Unpacking Feminine Rage with Mannequin Pussy
winners & losers winners losers
LANA SERVIES The West Florida Public Libraries (WFPL) Technical Services Division librarian was recognized as the October 2024 Employee of the Month. Servies works to improve and enhance WFPL's online public access catalog classifications and descriptions. She also trains new library staff on best practices for descriptive cataloging and other technical services and library resources. A lover of jazz music, Servies worked with Jazz Pensacola to curate a jazz collection at the Pensacola Library, making the location the only public library in the U.S. with a dedicated jazz music room. Her dedication to the collection has helped the room to be featured in jazz periodicals multiple times over the last decade.
JAMIE MCDONALD The Pensacola Interstate Fair Board of Directors named Jamie McDonald its new general manager. McDonald, who has dedicated 37 years to the Fair as facilities manager, brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the organization. Under her leadership, the Fair looks forward to continued success. The Pensacola Interstate Fair has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1935 by John E. Frenkel Sr. and 30 dedicated volunteers. In 1942, the Fair was reorganized as a nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The new Board of Directors includes Andy Peterson (vice president), Kay Campbell (secretary and treasurer), Danny Cobb, Jimmy White, Jr., Terry Brown, Lewis Bear III, Ellis Bullock III, Collier Merrill and Jeff Godwin.
UWF CENTER FOR CYBERSECURITY
The National Security Agency National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAEC) Program awarded a $750,000 grant to the University of West Florida (UWF) to lead the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development Task Force. The task force will bring together the eight NCAE-C-funded workforce development programs, including CyberSkills2Work, an intensive cybersecurity education program led by UWF and designed to help individuals launch or advance cybersecurity careers.
ASCEND PERFORMANCE MATERIALS
The nylon manufacturer told northescambia. com that it has laid off workers over the past few months but refused to provide the number of employees cut or whether more layoffs are planned. FloridaWest and CareerSource Escarosa, which monitor the county's largest employers, also failed to notify the community of the layoffs. The Cantonment plant is the largest integrated nylon manufacturing site in the world. Monsanto first developed it in 1953, and it covers more than 2,000 acres. In 1997, Monsanto spun off its Chemicals Division to form Solutia Inc. In 2009, Solutia sold its Integrated Nylon Division, which was then renamed Ascend Performance Materials. An Ascend spokesperson blamed the cuts on "a challenging market due to lower demand for vehicles, housing and consumer goods globally over the past two years." However, the official also said the plant is "a critical part of the global supply of nylon and will continue to play an important role in that market for generations to come."
DIVINE WORD COMMUNICATIONS
The Pensacola City Council corrected a wrong at its Oct. 10 meeting. In 2015, this newspaper and North Hill residents protested the erection of a radio tower facility at the northern end of the Long Hollow Pond. We argued the tower was a non-conforming structure under city ordinances. Still, the Hayward administration ruled the tower was legal because its use had continued uninterrupted since the original tower was built in 1974. City Attorney Lysia Bowling ignored the video we provided that showed the old tower being taken down before the new one was built. We also asserted the tower reduced the city's ability to expand the Long Hollow stormwater basin that overflowed in 2014. Last week, the City Council voted to terminate the city's lease with Divine Word Communications, the tower's owner. Why? To expand the pond and increase stormwater capacity as part of the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park project.
Lana Servies / Photo Courtesy of myescambia.com
outtakes
By Rick Outzen
TOWER FINALLY TOPPLED
When I returned to Pensacola last weekend, I was delighted to see the Pensacola City Council had terminated the City's lease with Divine Word Communications for a radio tower at the northern end of the Long Hollow stormwater basin. The North Hill Preservation Association Board and this newspaper had fought to have the nonconforming tower removed in 2015 but failed to get Mayor Ashton Hayward to listen. How the tower ever got erected demonstrates the dark side of the strong-mayor form of government.
In 2012, the tower owner requested City Administrator Bill Reynolds work on a variance for a new radio tower because it was in a conservation district where such structures were not allowed. Had a variance or Future Land Use Plan amendment been proposed, the Pensacola City Council would have held public hearings. Instead, Reynolds drafted a new lease granting the owner the right to demolish the old structure and build a new tower. The 20-year ground lease slipped past the Pensacola City Council and the public without any fanfare.
Long after the Council's approval vote, a former city planner came forward and said the heads of Inspections and Planning Services laughed about the illegality of allowing a radio to be built in a conservation district. However, the planning services administrator refused to point it out to the City Council, especially after her boss, Reynolds, recommended approval.
The city issued the building permit for the larger radio tower in 2014, but the contractor didn't do it because the owner wasn't ready to commence construction. However, Divine Word hired another contractor to start the work without city inspections. When the old tower was toppled, neighbors put the city on notice that they were concerned about the legality of the tower and its impact after flooding in the Long Hollow area in April 2014.
Councilman Brian Spencer tried to get the tower and lease on the council's agenda, but the item failed to garner enough votes to be added. North Hill Preservation Association Board president Melanie Nichols tried to gather more information from city staff about the tower and when its new building permit would be issued. City Administrator Eric Olson, who replaced Reynolds
$2,800,000 • 7.8 acres
New wetland survey April 2023! 3283 Gulf Breeze Pkwy by Publix at Tiger Point and Tiger Point Park Drive. Access from Hwy 98 and Tiger
after he was removed for a scandal involving our unfulfilled public record requests, tried to get Nichols' bosses to reprimand her for using her official federal email account to communicate with city staff. The move backfired and led to a no-confidence vote in a council meeting that ended in a 4-4 tie.
Olson then tried to ban city employees from responding to emails from those who used official government email accounts. However, the state attorney's office made him rescind the order, thanks to our intervention.
Meanwhile, the city never issued a new building permit. Instead, the contractor was given a "Repair to Code" permit, blessing the new contractor's construction of the new tower. The public never had a chance to voice its concerns in a public meeting.
Nichols and Inweekly continued to question the tower's nonconforming use. We had a video of the tower being dismantled without a city inspection, which interrupted its operation while the new one was erected. However, City Attorney Lysia Bowling rendered an opinion that the non-conforming use of Divine Word's radio tower was a lawful non-conforming use and structure because its use had continued uninterrupted since the original tower was built in 1974.
Another problem was that the City's Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code prohibit expanding, enlarging, and/or rebuilding existing nonconforming uses. The original 250-foot tower was replaced with a newer, larger 350- to 400-foot tower, a clear violation.
None of these objections mattered. The tower was allowed to stand until now.
