In 2020, State Rep. Hill put a video on Facebook defending the Confederate monument in downtown Pensacola. He said, "I'm here to stand in defense of this Confederate Monument. Those radicals on the left, like Antifa and Black Lives Matter, have demonstrated that all they want to do is destroy, divide and destruct.

True American patriots want to build on the success of this nation."

Hill proposed HB 31 to prohibit Confederate monuments from ever being removed. The bill died in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee. Similar legislation he proposed in 2019 also was killed in the subcommittee.

In 2019, Hill proposed a bill aimed at banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat was detected.

The fetal heartbeat is usually detected when a woman is around six weeks pregnant. Women typically discover within four to seven weeks they are pregnant, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Under Hill's bill, any person who provided an abortion after a heartbeat was detected could be charged with a third-degree felony. The bill, HB 235, was considered the most extreme anti-abortion bill ever filed in the country.

Since then, 11 states have proposed bills for six-week abortion bans, and such "heartbeat" bills have passed in Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina and Texas. This past April, Gov. DeSantis signed SB 300, the Heartbeat Protection Act, which prohibits abortions once the unborn child has a detectible heartbeat.

November 23, 2023

Hill proposed his heartbeat bill four years too soon. If only DeSantis was running for president in 2019, Hill would have been hailed as a pioneer lawmaker.

The state lawmaker got in trouble with House leadership when he laughed at a Women for Responsible Legislation forum when an audience member claimed that New Testament penalties for homosexuality included the death penalty. When another attendee asked if he would introduce such legislation. Hill replied, "I wonder how that would go over?"

The exchange we broke on ricksblog.biz drew statewide condemnation. Hill was removed from the House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee for his comments.

While no one has ever proposed a bill making homosexuality a crime, the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature has passed laws banning drag shows, school library books mentioning LGBTQ issues and any diversity, equity and inclusion departments on college campuses. Hill was antiwoke before DeSantis made it cool and the foundation of his presidential campaign.

Speaking of presidential campaigns, Hill was pro-Trump long before DeSantis begged for the former president's support in the 2018 governor's race. Hill won his House seat in 2018 after standing before Pensacola's Confederate monument and with a cheap replica of Trump's Walk of Fame Star.

"As you can see, Pensacola, I have the Trump star," Hill said in the campaign video.

"We're bringing it here to Pensacola. We're going to lay it here. Trump's an awesome president, and we're going to show our support and respect for our president."

Of course, the lawmaker never installed a Trump star in Pensacola.

Hill's love of Trump fits with the sentiments among registered voters today, according to Florida Atlantic University's recent poll.

The survey found 49% of Florida voters would vote in favor of former U.S. President Donald Trump, compared to 39% for President Joe Biden. Floridians overwhelmingly support Trump over DeSantis for the Republican presidential nomination, 61%-20%.

Yes, Mike Hill was ahead of his time. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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CITY GAME-CHANGERS and the final 10 as an administrator. He juggled writing and managing grants. His role for the City allows him to focus solely on the writing aspect. He is essentially a versatile storyteller disguised as a senior grants writer.

"You can't discount the capacity a compelling story has," Hollon said. "They don't all want the same format. They don't give you the same space to make your case. I've had times where I've written out proposals in Microsoft Word, then I go to paste the copy into the application only to find there's a 250-word count or 500word count. Then you're playing the role of a lyricist or poet and taking this essay and turning it into a haiku."

"Then you're playing the role of a lyricist or poet and taking this essay and turning it into a haiku."

Joel Hollon

City Hall / Photo by Tim Bednarczyk

By Tom St. Myer The City of Pensacola has procured grants at a precipitous rate in the nine months since establishing a grants office.

Mayor D.C. Reeves created the office with his eyes on unprecedented funding available for municipalities to fill their coffers through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law includes $1.2 trillion in spending for broadband access, clean water, electric grid, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, hazardous materials and Department of Transportation rail programs.

Reeves is determined to ensure the City grabs its share from that pot of gold and any others available. The City is counting on Senior Grant Writer Joel Hollon and Special Projects Coordinator Kevin Boyer to lead that effort. The results since their arrival speak for themselves, with 10 of the grants totaling between $1 million and $25.1 million.

TEAMWORK

Hollon said teamwork is vitally important for a municipality to procure and then properly manage grants. He and Boyer function as an in-sync unit, putting the City in position to succeed.

"We can springboard ideas off each other," Hollon said. "I rely on him heavily for procurement ideas, and when it gets more to the compliance side, he'll come and chat with me."

Boyer said the procurement of six community development block grants (CDBGs), totaling in excess of $55 million, stand out to him as their proudest accomplishment since coming on board nine months ago.

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The CDBGs include $25 million for redevelopment and storm resiliency of Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park. Reeves prioritized the grant through the Hurricane Sally Infrastructure Repair Program to improve water quality, stormwater attenuation, create recreational opportunities and display public art that honors the cultural heritage of the neighborhood.

A primarily Black neighborhood displaced by construction of Interstate-110, the Hollice T. Williams area used to be bustling with residences, schools, churches, restaurants and other commercial properties. Famous Pensacolians such as Williams, John Sunday, Chappie James Jr. and Cecil T. Hunter once called the neighborhood home.

Historically significant structures bearing their names in the neighborhood include the John Sunday House, Chappie James Museum of Pensacola and Dr. John Lee Pickens Medical Office.

"This is a neighborhood that deserves attention." D.C. Reeves Today, the 1.3-mile highway underpass, ranging from Maxwell to Wright Street, is prone to flooding and consists of dozens of blighted properties. About 20% of the population is without a high school diploma or vehicle, and the median household income of about $35,000 is nearly $25,000 below the median for Pensacola.

"This is a longstanding minority neighborhood in which some of the most important people in our community were born and were raised," Reeves said. "This is a neighborhood that deserves attention."

Other notable CDBGs procured by the City

include $9.1 million for redevelopment and storm resiliency of Port of Pensacola, $5.86 million for a housing repair and replacement program and $5.5 million for redevelopment and storm resiliency of Fricker Center.

Boyer said the $8.5 million from Triumph Gulf Coast for the American Magic sailing program comes in a close second on his proudest accomplishments. Reeves credited collaboration between the grants office and economic development office for procuring the Triumph grant.

Reeves established both offices early in his tenure.

The $8.5 million in Triumph money will be used to complete a warehouse for pickleball at the Port of Pensacola, plus a 50-foot addition and design and construction of a dock and boat ramp. The facility will become the headquarters of American Magic. The project seeks to establish the port and Florida as a premier location for cutting-edge watercraft/boat-building innovation on a global scale.

A few of the economic benefits from the project include the creation of 170 jobs at aboveaverage wages, attraction of supporting companies and technology, partnerships with university researchers, an opportunity to grow human performance innovation, potential successful bids for major events including regattas and youth sailing events and new external dollars coming into the region.

The City is in line to potentially procure sizable grants in the near future, too. Hollon said he is waiting to hear back on $40 million in proposed grants.

THE GRANT TEAM

Hollon spent 24 years with the school district, seven of those as a middle school teacher

Grants require the City follow strict requirements and that is where Boyer comes into the picture. His responsibilities include reviewing grant contracting, taking the contract to the City Council for execution, working with departments on project implementation and tracking the funding. He essentially takes grants from notice of award to execution.

"We have a running joke around here," Boyer said. "Joel is the dream giver for the City.