In 2023, the City was awarded over $25 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery infrastructure grant funds for the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park project. The project includes the expansion of the nearby Long Hollow Stormwater Pond.
The City and Divine Word agreed to terminate the lease early to expand the pond within the three-year grant timeline.
Don't feel bad for Divine Word because the City will buy the tower. However, its removal is also a belated victory for North Hill and Long Hollow residents. {in} rick@inweekly.net
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(Annual) Downtown Pensacola Waterfront on Palafox with Parking! 2 story building available. Deck on Palafox Marina (dock not included). Excellent condition. Ready for occupancy.
PSC SET TO LAUNCH A&P PROGRAM
said as he snapped his fingers. "Because they'll have had that training."
PERFECT PARTNERS
ST Engineering employs about 400 mechanics and still has "many openings," Hafner said. Those openings will be challenging to fill with the present shortage, but the aircraft maintenance company is building a future pipeline by partnering with PSC. ST Engineering handed over the second floor of its hangar to PSC through a no-fee licensing agreement.
"If this is as successful as we hope it to be, this is going to be something that's going to be a magnet," Hafner said. "You're not going to just get local kids. You're going to get people coming from distances to get this training because of what we offer: a full A&P program, adjacent to one of the largest MROs (maintenance, repair and overhaul) in the world, operating on modern, heavy equipment."
PSC originally planned to build a facility in Santa Rosa County. Plans changed when a ready-made facility at ST Engineering emerged to speed up the launch of the aviation maintenance technician school.
The second floor of Hangar 1 is pristine, but PSC is in the design phase to build a 25,000-square-foot facility on Pensacola International Airport property. PSC President Ed Meadows said the college plans to break ground this fall and be in the facility within 18 months of the groundbreaking.
the puzzle together, and you can build the interior of an airplane.
About $3 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment and five aircraft lined up outside the hangar belong to Pensacola State College (PSC). Last month, PSC passed a rigorous inspection to earn its Federal Aviation Association certification to operate an approved aviation maintenance technician school. The college will launch its inaugural Aviation Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) Mechanics course in January.
"Without that certificate, we cannot operate as a school, so that was a huge milestone to get that," said Mike Listau, dean of Workforce Education. "That was the FAA saying, 'Hey, you've met all the appropriate benchmarks that we require to certify people as certified mechanics.'"
The FAA urged PSC to establish the school and put a dent in the critical shortage of aviation mechanics. Listau said the inaugural class will ideally be about 25 students, but with two instructors on staff, the possibility exists to double that number. The FAA requires a minimum of one instructor for every 25 students. Listau envisions expanding the program in the near future by offering night classes.
"We're going to do everything in our power to maximize our scheduling so that we can run the most amount of people through," he said.
ics International reports two out of five current mechanics will reach retirement age by 2031.
Boeing estimates for the 20-year period between 2022 and 2041 there will need to be 610,000 new maintenance technicians worldwide.
Pay for mechanics is steadily increasing as aircraft maintenance companies desperately recruit younger generations. The industry operates on a progressive wage scale. Apprentices earn $20-plus dollars an hour while proven mechanics earn six-figure salaries. The average salary for an aviation mechanic in Florida is about $70,000, according to Indeed.
"You've got to prove yourself," said Cliff Vonada, who coordinates activities with the FAA for PSC and is one of its two instructors.
"Once you do that, it might be six months, it might be a year, but then you start making really good money and it's according to what you're willing to do. Are you going to travel? Are you going to fix aircraft on ground? Are you that troubleshoot guy? You can be in the mid-six figures."
PSC hired two highly qualified instructors in Vonada and Bocephus Hinson. Both learned their craft in the military before earning their certs and venturing into the private sector. Vonada retired from the U.S. Air Force, previously ran the aviation airframe mechanics program at George Stone Technical College and
its share of challenges. First, there is the matter of completing the 18-month course. PSC will offer two options. The college-credit program will require students to participate in classroom and lab activities 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. weekdays. The non-credit, expedited training will leverage previous experience and include on-the-job training while they complete the program. Time spent on the job will depend on the student's previous experience and working situation. All of that training is preparation for their certification test.
"Becoming an aircraft maintenance technician runs along the lines of becoming a registered nurse." Bill Hafner
"Becoming an aircraft maintenance technician runs along the lines of becoming a registered nurse," said Bill Hafner, the ST Engineering chief integration officer. "You've got to finish your training sessions, then you have to demonstrate you can do the work and you have to be able to orally answer questions from an aviation maintenance examiner.
"These guys will transition like that," Hafner
Other initiatives on the horizon for PSC include becoming an FAA certification testing location. Vonada is certified by the FAA to administer the test. Only two testing locations exist in the panhandle, George Stone and Northwest Florida State College.
"We have a history of doing this," Listau said of becoming a testing location. "There are a lot of similarities with our truck driver program."
The A&P program is the latest in a long line of workforce development programs at PSC. The college offers workforce development programs in carpentry, CDL training, cosmetology, culinary, cybersecurity, electricity, engineering technology, hospitality, HVAC, massage therapy and welding among others.
Hafner said PSC's excellent track record in workforce development made the college a perfect partner for ST Engineering. Others involved in establishing the program and paying for the equipment include the City of Pensacola, Santa Rosa County Economic Development, Leonardo, Pensacola International Airport, Triumph Gulf Coast and the state of Florida through the $4.41 million Job Growth Grant. Gov. Ron DeSantis presented the check during a ceremony on the PSC campus.
"It's all about the community coming together to work on these different projects, but this project takes the cake for truly being a community project," Listau said. "It's the most complex project I've ever been a part of. Everybody is committed to making this happen." {in}
Photo by Tom St. Myer
Monday, October 21 to Saturday, November 2
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola
Main Library, 239 Spring Street, Pensacola
Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A, Molino
Asbury Place at Cokesbury Church, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola*
Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W DeSoto Street, Pensacola
UWF, 11000 University Pkwy, Bldg. 78, Room 136, Pensacola*
Billy G. Ward Courthouse, 7500 N Century Blvd., Century
HEALTHY SCHOOLS Over the summer, nonprofits collaborated to figure out the Escambia Children's Trust's (Trust) Healthy Schools Escambia. On Friday, Oct. 4, the Trust's grant review committee unanimously approved a proposal by United Way of West Florida (UWWF) to implement the program over three years for $4.2 million.
Healthy Schools Escambia aims to build healthy school communities through partnerships and collaboration within Escambia County. Escambia is currently 51st out of 67 counties in Florida for health. While it's purported to be based on the CDC's Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, no children's services organization like the Trust, has tried this program. One Texas school district reportedly launched something similar, and the district officials refused interviews.
Some have compared Healthy Schools to the Community Partnership School programs at C.A. Weis Elementary, Pine Forest High School and Bellview Middle School, but the Community Partnership Schools only involve three entities: Children's Home Society, Community Health Northwest Florida and University of West Florida. The Escambia proposal involves nine local agencies and a gardener.
In the first year, Healthy Schools will be established at two elementary schools, O.J. Semmes and Global Learning Academy. If the board continues to fund the program, it will expand each subsequent year. The total budget for the three years is $4.2 million.
The budget for the first year is $808,173. UWWF is the lead agency and will dole out subgrants as follows:
•Achieve Escambia, operational support: $24,000
•University of West Florida, data curation, analysis, evaluation and reporting: $14,000
•Community Health Northwest Florida, medical, dental and vision care: $100,000
•Legal Services of North Florida, direct legal assistance and legal education: $7,002
•Lakeview Center, mental health services: $1,000
•ARC Gateway–Help Me Grow, Parent Cafes: $18,730
•Gulf Coast Kids House, child abuse prevention and reporting education: $1,000
•Council on Aging, foster grandparents: $30,000
•YMCA of Northwest Florida, on-site afterschool and sports programs: $79,386
•Greg Miller, community gardens at schools:
$33,000
The budget also includes $48,640 for teacher stipends and funds for a program coordinator at each school, travel reimbursement for United Way staff, laptops and monitors for coordinators and staff and participant stipends of $2,000 per child.
At the Oct. 8 Trust meeting, the board approved the United Way of West Florida proposal. Children's Trust Executive Director Lindsey Cannon said, "I do feel very comfortable with (the initiative), and one of the main reasons I feel comfortable with it is because it wasn't just done in a vacuum. There was a group of 30 people in a room pulling this together over multiple months."
Superintendent of Schools Keith Leonard, who serves on the Trust board, added, "I truly believe it will show success, and that's a collaborative effort we need, not for us as adults, but for the kids, we are responsible for."
The plan provides on-site medical, dental and vision care to students, support nutrition education through gardens, outreach and workshops, and establishes afterschool programs focused on physical activity and academic support, including tutoring by certified teachers.
For the family component, UWWF and its partners plan to engage families in school-community activities and health education and provide legal assistance, education and intergenerational mentoring.
"It's a heavy lift, so let's be real about that," Cannon said. "Our partners that we bring on are going to need our support and outreach to families to let them know it's there. We know it's an over-time process, which is why we looked at this as a five-year process, not just in and out."
Though the proposal was only for three years, Trust staff sent out a press release that the intent is for Healthy Escambia to run "up to 60 months, extending no later than June 30, 2029."
The program will be implemented in six to 10 Escambia public schools.
TRUST PUSHBACK
The Escambia Children's Trust board also decided to delay refunding the Escambia County Community Redevelopment Agencies the tax dollars incorrectly placed in the Trust's bank account.
After consulting with their attorney and discussing the issue for 50 minutes, the Trust board voted Tuesday to pay only the incremental value for 2023 ($443,341) and negotiate with the county on an interlocal agreement for amounts owed in 2021 and 2022 ($690,684).
"We were the ones appointed to be good stewards of taxpayer's money," said Stephanie White, a board member. "The taxpayers said we want the Children's Trust to pay for children's services."
History shows that the Trust Board has not always been good stewards. Last fall, the Trust paid Urban Development Center (UDC) $261,733.16 and canceled its contract when it was revealed the nonprofit had only reached 27 children in their targeted ages of 11-18, falling far short of the 250 children in the Century that UDC had committed to mentor and train for jobs. UDC was one of the highest-rated proposals approved for its Out-of-School initiative.
The Children's Theater had its award canceled after being paid $179,124.82 for a program that was supposed to cover the summer plus the fall semester. It pledged to have 200 participants but only had 75.
Last month, the county commissioners unanimously approved a motion for the Children's Trust to pay more than $1.1 million in tax increment revenues accrued over the past three years and pay about $450,000 annually. The commissioners then allocated $400,000 from the Montclair CRA to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office to purchase cameras.
County Commissioner Lumon May serves on the Children's Trust board. Although he abstained from the vote, the commissioner supported pursuing an interlocal agreement. "I support (the interlocal agreement) because I don't
think there's any intention by my colleagues, and they can speak for themselves, to not do anything for children."
The City of Pensacola is in the early stages of creating an interlocal agreement with the Trust and the Escambia County School District. The City is owed $1.8 million in Community Redevelopment Agency dollars and about $500,000 annually. However, the mayor still doesn't have a plan for how he wants the money spent to help Title 1 schools within the city limits.
SPENDING IN THE DARK
The public is kept in the dark about how much Escambia Children's Trust (Trust) has spent on various programs, how many children were helped, and the objective, independent measurements that proved the participants were helped. While the public can find monthly financial reports filled with volumes of information if they dig through the monthly meeting agendas, little of them are summarized by grant, so many questions go unanswered.
Legal Services of North Florida was paid $425,498 to launch a legal services program for children in the dependency system and provide educational advocacy resources for children with disabilities. In March, the Trust board unanimously approved a second-year grant of $771,989 for Legal Services to represent 70 children, which computes to $11,028 per child.
Legal Services and Trust staff should have provided the board with a written report of how funds were spent or how many children were helped in the first year. Instead, Legal Services staff gave an oral report to the board in February. They talked about hours worked and shared anecdotal stories but provided no data on services rendered.
According to its proposal, Legal Services based its initiative on Palm Beach County's Foster Children's Project (FCP). However, the Escambia County program is not the same program, which the Trust staff did not disclose to its board.
FCP provides legal representation to children 3 years of age and younger entering shelter care in Palm Beach County. The primary purpose for establishing this grant was to help ex-
pedite children's exit to permanency, such as reunification with a parent or adoption. The program started small in 2001 and has expanded twice, revising its eligibility criteria to include children 12 years old and younger.
In six years, FCP had an operating budget of $1.7 million and provided legal representation to a continuous caseload of approximately 350 children. The Trust is paying $771,989 for only 70 children. The Palm Beach County cost is $4,857 per child, nearly two-thirds less than the Trust is forking out.
BAY CENTER'S PLAN B Hoteliers are upset about the $90-million plan to use the fifth cent of the county's tourism tax to cover the bonds to renovate the Pensacola Bay Center and build an indoor sports facility at Ashton Brosnaham Park. The proposal includes a $60 million indoor sports facility at Brosnaham Park and $30 million for the Bay Center. The bond would require annual payments of up to $6 million for 30 years.