He's forming ideas and making the ask. I'm the dream killer because I get the contract and then I have the task of bringing all to the table to tell them, 'Here's the reality of what we can do with the grant.'"

Boyer previously served as the executive grants assistant for the City of Milton. His responsibilities included grant writing, research and management. For the City of Pensacola, he manages 33 active accounts. He estimates he inherited 45-60% of the active grants.

The City actively sought and procured grants before the establishment of the grants office by relying on subject matter experts to write the proposals. Hollon primarily writes the proposals now, but the task still sometimes falls on the shoulders of experts in subject matters such as construction and engineering. This is common practice. Hollon noted the City of Orlando technically employs three grant professionals, but in actuality, more than a dozen employees either write or manage grants.

Hollon said ideally Pensacola will add another grant writer and manager, so the workload remains balanced. He said the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is motivating municipalities nationwide to expand their staffs. He sees the profession continuing to grow and potentially becoming a higher education study discipline.

"To my knowledge, there's not a four-year bachelor degree you can get in grant writing or grant management for that matter," Hollon said. "It's definitely a need in our current economic environment." {in} inweekly.net

OUT OF THE ASHES

Nikki Fried / Courtesy Photo

By Rick Outzen Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republicans kicked the Florida Democratic Party's butt last year. Charlie Crist and Val Demings failed to excite voters. Democrats failed to turn out to vote in November 2022, giving Republicans control of the governor's office and a super-majority in the Florida Legislature.

Out of the ashes, Nikki Fried, the former Florida Agriculture Commissioner, stepped in as chairman of the Florida Democratic Party and has begun the rebuilding process. Last week, she visited Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as the final leg of the party's Take Back Florida Tour.

Fried sat down with Inweekly to discuss the current state of the Florida Democratic Party and how the national party and the Biden presidential campaign view the state as we head into the 2024 elections.

"November 2022 was a complete collapse of the Democratic Party," Fried said. "Everything from infrastructure to voter registration to engagement to turnout—you name it—we had a problem."

She approached chairmanship as if she was starting a company from scratch. She said, "We have spent the better part of the last nine months going back to the basics. What are the things that need to be here in order for us to be successful? That means going back to year-round organizing, knocking on doors, engagement with the constituents—all year round and not just a couple months before the election—and doing voter registration."

Fried added, "For too many election cycles, we have shopped out voter registration to third-party groups who have done a great job getting an increase of non-party affiliates registered to vote, but not the persuasive conversation."

She said the new energy has an immediate impact. Fried cited Donna Deegan winning Jacksonville's mayoral race, making the former news anchor only the second Democrat to win the job in the past three decades.

"The win in Jacksonville was a tremendous jolt to the system and showed what is possible when Democrats do the work on the ground," Fried said. "Over 2,200 volunteers have come out to our Take Back Florida events. We sold out our convention two weeks ago."

She continued, "And now, we are moving into the phase of continuing to recruit candidates, bringing in resources across the state and across the country, and making sure that we are competing in all parts of the state, not just the blue counties."

SOUTH FLORIDA STRATEGY

In the past three election cycles, Democrats have failed to vote in substantial numbers for their party's candidates in statewide races. What is Fried doing to reverse that trend?

"South Florida has been taken for granted that they are blue counties," Fried admitted. "What we have done is truly reinvest back into those coun-

ties. That means making sure that we've got the right people in leadership positions. We have come in and resolved a lot of the internal conflicts and made sure there's a strategy. So often when you've got such big counties like Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, it becomes overwhelming if you aren't organized and strategic."

The party wants to ensure Democratic voters who have voted by mail notify their election supervisors they want to continue to do so. She said, "Democrats have a three-to-one ratio advantage when it comes to those mail-in ballots.

We must get organized for vote-by-mail now and not right before an election."

Fried pointed out that the groundwork in South Florida must be done in this off-year.

"That's where we have spent a lot of time, resources, our brain trust in South Florida, making sure that those three counties, which are still blue, focus on voter registration in those three counties. They're still solidly in the blue counties but did not perform that way in November 2022."

IS FLORIDA IN PLAY?

According to Fried, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has not given up on Florida.

DNC leaders came to the state to respond to the third GOP Presidential Debate earlier this month.

"The past week, we had the chairman of the DNC, Jaime Harrison, here for two days. We had the chair of the Biden Victory Campaign here for three days," Fried said. "Every conversation that we have had—not just here in Florida, but as we've gone on to national conferences and conventions—they continue to say that Florida is in play because of multiple avenues."

The DNC and Biden Victory Campaign like how Fried is reorganizing the Florida Democratic Party. She listed the "multiple avenues."

"This is the first time in probably 30 years that they have seen such an active chair of the Democratic Party, where we are aggressive in the media and our positions and not being silent," she said.

"We are recruiting candidates; we're putting in the work and we're doing the year-round organizing.

They see the work here. You can't invest in a state, and you can't invest in winning elections if you don't have the foundation built."

The chaos among Republicans also gives Democrats hope in winning back the state over the next few elections.

"The DNC and Biden Victory Campaign are seeing the implosions of the Republican Party when you've got chaos happening in Washington D.C., led by your own congressman right here and who continues to create the chaos," Fried said. "Then you have here in the state, a complete civil war between the DeSantis and the Trump camps."

She continued, "And on top of it, Florida has always been a libertarian state. You want to spend the weekends on 30A; no one bothers you. You want to go down to Key West and hang out on Duval Street; that's your people. If you want to move to The Villages or Pinecrest in Miami, you are left alone. And what this Republican (DeSantis) has done is taken this state and moved it into such an extreme direction that it's going to have a backlash."

Fried cited the polling data showing 75% of Floridians did not want a six-week abortion ban, and 71% did not want permit-less, open carry.

Still, such laws on abortion and guns were passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature and signed by Gov. DeSantis.

"We have an insurance catastrophe, and now I'm seeing stories about the increase of all of our auto policies, and now they want to blame it on another problem, the auto repair people," she said, "At the end of the day, it's just the insurance companies wanting to be greedy and have more money, and the Republican Party has literally handed it to them at the expense of the people on the ground."

The DNC also thinks U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is vulnerable in 2024. Fried said, "Rick Scott is literally the most unpopular U.S. senator in the entire country. He has wanted to strip Social Security and Medicare in a state where our population is significantly more mature than other parts of the country. This is an opportunity to pick up a Senate seat and to take out Rick Scott."

She added, "All those moving pieces of the puzzle make the DNC want to invest heavily in Florida." {in}

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Foo Foo Fest past and present committee members and grant recipients / Courtesy Photo

KUDOS TO FOO In celebration of the 10th an-

niversary of Foo Foo Fest, the event's inaugural Committee members and grant recipients from 2014 recently gathered with the 2023 Committee and grant recipients to honor a decade of arts, culture and entertainment in Pensacola by recreating the original 2014 class picture featuring ACE Board members, Foo Foo Fest Committee members, grant recipient organizations and vendor partners.

Foo Foo Fest founder David Bear said. "It was the best year ever. I mean, that team is just so unbelievable. The board, the marketing folks, the curator, really everything. The organizations who did the programs just knocked it out of the park. They were just all great partners, and I couldn't be more proud."

Since the event's inception, Foo Foo Fest has become an annual staple, welcoming thousands of travelers year after year to the destination to experience Pensacola's impressive artful offerings. In 2023, Foo Foo Fest awarded nearly

$500,000 in funding to 16 grant recipients—the highest number of grant recipients ever awarded.

The 2014 Committee members included David Bear (founder/chair), Lois Benson, Jane Birdwell (curator), Maria Goldberg, Melissa Hackel, Steve Hayes, Dr. Brendan Kelly and Ajit Patel.

The 2014 grant recipients included Ballet Pensacola, First City Art Center, Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida, Jazz Society of Pensacola, Pensacola Children's Chorus, Pensacola Little Theatre, Pensacola Museum of Art, Pensacola Opera, Pensacola Sports Association, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Pensacon, Truth for Youth and UWF Historic Trust.

The 2023 Committee members include Therese Felth McKenzie (chair), Maria Goldberg (past chair), Nicole Stacey (curator), Joani Delezen (advertising and marketing liaison), Robbie Schrock (public relations liaison), Warren Sonnen (compliance) and Trang Taylor (compliance).

The 2023 grant recipients included 309 Punk Project, Dixon School of Arts & Sciences, Fiesta Pensacola, First City Art Center, Legal Services of North Florida, Night Moves Inc., PenArts, Pensacola Children's Chorus, Pensacola Civic Band, Pensacola Little Theatre, Pensacola Opera, Pensacola State College, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Veterans Memorial Park, and University of West Florida Historic Trust.

"We have such a great committee. A lot of work goes into it, but when you're having so much fun, it doesn't necessarily always feel like work," said Foo Foo Fest chair Therese Felth McKenzie. "A big thank you goes out to all our wonderful grant recipients because Foo Foo Fest would not be possible if we didn't have these creative and inspiring arts organizations in our community that continue to come back year after year and just literally blow my mind with new ideas for events."

Foo Foo Fest concluded Monday, Nov. 13, and will return next November. For more information, visit foofoofest.com.

BEULAH MASTER PLAN Escambia County District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh, county staff and Sigma Consulting invite the public to the Beulah Master Plan Design Charette on Tuesday, Dec. 5, and Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Beulah Senior Citizens Center, 7425 Woodside Road. One or more Escambia County Commissioners may be in attendance.

"Folks can walk through, look at the pictures, and then there'll be a presentation at 6 (p.m.).

That's when Sigma and the county planning staff are going to kick it off and start taking the input," said Commissioner Bergosh. "We're going to lay out the schedule of charettes. This is an exciting development for Beulah. What you see with the

Navy Federal campus and the multi-use park is just the tip of the iceberg of what we can do with Beulah overall if the citizens get engaged, and I believe that they will."

The two-day charrette will allow county staff and Sigma Consulting to further engage with citizens and learn more about planning for Beulah. From 6-8 p.m. Dec. 5, Sigma Consulting will hold a short presentation followed by activities designed to provide Sigma with residents' preferences for design improvements to the Beulah Master Plan. From 1-5 p.m. Dec. 6, Sigma will use an open design studio format to quantify and consolidate data collected from the previous day.

A presentation will follow the open design studio from 6-7 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Treasury grant funds the Beulah Master Plan under the RESTORE Act program.

SKANSKA LOSES Travis Gill, the owner of the

DeLuna Oyster Co., yesterday was awarded just more than $1,689,000 in a civil trial against Skanska USA. Gills's attorneys, Jeff Gill of Vernis & Bowling and Brian Barr of Levin Papantonio Rafferty, successfully argued two Skanska barges were not properly secured to withstand Hurricane Sally and destroyed his oyster beds.

The legal victory was significant since it was the first civil trial after the federal court found Skanska USA negligent, Barr said. The trial was also the first one where a jury assessed damages.

"This lets Skanska know that the people in this community are not going to let Skanska try and be the big bully in town and walk all over everybody," said Barr on WCOA's "Real News."

"I mean, that's what they have done through this litigation. They think they're bigger than this community, and this jury stood up and said, 'No, you're not.'"

Barr and Gill had to prove the barges hit the oyster farm and the damages. Barr said, "We had five eyewitnesses that had taken photos and videos of barges going through the farm, and we had all of the cages and equipment ended up within yards of where the barge landed on the beach. So it seemed pretty obvious to us."

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Skanska's attorneys questioned Gill's assertion that around 800,000 oysters were in his cages at the time the barges struck the bed.

Barr said, "Skanska tried to say he had less than a hundred thousand. They used weird math to get there. We used purchase receipts and invoices, so clearly, the jury believed what the real evidence was and not something somebody was making up."

The jury rendered its verdict after two hours of deliberation.

to retrofit the space, provide some equipment and supplies and the certificate curriculum, the testing materials as well, some of the staffing costs for part-time educators."

He added, "It was a low-cost reimbursement per certificate and probably has one of the highest ROI of all of the scored applicants that Triumph has seen."

Charter Schools USA will meet with Triumph Gulf Coast staff to work out the details of the grant agreement next month.

AMERICAN MAGIC UPDATE The Pensacola

RESIDENT SATISFACTION The City of Pen-

City Council has approved the design contract to retrofit Warehouse 10 to serve as the headquarters for American Magic and create the Maritime Center for Excellence, and Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves shared a rendering of the facility during his State of the City address.

The time clock has started on having the building ready after the 2024 America's Cup. The mayor said, "I know a couple team members from Barcelona are flying in the first week of December to sit down face-to-face with the design team. We're finalizing lease terms right now, and I don't expect to have any issues with that. Then we're off and running, and we will do the best we can to see if we can get it done in time."

Mayor Reeves added, "This is generational in the sense that you don't get an opportunity to say you have the most advanced sailing team in the United States in your hometown and headquartered here. Our value is not going to be in an extra quarter of the lease rate. It's going to really come in economic development."

TRIUMPH HELPS WARRINGTON PREP Ear-

lier this month, the Triumph Gulf Coast board approved a $7.4 million grant for Warrington Preparatory Academy, which Charter Schools USA runs. The grant supports workforce development for students and parents and helps them earn industry certifications.

Triumph Gulf Coast chair David Bear said his board has been trying to give the Escambia County School District a workforce development grant for years. He said, "All the other seven counties that are under the umbrella of Triumph Gulf Coast all have grant programs to create these certificate programs and workforce readiness. Escambia County had an agreement for one in place and ready to be signed, but Malcolm Thomas (former school superintendent) chose not to sign it," Bear continued, "We've got some great work going on at Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida, but the children in our community need these programs.

For the grant, Charter Schools USA and Warrington Prep, formerly Warrington Middle School, proposed attaining almost 3,500 net new career and technical industry credentials over the next decade.

"That's above and beyond the existing certificate awards that they may already be awarding," Bear said. "The funds are going to be used November 23, 2023

sacola released its 2023 Resident Satisfaction Survey this past week. More than two-thirds of participating residents reported the city is moving in the right direction. About the same percentage of respondents, 68%, viewed downtown Pensacola as a crucial economic driver.

As Mayor D.C. Reeves reported in an early draft in October, respondents were split when asked about their willingness to pay an additional cost for weekly recycling services.

Access to the waterfront was the No. 1 thing participants loved most about living in the City of Pensacola. When asked about additional amenities, residents also prioritized additional outdoor recreation options.

The top two priorities for current city initiatives were to reduce homelessness and to decrease crime. Regarding public safety, 52% of respondents listed gun violence as their top concern.

At this morning's presser, Inweekly asked Mayor Reeves how he plans to use the survey.