The Tourism Development Council (TDC) approved the proposal last month. Board member Jim Reeves voted against it and wrote in a viewpoint that the rush to spend $90 million on a sports complex and Bay Center upgrade was short-sighted and wrong.
Pensacola City Councilman Casey Jones, a fellow board member, also wrote a viewpoint, complaining the special meeting was held while he was at a city council meeting.
"Both Councilwoman Teniadé Broughton and I were fulfilling our duties at the City Council agenda conference when this crucial vote was taken, effectively silencing the voice of city leadership in this county-wide decision," Jones wrote. "This timing raises serious questions about the desire for comprehensive stakeholder involvement in decisions that will impact our entire community for generations. I strongly echo the sentiments expressed by Jim Reeves in his recent column, calling for a more measured and inclusive approach to this significant investment."
Since the TDC vote, some hoteliers have said they prefer Populous' plan for a significant remake of the Pensacola Bay Center and the creation of a Plaza District, which was presented to the TDC last December. The plan had several options, but the one that caught the hoteliers' attention was labeled "Flipping the Script."
The option had two major components: expanding and renovating the Pensacola Bay Center for $66.5 million and creating a Plaza District in the center's east parking lot for $69.8 million.
The Bay Center component includes expanding the East Entrance (Ninth Avenue side), adding new circulations, escalators, concessions, meeting space and storage and constructing a Club Level, a new balcony with six rows of fixed seats and one row of bar rail, a Bunker Club and Premium Seating areas with a restaurant and access to the floorlevel seating.
The Plaza District includes a practice ice rink, large conference center and plaza space with retail and restaurant options.
The Populous plan has no indoor sports facility. The Populous plan can be found on ricksblog.biz.
COUNTRY MUSIC'S EVOLUTION Last week, Levin Papantonio's Mike Papantonio interviewed Keith Urban at Mass Torts Made Perfect in Las Vegas. He asked Urban about the evolution of country music.
Urban started his answer with a line from a
DON GAETZ WILL FIGHT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!
Talking Heads song—"Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. It's the same as it ever was."
He explained, "Country music in the '50s made a business choice to change its sound because it was losing market share of this new thing called 'Rock and Roll.' Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins, the architects of the Nashville sound, decided to make it a bit more cosmopolitan. And so, you ended up with luscious strings and luscious backup vocals and twinkly piano. You have things like 'Crazy' by Patsy Cline."
Urban added that while the Nashville sound era may have traditional country songs, the music was not. He said, "It doesn't sound like Hank Williams. It doesn't sound like Bob Wills. It doesn't sound like all the country music that came before. It sounded much slicker and much more city. And that was intentional."
The singer-songwriter continued, "That's simply never changed in country music. It's just a version of the twinkly piano, luscious strings and those things. The instruments have changed. So today, it would be hip-hop, drum machines, other things, but it's a new form of country music."
Urban believes country music has cycles. "I've always seen country music as a breathing lung. It expands outward, gets more mainstream, more pop, more pop, more pop. And then, everyone freaks out and quickly runs back to simplicity and truth. It contracts, and then everybody loves it. Then, a new thing comes in and slowly expands back out each decade, each generation. And then we freak out; we go back in again."
THANKS, RON Six weeks after Inweekly recommended Gov. Ron DeSantis appoint the win-
ner of the August primary for the Escambia County Commission's District 4 seat, he appointed the GOP primary winner, Ashlee Hofberger.
The announcement described Hofberger as "the owner of The Wash Room Laundromat. She is the recipient of the 2019 National Association for Industrial and Office Properties Member of the Year. A volunteer of the PACE Center for Girls, Hofberger earned her bachelor's degree in business from the University of West Florida."
Hofberger faces Democrat Ron Helms in the November general election to complete the last two years of Robert Bender's. Until then, she will serve on the county commission. District 4 has been without representation since Gov. DeSantis appointed Bender as Escambia County's supervisor of elections in January. {in}
Unpacking Feminine Rage with Mannequin Pussy
By Dakota Parks
If the state of the world ever makes you feel like a feral animal backed in a corner baring your teeth, then Mannequin Pussy has you covered. Formed in 2010, this Philadelphiabased punk band blends thought-provoking lyrics with the raw complexities of love, longing, political unrest and feminine rage. Across four albums, the band—comprised of lead vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Marisa "Missy" Dabice, drummer Kaleen Reading, bassist and vocalist Colins "Bear" Regisford and guitarist Maxine Steen—consistently redefines punk ethos with a sound as bold as it is boundary-breaking. On tour with their latest album, "I Got Heaven," Inweekly caught up with Dabice ahead of their show at The Handlebar on Monday, Oct. 21.
INWEEKLY: You've been on tour for the new album since April. How has it been so far?
DABICE: It's been phenomenal and very intense and exhilarating and completely exhausting. We did seven weeks in the U.S., had four days off, went to Europe for five weeks, came back with a few days off, and then did a festival every weekend of July. We ended up canceling a portion of the tour because, as it turns out, the human body has limitations.
INWEEKLY: Talk to me a little about the track "Loud Bark." That song embodies pure feminine rage. What inspired you to write it?
DABICE: That's actually my favorite song on
the album. It started with that ominous riff that Maxine was playing. It was a menacing feeling, almost felt like something was stalking you from the distance. I'm also really obsessed with comparing myself to a feral animal; that theme comes up a lot in our discography. Maybe I'll discuss that in therapy one day. It had all the right elements of femininity and rage. I also love a solid, repeating chorus, because there is something very menacing, threatening and kind of loosely psychotic about repeating the same thing over and over and over again.
INWEEKLY: Your music is so vulnerable and raw. What is the songwriting process like for you?
DABICE: It feels like I'm living within the world of the songs, especially when Maxine and I are working together. She's my closest collaborator, constantly surprising me with riffs that inspire my melodies. When I bring a song to her, I'm excited to see what she adds, and that excitement grows as Bear and Kaleen add their parts. A song often reveals its meaning through the instrumentals. I can't force it; the song tells me what the feelings and themes are, and then I just excavate the words.
INWEEKLY: I've always been struck by how each of your albums can be so musically different from one another, and this new album is no exception. It moves between softer, more intimate tracks and harder,
rage-filled songs. What drives that juxtaposition of emotions?