"It becomes a little bit of a guiding document of understanding what the City values," he said. "It's just nice to know as we're making decisions and we're prioritizing different projects, that is what's important to the system. And so that's what I mean by kind of a guiding document.

If there's obviously anything that is adverse to an initiative that we're having, maybe that's something we take another look at."

Friday–Sunday, Nov 24–26 Hours: 12–6 Fri | 10–6 Sat | 12–3 Sun Museum of Commerce, Downtown Free Admission Deck the halls and support public television!

Trees and wreaths, decorated by local designers, will be available for purchase or online auction bidding with proceeds supporting the WSRE-TV Foundation.

Online auction bidding at wsre.org/events begins Thanksgiving day!

Scan for event details and auction bidding.

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EDWARD R. MURROW JOURNALISTS De-

partment of State's International Visitor Leadership Program, Mississippi Consortium for International Development and the Gulf Coast Citizens' Diplomacy Council brought 21 journalists from 18 countries around the world as part of the Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists. The reporters and editors met with Inweekly publisher Rick Outzen to discuss investigative reporting, Florida's Sunshine Law and the media's responsibility in an age of disinformation.

The group discussed the Billings murders, BP Oil Spill and how to navigate investigative journalism in a small town, taking advantage of all the tools available to journalists.

OPENING DOORS OPENING This fall, Opening Doors Northwest Florida has led a reorganization of the Continuum of Care (CoC), which oversees how U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dollars to reduce homelessness are spent in Escambia and Santa

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Rosa counties. The committee working on CoC's rules, policies and governance is expected to issue its report next month.

On Wednesday, Nov. 15, John Johnson, Opening Doors' executive director, announced his resignation due to health and family considerations. Serene Keiek, the organization's community director, was named interim executive director.

The Opening Doors website has no information on the progress of the CoC reorganization.

With the county facing several issues with the homeless, County Administrator Wes Moreno hopes the CoC can take a much more visible role in developing solutions. He said, "The CoC should be leading the charge. They should be bringing strategies to the community partners.

That's exactly how it should work. "

UWF BUSINESS HOF The University of West

Florida College of Business inducted its 2023 Hall of Fame class Nov. 9 at the UWF Commons Conference Center.

The Hall of Fame was established in 2021 to celebrate individuals who embody the qualities that make the college an extraordinary place to learn and grow. Inductees are College of Business alumni or supporters who have excelled in their careers and positively impacted society. A

committee of College of Business faculty and administrators and previous Hall of Fame inductees selected the 2023 members based on the following criteria: graduated from the UWF College of Business or supported the college in a meaningful way; exceptional career accomplishments; significant professional recognition; community involvement and recognition; and service to the College of Business and UWF. "This Hall of Fame class is a reminder of why I am so proud to be an alumnus," College of Business Dean Richard Fountain said. "Each of the inductees earned degrees in our college and encapsulates the qualities that make this a wonderful place to learn and grow. Congratulations to each of them on joining this exclusive club."

The 2023 Hall of Fame class includes: •Jason Crawford '04, '10: Managing partner, One in a Row Ventures; immediate past board chair, UWF Foundation Board of Directors •James Hosman '99, '01: Market president, Centennial Bank; board chair, UWF Foundation Board of Directors; mentor, UWF Executive Mentor Program •Emily Ley '05, '07: Founder, Simplified®; host, Simplified® podcast; bestselling author •Brian Pennington '91: Retired president and general manager, TYBRIN Corporation; philanthropist

•Kim Pennington '92: Philanthropist •Brian Wyer '91: President and CEO, Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce For more information, visit uwf.edu/cob.

CHILDCARE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION In partnership with Wells Fargo, Early

Learning Coalition (ELC) of Escambia County, Business & Leadership Institute (BLI) for Early Learning, and Achieve Escambia, the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UWF is hosting a community conversation regarding the "business of the childcare business" in Escambia County and the impact on our workforce and economic growth.

The SBDC realizes access to quality and affordable childcare is critical to our community and wants to bring together community leaders to discuss this issue and possible solutions. The center will report on the current state of childcare, the impact on our community, and how do we meet future growth projections in alignment with planned economic development.

"We look forward to seeing you at our Childcare Community Conversation, and we appreciate your participation," said Kelly Massey, Regional Director of Florida SBDC at UWF. "Please join us Tuesday, Dec. 5, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

at the UWF Argo Athletic Club. The address is 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 54. Reserved Parking will be in UWF Lot A. It is recommended to use Google Maps or Waze and enter UWF Lot A for directions."

ECUA OFFICERS The Emerald Coast Utilities

Authority had its Organizational Board Meeting for 2023-2024 on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Lois Benson was re-elected to serve as board chair, and Kevin Stephens was re-elected vice-chair.

Also, by unanimous vote, Vicki Campbell was re-elected to the chairmanship of the Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC), and Larry Williams, Sr., was re-elected to serve as the CAC vice-chairman. Dale Perkins wasn't elected to any position.

The ECUA board appointed the following citizens to serve on the CAC: Ronald Rivera, Dean Kirschner, Louis Brown, III, Larry Walker, David Gaines, Imelda Cromartie and Louise Ritz. Finally, the board unanimously approved the proposed schedule for its regular monthly meetings for the 2024 calendar year, typically held at 3 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. CAC meetings are usually held on the Tuesday of the week before the Board meeting, also at 3 p.m. {in}

A CRAFTY SOUTHERN PUB WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER

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November 23, 2023

11

Photo Courtesy of Odd Colony

Market(ing) We all know there are better ways to spend the day after Thanksgiving than shopping for a discounted TV you don't want or need.

But somehow we always get sucked in by the bargains and end up hating ourselves (and everyone else in the Target parking lot) for buying into Black Friday.

Not this year.

This time around, we are sleeping in Friday morning, avoiding all the mega stores (and Amazon, too), and mapping out our plans to shop small this season—starting with saving the dates for these upcoming holiday markets featuring area makers and retailers.

Pensacola Arts Market

Palafox Market

facebook.com/theshopsofblackbusinesspensacola This market, which spotlights local Black entrepreneurs and brands, started earlier this year and is consistently growing and adding new vendors. Regularly, you can catch the market set up 10 a.m.-3 p.m. the first and third Sundays of the month at MLK Plaza, 50 N. Palafox St. Next month, they will host three holiday-themed markets at the same time and location on Sundays Dec. 3, 10 and 17.

palafoxmarket.com In addition to its regular Saturday market, Palafox Market will once again host a weekly holiday edition 4-8 p.m. Wednesdays through Dec. 20 in Plaza Ferdinand. This midweek market means you have two chances each week this season to shop for gifts and goodies, plus all your usual market staples on Saturday, like produce and plants.

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facebook.com/pensacolaartsmarket Pensacola Arts Market should be one of your first stops if you're looking for creative and cool gifts this season. Enjoy shopping a variety of handcrafted wares from local makers 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on these upcoming Saturdays at Cordova Square, 1101 N. 12th Ave.: Nov. 25, Dec. 9 and Dec. 23. The market will also set up shop at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave., 4-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 and 3-7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17.

The Shops of Black Business Pensacola

A Holiday Market Roundup

East Hill Makers Market

myeasthill.org If you're looking for a kid-friendly market, complete with a Santa photo-op, look no further than the East Hill Makers Market's holiday edition, happening 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5 in Cordova Square, 1101 N. 12th Ave. In addition to ample shopping options, this market will feature food trucks, kids activities and a holiday tree lighting.

Craft & Vintage Holiday Market at Odd Colony

facebook.com/oddcolony Nobody curates a market quite like the folks at Odd Colony, so you should plan on coming early and staying a while at this one. You can expect everything from jewelry, art, clothing, candles, vintage wares and, of course, craft beer options to sip while you shop 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St.

A Very Vintage Christmas Market

facebook.com/pensacolavintagecollective Pensacola Vintage Collective will team up with

the Old & In The Way Vintage and the Hansen Real Estate Team to host this mega market 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 at 21 S. Tarragona St. (in the Hansen parking lot). The market will feature 35 vendors selling vintage fashion, plus handmade goods, art and more.

December Gallery Night

gallerynightpensacola.org You might not think "shopping market" when you think of Gallery Night, but you should. The theme of their December event, happening Friday, Dec. 15, is "Miracle on Palafox Street" and will feature 60 plus local artists, makers and crafters. It's the perfect opportunity to cross those last few folks off your shopping list by picking up a ceramic mug, resin earrings, a stylish cheese board or an original piece of artwork.

Be sure to stop by their featured artist booth at Palafox and Romana streets and visit their December artist, Blue House Curio. *If you're hosting a holiday shopping market that isn't mentioned here, email the details to calendar@inweekly.net, and we'll try and include it in an upcoming issue. inweekly.net

November 23, 2023

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a&e happenings tion and discovery at the Association's first Business 2 Community Business Expo 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 at Bayview Community Center, 2001 E. Lloyd St. Visit myeasthill.org for more.

GERMAN WINTER MARKET Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave., pairs up with Pensacola Arts Market for a special artisan market with bratwursts, pretzels with beer cheese, lots of beer and lots of Glühwein. Markets are 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 and Sunday, Dec. 17. Visit facebook.com/ garysbrew for details.

HOT GLASS COLD BREW First City Art

Center's Friday Hot Glass Cold Brew is 5-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1. Located at 1060 N. Guillemard St. The theme is holiday pajama party. Wear your comfiest holiday gear. Tickets are $5-$35. Visit facebook. com/firstcityartcenter for details.

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Scenic Hills Country Club, 8891 Burning Tree Road. The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. The full bar and restaurant offer special adult beverages just for bingo nights. You must be 18 to play. For more information, visit facebook. com/animalalliesflorida.

WSRE FESTIVAL OF THE TREES WSRE will bring its Festival of Trees to the Museum of Commerce, 201 Zaragoza St. on Nov. 24-26. Holiday trees and wreaths, decorated by local designers, will be on display and available for sale and online auction bidding in support of the WSRE-TV Foundation. Hours are noon-6 p.m.

Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-3 p.m.

Sunday. Admission is free.

Auction bidding will take place on an online shop at wsre.org beginning Thanksgiving night.

Purchased items can be picked up at the Museum of Commerce 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, and tree delivery will be available for a fee.

PENSACOLA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY THIRD ANNUAL GALA The Third An-

nual Pensacola Habitat for Humanity Gala is 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. This formal event features a cocktail hour, three-course meal, silent and live auctions, and live entertainment at the Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Blvd. Tickets are available at pensacolahabitat.org/phfhgala.

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOPTION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every

first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. 9th Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays.

The ministry's food pantry opens at 10 a.m. and has clothing. Food donations needed are poptop canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sau414 1

sage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 7233390 for details.

SEX N' THE CITY: A SUPER UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY Show is

CALL TO ARTISTS

STANDUP COMEDY AT VINYL MUSIC HALL See Mo Alexander and a lineup of other

JAZZ PENSACOLA'S JAZZFEST POSTER

Jazz Pensacola invites fine artists and graphic designers to submit renderings for the official 2024 Pensacola JazzFest poster.

The commission is $500. The Jazz Pensacola Board of Directors will consider all renderings and make a selection. Initial drafts are due by Jan. 31, 2024. If selected, the completed submission deadline is Feb. 28, 2024.

The poster design should reflect the deep, rich and diverse jazz music heritage of Pensacola and communicate a sense of place. Submissions should conform to a vertical orientation using a ratio that will fit with margin on a final poster size of 18 inches wide by 24 inches high. All content must be the submitter's original creation and must be unpublished. The submitter must have all rights to images and graphics used in the final artwork and during the design process. The poster must include the name of the festival: 2024 Pensacola JazzFest.

Rough drafts or sketches can be submitted, but, if selected, the final art must conform to the submitted draft or sketch. Substantial deviation from the submitted sketch or draft will result in forfeiture by the artist of the cash prize and the selection of a new winner by Jazz Pensacola.

Submissions must be in low-res (72 ppi) JPEG format and emailed to info@jazzpensacola.com.

There is no limit to the number of entries by a single artist. Each entry must include the artist's name, address, email and phone number.

The selected artist is responsible for the preparation of the art for high-resolution reproduction. The artist will be contacted following the selection process and receive technical specifications for the production file.

ARTS & CULTURE

EAST HILL BUSINESS 2 COMMUNITY EXPO East Hill neighbors and the entire com-

munity are invited to a special evening of connec-

7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $52-$62 and available at pensacolasaenger.com.

comics 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20-$30 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

MISS FLAWLESS AT LARGE PAGEANT See who is crowned at the next drag pageant 8 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 3. Located at 3300 N. Pace Blvd.

Tickets are $20. Pay via Cash App at $flawlesspageant. For more information, email taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

EAST HILL MAKERS MARKET Enjoy an afternoon of holiday shopping, food trucks, kids' activities and more 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5 at Cordova Square Park, 1101 N. 12th Ave. Visit myeasthill. org for details.

AN EVENING WITH SEAN OF THE SOUTH

Author Sean Dietrich will host an evening of storytelling and music 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 at The Rex Theatre, 18 N. Palafox St. Event is a benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. Get your tickets at bbbsnwfl.org.

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little

Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers the second Saturday of every month. The next date is 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET SOUTH AT PLAZA FERDINAND Palafox Market South will include

a blend of familiar Palafox Market vendors, along with a new mix of local farmers, artists and crafts makers who will fill up Plaza Ferdinand on the corner of Palafox and Government streets. Shoppers can navigate between the new market and the always-humming original located on North Palafox at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday. The next date is Saturday, Nov. 25. For more information about

Palafox Market, visit palafoxmarket.com. For information concerning other downtown events, please visit downtownpensacola.com

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 is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pensac-

ola'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 are held 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Para-

normal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with actual ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m.

Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola.

Following your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

PENSACOLA ARTS MARKET Shop small and

buy art at Pensacola Arts Market 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every fourth Saturday of the month at Cordova Square, 1101 N. 12th Ave. Enjoy a local artisan and farmers market with more than 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 4-9 p.m. every first Friday of the month and 2-6 p.m. every third Sunday at Gary's Brewery & Biergarten, 208 Newman Ave.

BODY, MIND, SPIRIT MARKET AT EVER'MAN Local vendors, artisans, holistic

practitioners, speakers and more come together 10 a.m.-4 p.m. the first Saturday of the month at Ever'man Downtown, 315 W. Garden St. This is a free indoor and outdoor event with door prizes, entertainment and children's activities. For a vendor table, call (850) 941-4321 or go to empowermentschoolhouse.com.