DABICE: I think that juxtaposition reflects the complexity of the human spirit. We're often expected to be the same person all the time, or to stick to one emotion as if that's the core of our personality. But I find people more interesting when they allow themselves to experience a range of emotions and really get in touch with them. I used to shy away from my own emotions for a long time, but you reach a point where everything boils over. We also don't have many spaces where we can truly express ourselves without inviting comments or judgment, but with a song, it's different. If I post something online, it invites reactions. A song, however, offers a personal experience—listeners engage with it privately within the confines of their own heads. It becomes a space where I can be completely honest about my feelings. Right now, I feel the most emotionally solid I've ever been—oscillating between a deep rage that continues to burn and get stronger as I get older while still experiencing lust, passion, loneliness, disillusionment—all the things that make being alive the experience that it is.
INWEEKLY: Your music often blends the personal and the political. How do you navigate that balance?
DABICE: I studied political science in college, and there was a time I thought I might go into politics because I was so enraged by
how broken the system is. You start to realize that a lot of what we've been told is a lie, and America itself is built on myths. As you start to break down these systems, you break down too, because it feels like the odds are stacked against you.
I've always been angry about the inherent violence in our society, especially under patriarchal systems where strength is equated with violence. To me, real strength is about holding back from saying or doing something hurtful, knowing you could emotionally decimate another person but showing compassion instead.
On top of that, our identities have been politicized—specifically our demographics in the band— because Black bodies, women's bodies, trans people and queer people are constantly under attack. It's impossible for us to write music that doesn't reflect our personal experiences, because we're still trying to understand why people treat us so badly and where all this brutality and violence comes from. As artists, our job is to take these huge, macro-level problems and focus them through the lens of our personal experiences.
INWEEKLY: I'm glad you mentioned the politicization of identity. Your band is incredibly diverse, featuring queer, trans, women and people of color—all in one band, which feels incredibly unique because you're all drawing from those vastly different life experiences. DABICE: We are definitely a unique group who
Mannequin Pussy / Photo by Millicent Hailes
just purely found each other and kind of fell in love with each other—in a creative sense. You know, we've shared a lot of experiences with each other out on the road and opened up to each other about the things we've seen and been through. So, we're in a unique position to take those personal experiences and incorporate them in our music. I think that's why our audiences have become much more diverse too, because they're experiencing the same things we are.
INWEEKLY: Speaking of feminism and politics, I've always considered Mannequin Pussy a feminist punk band in the vein of Riot grrrl or Bikini Kill. Feminist punk has a rich history of pushing boundaries. How do you see Mannequin Pussy contributing to that legacy?
DABICE: Just by the very virtue of being ourselves on stage, we contribute to the feminist movement. It's important to see people like us in these positions of power, reclaiming authority for ourselves. I've really embraced my femininity recently. For a long time, I felt that to be powerful, I had to be more masculine. I've enjoyed subverting the expectations of femininity by wearing dresses and outfits that are archetypically feminine, then turning that on its head by screaming at the top of my lungs in a beautiful gown while calling out political oppression. I'm dredging up these antiquated notions of femininity in a modern context and having a lot of fun expressing my identity on my own terms. You don't need to conform or follow social expectations of what defines womanhood.
INWEEKLY: I think a lot of women, especially queer women, can relate to that reclamation of femininity. We live in a society that often dismisses femininity as powerless, so many find power in more masculine and androgynous presentations.
DABICE: It's fun to play with gender, obviously, but wouldn't it be great if we could tap into this feminine energy and still be taken seriously as a dominating, respected force? I've been thinking about how creativity embodies feminine energy. To create something is inherently feminine, while destruction is often seen as masculine. This perspective can be limiting, but there's nothing more feminine than creating music, bringing people together and inspiring them to be exactly who they are.
INWEEKLY: Mannequin Pussy was recently featured on a Destroy Boys' track "You Hear Yes," alongside Scowl—creating this powerful, punk anti-harassment anthem. Both Destroy Boys and Scowl are visceral, queer, feminist bands calling out the injustices in the world. How does it feel to work with bands that share such a similar energy?
DABICE: Destroy Boys wrote the song and had this space for me that they wanted to fill. I went into the studio and wrote for my little part. We've known each other for three years at this point, and I really admire what they're doing and how much they've grown in the years that we've known each other. So, I was really excited and flattered that they wanted me to be part of their song.
INWEEKLY: This new album reminds me a little of my favorite track "Drunk II" and your album "Romantic" with its deep meditations
on longing and yearning to be loved. What draws you back to those themes?
DABICE: During the "I Got Heaven" era, I was in a reflective mindset after ending a relationship in 2021. I realized I had spent most of my life being someone's girlfriend and felt unhappy in most of those relationships. This realization motivated me to stop dating and focus on my creativity and art for the first time as an adult. In my mid-30s, it was eye-opening to see that I had never fully devoted time to my own goals. I've been in some toxic relationships with people that don't really want you to tour, don't want you to be success and don't want to share you with other people. Choosing solitude was empowering. In the absence of romantic love came musings on how I would approach relationships differently in the future.
INWEEKLY: That's a really vulnerable and powerful answer, and I appreciate you sharing it. It serves as a reminder for other women who may feel defined solely by their roles as a girlfriend, wife or mother, often losing sight of their own dreams and aspirations. Many women can relate to the feeling of being valued primarily for what they can do for others rather than for who they are.
DABICE: I really think there is some collective consciousness happening right now, speaking from a place of heteronormativity. I heard something recently that said, "Be wary of a man who wants a wife and a baby; he should want to be a father and a husband." Women are still seen as property to so many people and as an accessory to other people's lives. Which makes me question, what value does this person bring to my life, or am I simply expected to serve them and look good for someone else to feel complete? At this point in my life, I'm not interested in fusing with another person, unless it's going to be creatively, emotionally and spiritually fulfilling. I was just tricked for a long time as to what to accept in relationships, and I've done the work to break that down.
INWEEKLY: You can definitely hear those influences in your music as you constantly challenge those social roles. To wrap on a lighter note with a fun question, what is a book that has significantly impacted you?
DABICE: Not to be too intellectual, but I have to mention "A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn. It's a mind-blowing account of American history stripped of mythology and nationalism, presenting the facts as they are. On the other hand, I also love the poet, Mary Oliver. Her essays and poems deeply resonate with me, especially her appreciation for the natural world. Despite the brutality of life, she highlights the beauty and magic all around us—even in times of grief. {in}
MANNEQUIN PUSSY'S "I GOT HEAVEN" TOUR
WHAT: Mannequin Pussy with Margaritas Podridas
WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21
WHERE: The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St.