ROLL-CALL: 2023 ART AND DESIGN FACULTY EXHIBITION The Art Gallery at UWF

presents "Roll-Call: The 2023 Art and Design Faculty Exhibition" on view through Dec. 8. The Art Gallery is located at 11000 University Parkway Building 88. Visit facebook.com/tag82uwf for details.

INSPIRED BY PLACE EXHIBIT RECEPTION

Inspired by Place brings together the work of four photographers (Todd Bertolaet, Don Clark, Mark Alan Francis and Roland Miller) who have collaborated in their academic and artistic endeavors for inweekly.net

more than 30 years. The exhibit is on view through Dec. 15 at the Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, 1000 College Blvd.

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 its own freedom in 1810, Florida loved to cause problems. The U.S. eyed the region early on, using the Seminole Wars as an excuse to seize territory before turning to diplomatic means to acquire Florida. The Adams-Onis Treaty, debated and initially agreed upon in 1819, resulted in Spain ceding control of East Florida to the U.S. 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 U.S. Ratified in 1821, the treaty was cause for celebration in Pensacola, the capital of West Florida, as it officially became part of America. This exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of History through December. Visit historicpensacola.org for details.

FOOD + DRINKS

MUTTS & MIMOSAS Join Wolfgang Pensaco-

la 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 or Saturday, Dec. 2 at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway, for dog paw painting and food and drink specials. Visit facebook.com/wolfgangparkandbrews for details.

DECK THE HALLS WITH JACKSON'S STEAKHOUSE Dine at Jackson's Steakhouse,

400 S. Palafox, on select days and enjoy a holiday performance from Pensacola Opera. Events are 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 2, 9 and 16.

Call (850) 469-9898 to make your reservation or visit jacksonsrestaurant.com.

SANTA PAWS & PINTS Enjoy drinks and pho-

tos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Live music is at 2:30 p.m. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

GREEN THUMB WINE TASTING Join Green

Thumb Wines every first Friday of the month for a free wine tasting 6-8 p.m. at 9 E. Gregory St.

SATURDAY SIPS ON THE SIDEWALK Visit

Green Thumb Wines, 9 E. Gregory St., every Saturday for wine selections. This Saturday, Nov. 25, the tasting will featuring small wine makers for Small Business Saturday. Visit greenthumbwines. com for details.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN

Partake in brunch specials, full café menu, espressos and bottomless mimosas until 1 p.m. Sundays at Café Single Fin, 380 N. 9th Ave. Live music begins at 10 a.m. Visit cafesinglefin.com for details.

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live

music is 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

JACKSON'S FRIDAY LUNCH SERVICE Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox St., is now open for lunch service 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays.

Chef Irv Miller has created a new lunch menu, which includes selections of appetizers, salads, November 23, 2023

sandwiches, featured plates and hand-selected steaks. Visit jacksonssteakhouse.com to see a full menu.

GAMER/JACKBOX NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S

Gamers unite 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of Bingo 6-8 p.m.

Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S Visit O'Riley's Irish

Pub for Bar Bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SECOND TUESDAY THEMED TRIVIA Visit

Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for themed trivia nights 7-9 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at 50 E. Garden St. Visit facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco for details.

TRIVIA AT O'RILEY'S Test your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Wednesdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub. com for details.

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

Take part in trivia nights 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA O'Riley's Tavern hosts trivia 8 p.m.-midnight Thursdays

at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern. com for details.

TRIVIA AT WISTERIA Trivia is 6 p.m. Thursdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays. 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.

TRIVIA AT SIR RICHARD'S Flex your trivia knowledge 8-10 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

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a&e happenings LIVE MUSIC

CELTIC ANGELS CHRISTMAS Enjoy vocal and instrumental holiday and Irish favorites.

Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.

MARAUDA Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $25 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

THE PROPHECY SHOW: THE MUSIC OF TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA Show is

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. Tickets are $55-$85 and available at pensacolasaenger.com.

STEELN' PEACHES: AN ALLMAN BROTHERS REVUE Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 at

Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $20$45 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

THE WOOD BROTHERS Show is 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $31 and available at vinylmusichall.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT FIVE SISTERS BLUES CAFÉ Visit Five Sisters, 421 W. Belmont St., for live music on select days.

•Tuesdays: Greg Bond 5:30-8:30 p.m.

•Thursdays: John Wheeler 6-8 p.m.

•Saturdays: Glenn Parker Band 6:30-10 p.m.

•Sundays: Curt Bol Quintet 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

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PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLONY Music pickers of all levels are invited to play

7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. 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 at 7 p.m. every Monday at 130 E. Government St. in End O' the Alley. 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, 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

KARAOKE AT O'RILEY'S UPTOWN Sing your heart out 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays at O'Riley's Uptown, 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

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

KARAOKE AT WISTERIA Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave., hosts karaoke 7 p.m.

Wednesdays. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.

WHISKEY WEDNESDAY KARAOKE Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. Wednesdays at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

KARAOKE NIGHTS AT SIR RICHARD'S

Bring your singing talents Monday and Thursday nights at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Festivities are 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

SUNDAY KARAOKE AT MUGS AND JUGS Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. Sunday at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. com for details.

FITNESS + RECREATION

OCEAN HOUR WEEKLY CLEANUPS

Ocean Hour Pensacola hosts weekly cleanups 7:45-9 a.m. Saturdays. Follow Ocean Hour at facebook.com/oceanhourfl for more details and locations.

GOAT YOGA AT GARY'S BREWERY Class is for ages 8 and above. No yoga experience necessary. Class is 3-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Get tickets and more information, facebook.com/garysbrew.

PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS The Pensacola Ice Flyers 2023-24 season home games are held at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are available at pensacolabaycenter.com.

Upcoming dates: •7:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 •7:05 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2

PUBLIC SKATE Ice skating sessions are available through April at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets are $12-$15. Season passes and group rates available at the box office or by emailing sjette@pensacolabaycenter.com.

Upcoming dates: •1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 •1:30, 3 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26 •9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 •9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 •1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 HOOK, LINE & SINKER MONTHLY FISHING SEMINAR SERIES Hot Spots Char-

ters hosts a monthly free fishing seminar held at Flounder's Chowder House, 800 Quietwater Beach Road on Pensacola Beach the first Monday of every month. A free fish dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. with the seminar beginning at 7 p.m. and typically lasting about an hour. Visit facebook.com/hlsseminar for details.

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

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WEST COAST SWING DANCE Join the fun 6:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays for $5 and 6:30-11 p.m. the fourth Saturday of each month for $10.

All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. More information is at thewayyoumove.us.

tors, dancers, singers, rappers and musicians. The club meets at 11:30 a.m. Saturdays at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St. For more information, contact Leroy Williams at (850) 426-1156 or email lewilliams@myescambia.com.

BALLROOM, LATIN, SWING DANCE From

LUTHERAN SERVICES OF FLORIDA'S SNAP PROGRAM The SNAP program is a

6:30-11 p.m. the second Saturday of each month, enjoy a mix of music for all dancers.

All levels welcomed; no partner required. The Way You Move dance studio is at 918 Winton Ave. The cost is $10. More information is 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 at 9:30 a.m. the first Sunday of every month at Bayview Park. The next date is Sunday, Dec. 3.

FREE PILATES IN THE PARK The City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department and PURE Pilates presents free one-hour outdoor Pilates classes at 10:30 a.m. the third Sunday of every month at Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar St. The next date is Sunday, Dec. 17.