COST: $25 in advance, $27 at the door
DETAILS: mannequinpussy.com, thehandlebar850.com
JASON
BRUTON CAMPBELL-WORK
a&e happenings
NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS
HADJI SHRINERS HAUNTED HOUSE
Haunted House at Hadji Shrine, 800 W. Nine Mile Road, runs 7-10:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night through the final three weeks of October, including Halloween Night on Thursday, Oct. 31. Tickets are available at hadjihauntedhouse.com.
SECOND ANNUAL BUBBLES, BREWS, AND BITES Pensacola MESS Hall fundraiser is 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 at Bear Jones Moore Reeves Center for Math and Advanced Technology at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. Tickets are available at pensacolamesshall. org/bubbles-brews-and-bites.
PAW-LLOWEEN ADOPTION EVENT Meet adoptable pets, enjoy fall crafts, food trucks and more 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 at Anderson Subaru, 200 W. Fairfield Drive.
BREAST CANCER BENEFIT AT GARY'S
BREWERY Event is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. It will feature 50/50 raffles, food and more. Details are at facebook/garysbrew.
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.
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. Ninth 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 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens 10 a.m. and has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women, as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.
CALL TO ARTISTS
CINCO BANDERAS There is a call to artists for Artel Gallery's "Cinco Banderas." There is no theme and no size limit. Entry fee for two pieces is $35. Drop off art 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. For more information, visit artelgallery.org.
ARTS & CULTURE
BALLET PENSACOLA PRESENTS: CINDERELLA Ballet Pensacola's season opener is the classic "Cinderella." Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, Saturday, Oct. 19, and 1:30 p.m. Sunday Oct. 20 at Pensacola Little
Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Tickets are $35$50. Details are at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
CLEO'S PURRANORMAL CATIVITY
CELEBRATION Coastal Cat Café is celebrating Cleo's second birthday with discounts on walk-in visits and special tarot card readings 6 and 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. Tickets are $32 a person and include lounge time in the cat café. Coastal Cat Café is located at 1508 W. Garden St. Details are at coastalcatpcola.com.
BOO AT THE ZOO Boo at the Zoo returns to the Gulf Breeze Zoo with activities for all ages including trick-or-treating while enjoying festive Halloween decorations in the wild and not-sospooky setting of the Zoo. Events are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 21-22 and 28-30. Cost is $10 for zoo members and $20.95-$27.95 for regular admission with train rides included. Visit gbzoo.com/ event/boo-at-the-zoo for details.
89TH ANNUAL PENSACOLA INTERSTATE
FAIR Enjoy 11 days of rides, food, fun, music and gaming Oct. 17-27 at the Pensacola Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway. Opening day will have $1 admission for all ages. General admission s $14 for adults, $6 for children ages 4-11, and free for children 3 and younger. Unlimited ride wristbands are $25 for Monday-Thursday use (also on Sunday, Oct. 27) and $30 for Friday-Sunday use. Individual ride credits will also be available. There is also a $5 parking fee, which will be collected upon exiting the fair parking lot. For a full list of bands and entertainment, visit pensacolafair.com.
TAM TAYLOR AT CLUB 27 COMEDY Show is
7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are at club27comedy.com
GALLERY NIGHT The October Gallery Night theme is "Fright Night" 5-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 in downtown Pensacola on South Palafox. Details are at gallerynightpensacola.org.
OPERA AFTER DARK Nighttime performance from Pensacola Opera performers is 7-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 at Museum Plaza, 300 S. Tarragona St. Food trucks are on site. Admission is free. Visit pensacolaopera.com for details.
BOO ON THE BOARDWALK This event is 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 at Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site, 5709 Mill Pond Road in Milton. Tours are $8-$10. Limit 25 people a session. Visit historicpensacola.org/plan-your-visit/ haunted-happenings for details.
EAST HILL WITCHES RIDE The second annual Witches Ride begins at 12:30 p.m. leaving from Cordova Square Park Saturday, Oct. 19. Wear your witchy attire and bike through East Hill with 45-minute stops. RSVP at myeasthill.org.
HALLOWEEN DOUBLE FEATURE AT SAENGER Enjoy two Halloween movie screenings at Saenger, 118 S. Palafox St. At 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, is the 1993 film "Hocus Pocus." Tickets are $5. At 8 p.m., is "Night of the Living Dead." Tickets for the evening show are $8. Bring a donation for Manna Food Pantry, and entry is $5. Details are at pensacolasaenger.com.
34TH ANNUAL HAUNTED HOUSE WALKING AND TROLLEY TOURS Choose from Madness and Murder Walking Tour, Seville Spirits Walking Tour and Trolley of the Doomed Tour. Available times and days are 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19, 25 and 26. Ticket prices start at $8. Visit historicpensacola.org/plan-your-visit/ haunted-happenings for details.
PUNK ROCK FLEA MARKET Various vendors, food trucks and live bands is 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20 on West Belmont St. Details are at facebook.com/punkrockfleamarketpensacola.
BROWN BAG OPERA Free opera performance is noon Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the Opera Center, 75 S. Tarragona St. Admission is free. Details are at pensacolaopera.com.
POTUS Watch this new show at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Saturdays, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, Thursday, Oct. 31 and 2:30 p.m. Sundays Oct. 27 and Nov. 3. Tickets are $20-30. Details are at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
CINEMAS IN THE SAND Watch "Monsters Inc" starting at sunset Friday, Oct. 25 at Gulfside Pavilion, weather permitting. For more information and updates, visit facebook.com/ visitpensacolabeach.
PENSACOLA POP COMICS GRAPHIC
NOVEL BOOK CLUB The next Graphic Novel Book Club meeting is 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. The discussion will be on "Here" by Richard McGuire. Pop Comics is located at 909 N. 12th Ave.
HARVEST FEST Jubilee Church will host its annual Harvest Fest 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at 5910 N. W St. It will feature hayrides, inflatables, baseball and basketball challenges, face painting and more. Event is open to all kids 18 and younger. Visit facebook.com/jubilee.church for details.
WISTERIA TAVERN MARKETS Wisteria Tavern will host monthly market dates for the fall with live music and food trucks. Markets are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15 at 3808 N. 12th Ave. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE EXHIBITION
OPENING RECEPTION
Enjoy an exhibition of work from 2023 Artists in Residence at the 309 Punk House. This exhibition consists of artists from myriad underrepresented cultural backgrounds and is diverse in race, class, sexual orientation and gender. This exhibit is on view at Pensacola Museum of Art (PMA), 407 S. Jefferson St., through Nov. 24. Details are at pensacolamuseum.org.