PENSACOLA PARKRUN The Pensacola Rec Plex North Parkrun is 7:30 a.m. Saturdays. The weekly timed 5K run or walk takes place at the University of West Florida and is open to everyone, regardless of fitness level. For more information, visit facebook.com/rpnparkrun or email recplexnorth@parkrun.com.

YOGA CLASSES AT EVER'MAN Beginner

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

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

YOGA WITH MARNI AT HA-YA Visit Ha-Ya Wellness for integrative yoga with Marni 10 a.m. the first and third Saturday of the month at 4301 Spanish Trail Road. Visit facebook.com/asherandbeeapothecary for more information.

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

KID-FRIENDLY

SCIENCE SATURDAYS AT IHMC IHMC's

popular monthly science enrichment series has sessions slated for the science of the mind, game design, healthy wetlands and more. Programs for grades 3-4 are 9-10:30 a.m. and grades 5-6 are 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Each session is led by an IHMC researcher or community scientist. Visit ihmc.us/life/science_saturdays for details.

Dec. 17: Illusions, Dr. Toshi Miyatsu

BROWNSVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER PERFORMING ARTS CLUB For ages 8-18,

this club is an opportunity for all aspiring acNovember 23, 2023

free and fun community program to help parents and children deal with issues like emotional regulation and problem solving. The program is proven to keep kids out of the juvenile justice system and give them skills for successful communication and actions. The program teaches parenting skills for adults and teaches children ages 6-11 important issues, such as emotional regulation, problem-solving skills and self-control. Meetings are once a week for 13 weeks. There is no cost, and dinner is served at each meeting. Sibling care and transportation is available if needed at no cost. Call or text (850) 375-3646 to get started.

STEM PROGRAMS AT NATIONAL FLIGHT ACADEMY The National Flight Academy of-

fers a lineup full of fun STEM-based programs for kids this fall, which are now open for registration.

"Adventures" is a one-day program that introduces fourth- and fifth-grade students to STEM, with topics ranging from flying drones to navigating through hurricanes. The program is offered 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call for availability.

"Deployment," the NFA's flagship program, is a six-day, five-night deployment for seventh-12th grade students. Attendees live aboard the virtual aircraft carrier Ambition, a 102,000-square-foot, four-story structure. The Deployment program envelops them into life as a Naval Aviator aboard a modern aircraft carrier. Missions progressively become more challenging throughout the week as the AXPs advance their aviation science skills as well as their communication skills. Christmas Break Deployment dates are Dec. 11-16 and Dec. 1822. Deployments begin at noon Sunday and end at noon Friday with a graduation ceremony in the National Naval Aviation Museum's Blue Angels Atrium.

To learn more about the NFA's program opportunities, or to register online, go to nationalflightacademy.com. For more information, please contact Stephanie Pugh, Client Relations Director at National Flight Academy, by email at spugh@nationalflightacademy.com or by calling (850) 458-7836.

BEANSTACK: 1000 BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN Enjoy reading 1,000 books with

your little ones through West Florida Public Libraries. Log reading and earn badges along the way while bonding with your child and inspiring literacy. A book a day is 365 books in a year, 730 in two years and 1,095 in three years. For every 100 books, you can claim a prize at the library.

Register for the challenge on the West Florida Public Libraries' Beanstack, either on the mobile app or at mywfpl.beanstack.org.

for more listings visit inweekly.net 17

free will astrology WEEK OF NOVEMBER 23 ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): When we experience authentic awe, our humility deepens.

This in turn tends to make us kinder, smarter and more positive. So how can we stimulate awe?

Among the many possible ways are gazing at magnificent art, hiking in a natural wonderland or being in the presence of a beautiful human soul.

In accordance with astrological omens, I recommend you go in quest of awe and related feelings like reverence, amazement, adoration and veneration. Your mental, physical and spiritual health will flourish in response.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): It's the sea-

son for cherishing and smoking out secrets. So let's talk about the subject. 1. Some secrets are sad, haunting, even risky—and worth keeping secret. 2. Other secrets can be beautiful, healing and potentially life-changing if they are revealed gracefully. 3. Some secrets are buried so deeply that only very persistent seekers dig them up. 4. Some secrets are "hidden" in plain view, and only visible to people who are clear and brave enough to identify them. I suspect you Tauruses will have a special knack for managing all types of secrets in the coming weeks, including those I mentioned.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): I hope you won't fill yourself up with appetizers and hors d'oeuvres in the coming weeks, Gemini. My soul will be at peace if I see you save your hunger for the main courses. Your motto should be "Feasts, not snacks!" or "The real deal, not the pretenders!" or "The jubilee, not the distractions!" If you ever find yourself feeling halfhearted or inattentive, you're probably not in the right situation.

Here's an affirmation to go with your mottoes: "I am liberating my divine appetite!"

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Playwright

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) is regarded as one of history's great writers. That does not mean everything he said was wise, useful or worthy of our attention. For example, he was once asked to give his opinion about ballet. "During the intermissions, the ballerinas stink like horses," he replied. I hesitate to bring up such a vulgar reference, but I wanted to make a vivid point. In the coming weeks, I hope you will ignore the ad-

By Rob Brezsny

vice of people who don't know what they are talking about, no matter how smart or charismatic they may be. I hope you will not attribute expertise to those who have no such expertise.

I hope that as much as possible, you will rely on first-hand information, rigorous research and reliable influences.

When we experience authentic awe, our humility deepens.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Researchers have determined there are two basic dispositions among tigers. One is what they call "majesty."

Creatures with this orientation tend to be dignified, imposing and agile. The other type of tiger personality revolves around "steadiness." This is the opposite of neuroticism, and includes the qualities of being affable, easy to get along with and well-adjusted. I know many astrologers associate lions with you Leos, but I prefer to link you with tigers. If you agree with me, here's my prediction: You are beginning a phase when you will be more majestic than steady—but with plenty of steadiness also available if you want it.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): "It is better to entertain an idea than to take it home to live with you for the rest of your life," wrote author Randall Jarrell. That's decent advice, though I will add a caveat. If you entertain an idea for a while and it turns out you love it, and you also love the beneficent effect it has on you, you may be smart to take it home to live with you. I'm guessing you Virgos are at a pivotal point in this regard.

Not yet, but soon you will know whether it will be wise to get cozier with certain influences you have been flirting with—or else decide they are not ones you want to keep.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): If I could give

an award for Most Curious Genius in the World, it would be to Libran author and naturalist Diane Ackerman. She would also get my prize for Most Voracious Learner and Best Questioner and Most Exuberant Seeker and Searcher. "To hear the melody," she writes, "we must hear all the notes." In response to the question, "What is life?" she offers this answer: "corsages and dust

mites and alligator skin and tree-frog serenades and foreskins and blue hydrangeas and banana slugs and war dances and cedar chips and bombardier beetles." In accordance with current astrological omens, I encourage you to be like Ackerman in the coming weeks.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Have you located any of your soul twins? If not, is that an interesting prospect for you? Please note soul twins are not necessarily the same as dream lovers. They may simply be people with whom you share deep values and perspectives. They might aspire to influence the world in ways similar to you. With a soul twin, you feel at home in the world and extra happy to be yourself. I bring these meditations to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming months will be an especially likely time for you to encounter and engage with soul twins. Be on the alert.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was charismatic and forceful, but also hot-tempered and prone to rude behavior. The writer Johann Wolfgang Goethe, his contemporary, said "his talent amazed me," and described him as an "utterly untamed personality." Beethoven seldom lived in one home for long and loved to sing at the top of his lungs as he washed himself. Although he played piano with exquisite skill, he was quite clumsy as he moved through the world.

Can you guess what astrological sign he was?

Same as you: Sagittarius! I'm not saying you are exactly like this wild, unruly genius, but you do have tendencies in that direction. And in the coming weeks, I expect you'll be inclined to be more Beethoven-esque than usual. Please work on emphasizing the winsome aspects.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): I hope

you have developed good boundaries, Capricorn. I hope you are so skilled at taking care of yourself that you steadfastly refuse to let people manipulate you or hurt you. Just to make sure your discernment is working at peak levels, though, I will offer you a tip. In the English language, we have the idiom "to rub salt in a wound," which refers to the fact that daubing salt in an open gash in the skin makes the pain even worse. But did you know that smearing sugar in a wound is equally distressing? The

metaphorical lesson is you should be vigilant for seemingly nice, sweet people who might also violate your boundaries to hurt or manipulate you.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): I estimate this horoscope is worth $22,225. It has been made possible by my many years of disciplined meditations, extensive reading of holy texts and an ever-growing devotion to astrology and my readers. But here's the fun part: You can read these words for free—no cost at all. I will, however, ask you to do something for me in return.

First, give your gifts joyously and generously in the coming weeks, holding nothing back. Second, don't be in the least concerned about whether you will receive benefits in return for your gifts.

Find the sweet spot where you love bestowing blessings for no other reason except this one: You are expressing your gratitude for the miraculous life you have been given.

Be on the lookout for secret shortcuts, magic cookies and wild cards.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Do you pos-

sess gambits, tactics and knacks we might refer to as your "bag of tricks"? I hope so, because such an asset will be extra valuable during the coming weeks. You will be wise to employ every cagey move you can imagine and call on every favor owed to you and cash in on every advantage you have accrued. I don't want you to engage in outright cheating, but I encourage you to use ploys and stratagems that have full integrity. Be on the lookout for secret shortcuts, magic cookies and wild cards.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: What's the best thing you could do to heal yourself right now? {in}

freewillastrology.com

newsletter.freewillastrology.com freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com © 2023 Rob Brezsny

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news of the weird THE FIREARM OBSESSION Dr. Jason Gladwell, an orthodontist in Raleigh, North Carolina, has a catchy new promotion going, WRAL-TV reported: "Grins and Glocks." Yep—patients who sign up for Invisalign braces can choose between a free Glock 19 ($500-plus retail) or a membership to Youngsville Gun Club & Range. The deal is open only to those 21 and older, and the club will conduct a background check on recipients.

Dr. Gladwell has received mixed reactions to the come-on; notably, Align Technology, which makes Invisalign, isn't happy: "This promotion does not reflect our brand purpose."

ANIMAL ANTICS A cargo flight on its way from New York to Liege, Belgium, was forced to turn around on Nov. 9 after a horse escaped its stall, CNN reported. The pilot alerted Boston Air Traffic Control that while the flight was not impeded, "we cannot get the horse back secured." They also requested a veterinarian meet the plane at JFK Airport, as the horse was having "difficulty." Later, the plane resumed its journey and arrived in Belgium the next morning.

FLORIDA In West Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 9, Kelly Jacobson was heartbroken after officers led away her pet pig, Pork Chop, during an eviction. WPTV reported that animal care and control officers actually had to drag the pig, as he weighs 400 pounds and can't really walk. They plan to gain custody of Pork Chop and get him the dietary care he needs. Jacobson has been cited twice before for neglecting his needs, but she said she would "do whatever I have to do to make him better. I need him."

•Rudy Wilcox, 45, of Clearwater, Florida, was "observed defecating on a deceased opossum" on Nov. 15, according to The Smoking Gun. Officers with the Clearwater Police Department said he was in "full view of the motoring public during busy traffic times." While Wilcox denied the accusation, officers found "physical evidence" to support the charges. Just one question: What would have happened if the opossum were only playing possum?! Wilcox was jailed.

POLICE REPORT When a game warden pulled over a pickup truck near Lubbock, Texas, on Nov. 8, the driver and passenger obligingly waited with a deputy while the Texas Parks and Wildlife officer searched the vehicle, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. At one point, the driver asked for permission to retrieve a burrito and 44-ounce drink from the cab, telling the officer that he "did not have any drugs or anything in the vehicle." Ah, but how about that big drink? When the officer removed the lid from the cup, he found an orange bag inside with 5 grams of methamphetamine. The driver was taken into custody.

WEIRD SCIENCE Charlie Curtis of Toronto, Canada, developed Crohn's disease in 2014, Yahoo! News reported. Although he took medicine, Curtis was hospitalized with his symptoms

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

and had to visit the bathroom multiple times a day. Then he tried a new therapy: do-it-yourself poop transplants, using his mother's fecal matter. Fecal microbiota transplants, or FMTs, are typically performed by a doctor and involve collecting feces from a healthy donor, mixing it with a saline solution and inserting it in the patient's gastrointestinal tract through an enema.

But Curtis' DIY transplants had an unexpected side effect: Over the four years they did the procedure, Curtis experienced sweating, hot flashes and mood swings—his mom's menopause symptoms. Doctors believe hormones in his mom's fecal matter most likely were to blame. "When I was actually doing the procedure," Curtis said, "I'd feel tingling inside of me.

It felt healthy, it felt like it was working."

•Kelsey Hatcher and her husband, Caleb, of Dora, Alabama, have three kids under 8 and a busy life, WVTM13-TV reported. Kelsey already knew she had the unusual condition of having two uteri and two cervixes when she became pregnant for a fourth time. But when she had her first sonogram last spring, she discovered something amazing: She has two babies on the way, one in each uterus. "OB/GYNs go their whole careers without seeing anything like this," Shweta Patel, Kelsey's doctor, said. The pregnancy is getting the Hatchers a lot of attention, which Kelsey isn't all that comfortable with. Both babies are girls and are due on Christmas Day, but doctors say they could be born hours, days or weeks apart.

HIGH ON CHRISTMAS Henry Meade, 40, was busy spreading the Christmas spirit on Nov. 11 in Tazewell, Tennessee, Fox59-TV reported. Meade was operating "Santa's Train," a riding lawn mower pulling a cart with children and families, at the town's Christmas Tractor Parade. But visitors thought Meade was acting erratically and reported him to police. He subsequently failed a sobriety test, and officers found a syringe, meth and other narcotics in his possession. He was charged with possession and driving under the influence.

AWESOME! Kathy Magruder, who operates the Pageturners Bookstore in Indianola, Iowa, was rummaging through the never-checkedout books at the Calvin Community retirement home when she stumbled upon a treasure, KCCI-TV reported. There among the other titles was a leatherbound Bible, printed in 1705 in Selkirkshire, Scotland. Interestingly, it was printed illegally, without the oversight of the church.

"This one, just something about it, when I open it up, the pages make a noise when you turn them that's a little different than a new book.

They feel a little different, and the book smells a little different than any other book," Magruder said about the Bible. {in}

From Andrews McMeel Syndication News Of The Weird © 2023 Andrews McMeel

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com November 23, 2023

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