ECLECTIC FIDELITIES
Artwork and performances celebrating women in the arts is on view through Dec. 13 at Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Building 15, 1000 College Blvd. Artists lectures and workshops are in November.
KINGS AND QUEENS OPEN MIC COMEDY
Try your hand at stand-up comedy or watch others perform 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Tuesdays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 Cervantes St. Details are at sirrichardslounge.com.
Pensacola Recognized for Ongoing Progress
These achievements highlight the community’s success in maintaining a safe environment for its residents.
Tradition of Youth, Football and Community
The 32nd annual Soul Bowl returned to downtown Pensacola on Saturday, Oct. 5, drawing thousands to the Blue Wahoos stadium for a day of fun, food, and youth football. The tournament features teams of players ages 5 to 14. Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May emphasized that it’s more than just a game—it’s a way to give kids hope and build character.
“These children are learning discipline and staying physically fit,” May explained, noting its role in fighting issues like childhood obesity. May highlighted the multi-generational impact, with families like Reggie Smith’s participating for four generations. “That’s what this is about, people coming from all walks of life,” he said.
happenings
SILENT BOOK CLUB AT BODACIOUS
Sundays are for quietly reading at Bodacious Bookstore & Café, 110 E. Intendencia St. Join the Silent Book Club 10-11 a.m. Sundays. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.
PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.
BTB COMEDY Watch live standup comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.
COMEDY SHOWCASE AT SUBCULTURE
BTB Comedy presents a comedy showcase the first Thursday monthly at Subculture Art Gallery, 701 N. V St. Follow facebook.com/pensacolasubculture for updates.
SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.
PALAFOX MARKET Enjoy Palafox Market
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/downtownpensacola.
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 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 Pensacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are 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 Paranormal 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. After 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.
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.
FOOD + DRINKS
WOLFGANG PENSACOLA THREE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY AT WISTERIA TAVERN
The first 30 dogs to attend will receive special anniversary gifts, and you'll enjoy 30% off all merchandise during the event. Event is 6-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Details are at wolfgangparkandbrews.com.
A CELEBRATION OF FALL HARVEST: A FOOD AND WINE EVENT
Special dinner from Chef Ian Gillette is 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 at Angelena's, 101 E. Intendencia St. Cost is $150 a person. For table reservations, please call (850) 542-8398. For more information, visit angelenaspensacola.com.
ODD COLONY FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Beer releases, new merchandise, food trucks and live music from John Hart and The Prince Bros is all day Saturday, Oct. 19. Live music starts 7 p.m. at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details are at facebook.com/oddcolony.
AN EVENING IN VACQUERYAZ Bodacious multi-course meal with French wine pairings is 6-9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Cost is $90. Tickets are available on Eventbrite or facebook.com/bodaciousshops.
SPIRITS & SPELLS: A HAUNTED CRAFT COCKTAIL WORKSHOP Enjoy a 90-minute cocktail experience with all ingredients. All participants get a take-home professional barware set. Event is 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 at The Loft at the Mercantile, 2 Intendencia St. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at rustedarrowmercantile.com/events.
MUMMY AND ME CHARCUTERIE NIGHT
Parents and kids can enjoy making a charcuterie board together 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Tickets are $85 for one adult and one child. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.
ODD HALLOWS EVE Dark beer releases, live band karaoke, costume contest MI SU street food and classic Halloween movies starts 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details are at facebook.com/oddcolony.
BOO-ERY AND HAUNTED WALK TOUR WITH PERDIDO PERFORMING ARTS Join Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave., for a haunted tour around the brewery 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25. Enjoy live performances, local food trucks, music and of course spooktacular fun for the whole fam-
Tom Dahlborg is an internationally recognized speaker and writer focusing on stopping bullying and amplifying positive childhood experiences. His multiple award-winning book, The Big Kid and Basketball … and the lessons he taught his Father and Coach, has led to significant youth sport and school system improvements and improved child experience and well-being.
a&e happenings
ily. Free admission for children ages 3 and younger. Details are available at facebook.com/garysbrew.
HALLOWEEN WEEKEND AT PERFECT
PLAIN Halloween festivities at all Perfect Plain venues Friday, Oct. 25-Sunday Oct. 27. Enjoy drink specials, scaryoke, costume contests, dance party and pet costume contest. Details are at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewing com.
TROLLEY BAR TOUR Five Fags Trolley Co. hosts this hop-on/hop-off tour of the favorite bars in downtown Pensacola. Dates are through Dec. 31. For tickets and information, visit pensacolawinterfest.org/pub-and-party-trolley-indowntown-pensacola/.
MEN'S NIGHT AT WISTERIA From 3 p.m. to close Mondays, guys can play free darts and enjoy $6 craft tallboys. There are more than 150 craft beers to choose from. Wisteria is located at 3803 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
FIGHTER GAME NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Gamers unite 5 p.m.-close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
SIN NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S SIN Night is 11 p.m. to close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
TRIVIA NIGHT AND SIN Trivia is 9-10:30 p.m. Mondays, and SIN is 11 p.m.-3 a.m. at Mugs
and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.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.
DOUBLE MONDAYS AND SIN NIGHT Enjoy
Double Mondays 8 p.m. to midnight and SIN Night 11 p.m. to close at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.
75 CENT OYSTERS AT ATLAS Enjoy 75-cent oysters 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. For more information, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.
MUSIC BINGO Test your music knowledge 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Take part in half-price bottles of wine and $5 canned cocktails. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.
POKER NIGHT AND BINGO AT O'RILEY'S
Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for poker at 6:30 p.m. and bar bingo 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are ac-
cepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.
DOLLAR NIGHT Enjoy Dollar Night 8 p.m.-midnight Tuesdays at Mugs and Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.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.
DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night is 8 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.
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.
SIN NIGHT AND KARAOKE Karaoke is 9 p.m.1 a.m. and SIN specials are 11 p.m.-3 a.m. at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar. 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.
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.
PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA Get deals on pitchers 8 p.m. to midnight at O'Riley's Tavern. Trivia is 9 -11 p.m. Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.
DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night with a DJ starts 8 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub. com for details.
TRIVIA UNDER THE TREES 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 at 208 Newman Ave. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.
FIESTY FRIDAY NIGHTS Drink specials start 8 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge. com for details.
for more listings visit inweekly.net
free will astrology
WEEK OF OCTOBER 17
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): As a young adult, I lived in a shack in the North Carolina woods. I was too indigent to buy a car or bicycle, so I walked everywhere I needed to go. Out of necessity, I discovered the practical power of psychic protection. I envisioned myself being surrounded by an impenetrable violet force field and accompanied by the guardian spirits of a panther, wolf and bear. This playful mystical practice kept me safe. Though I was regularly approached by growling dogs and drunk thugs in pickup trucks, I was never attacked. Now would be an excellent time for you to do what I did: put strong psychic protection in place. You're not in physical danger, but now is a good time to start shielding yourself better against people's manipulative gambits, bad moods, emotional immaturity and careless violations.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): "Dear Rob: I once heard you say that the best method for solving any dilemma is to sit silently, calm my mind and listen for the 'still, small voice of the teacher within me.' I have tried your advice, but I have never detected this voice. What am I doing wrong? - Deprived Taurus." Dear Taurus: Here's how to become available for guidance from the still, small voice of your inner teacher. 1. Go someplace quiet, either in nature or a beloved sanctuary. 2. Shed all your ideas and theories about the nature of your dilemma. 3. Tenderly ask your mind to be empty and serene as you await an intuition. 4. Feel sweet gratitude for each breath as you inhale and exhale. 5. Visualize your inner teacher smiling. 6. Make yourself expectant to receive an insightful blessing.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): In the parlance of people who love to trek in natural places, a "cobbknocker" refers to a hiker who precedes you and knocks down the spider webs crossing the trail. I would love for you to procure a similar service for all your adventures in the coming weeks, not just hiking. See if you can coax or hire helpers to clear a path for you in everything you do. I want you to be able to concentrate on the essentials and not get bogged down or distracted by trivial obstructions. You need spaciousness and ease.
By Rob Brezsny
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): When you are at your Cancerian best, you nurture others but don't smother them with excessive care. You give your gifts without undermining your own interests. You are deeply receptive and sensitive without opening yourself to be abused or wounded. In my astrological estimation, you are currently expressing these qualities with maximum grace and precision. Congratulations on your everripening emotional intelligence! I trust you will be rewarded with grateful favors.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Here's the deal life is offering: You temporarily suspend your drive to possess crystalline certainty, and you agree to love and thrive on ambiguity and paradox. In return, you will be given help in identifying unconscious and hidden factors at work in your destiny. You will be empowered to make confident decisions without needing them to be perfect. And you will learn more about the wise art of feeling appreciative reverence for great mysteries.
You will be empowered to make confident decisions without needing them to be perfect.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): I once had a Virgo girlfriend. She was talented, hardworking, meticulous, organized, health-conscious and resourceful. She also hated it if I neglected to put the jar of honey back in the cupboard immediately after using it. She would get upset if I neglected to remove my shoes as soon as I entered the house. Her fussy perfectionism wasn't the reason we ultimately broke up, but it did take a toll on me. I bring this to your attention because I hope you will mostly keep fussy perfectionism to yourself in the coming weeks. It's fine if you want to indulge it while alone and doing your own work, but don't demand that others be equally fastidious. Providing this leeway now will serve you well in the long run. You can earn slack and generate good will that comes in handy when you least expect it.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Your bulboid corpuscles are specialized nerve cells in your skin that can experience intense tactile pleasure—
more so than any other nerve cells. They are located in your lips, tongue and genitals. According to my analysis of your astrological potentials, these ultra-sensitive receptors will be turned on extra high in the coming weeks. So will their metaphysical and metaphorical equivalents. That's why I predict you will gather in more bliss than you have in a long time. Please give yourself permission to exceed your usual quota.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Once upon a time, you were more hazardous to yourself than you are now. I'm pleased about the progress you have made to treat yourself with greater care and compassion. It hasn't been easy. You had to learn mysterious secrets about dealing with your inner troublemaker. You had to figure out how to channel its efforts into generating benevolent and healing trouble. There's still more work to be done, though. Your inner troublemaker isn't completely redeemed and reformed. But you now have a chance to bring it more fully into its destined role as your ally and helper.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): I predict your past will soon transform. You may discover new details about old events. Stories you have told and told about your history will acquire new meanings. You will be wise to reinterpret certain plot twists you thought you'd figured out long ago. There may not be anything as radical as uncovering wild secrets about your true origins—although I wouldn't discount that possibility. So expect a surprise or two, Sagittarius. But I suspect you will ultimately be pleased to revise your theories about how you came to be the resilient soul you are now.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Of all the astrological signs, Capricorns are least likely to consult horoscopes. There are many skeptical people among your tribe who say, "Astrology is irrational and illogical. It can't be precise and accurate, so it's not even real." My personal research also suggests, however, that a surprising percentage of Capricorns pretend not to be drawn to astrology even though they actually are. They may even hide their interest from others. How do I feel about all this? It doesn't affect me as I compose your oracles. I love you as much as the other signs, and I always give you my best effort. Now I suggest in the com -
ing weeks, you do what I do: Give your utmost in every situation, even if some people are resistant to or doubtful of your contributions. Be confident as you offer your excellence.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): You are ready to graduate to a higher octave of maturity and wisdom about everything related to love, romance and sex. It will be instructive to meditate on your previous experiences. So I invite you to ruminate on the following questions. 1. What important lessons have you learned about the kind of togetherness you want? 2. What important lessons have you learned about the kind of togetherness you don't want? 3. What important lessons have you learned about how to keep yourself emotionally healthy while in an intimate relationship?
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Are you longing to feel safe, cozy and unperturbable? Are you fantasizing about how perfect life would be if you could seal yourself inside your comfort zone and avoid novelty and change for a while? I hope not, Pisces! By my astrological reckoning, you are due for a phase of experimentation and expansion. You will thrive on the challenges of big riddles and intriguing teases. Please take full advantage of this fun opportunity to hone your intuition and move way beyond random guesswork. For extra credit: Prove the theory that it's possible to cultivate and attract good luck.
HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Is it time to rest in one area of your life as you work harder in another area? {in}
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news of the weird
WHAT'S MY FETISH? Jesse Johnson, 28, was arrested on Sept. 24 in Gilbert, Arizona, after three instances in which he allegedly spied on women's feet as they vacuumed their cars, AZFamily reported. Police said Johnson's M.O. at the Super Star Car Wash in Gilbert was to park next to a woman's car at the vacuum station, then slide underneath her car for a few minutes before climbing back out. One victim said she felt "very violated and I've been having nightmares." It's not the first time Johnson has been caught lusting after feet: Court documents revealed that he had been cited at least four times in Nebraska, and that he had touched a woman's ankle in a grocery store. He admitted to authorities there that he "is sexually attracted to women's feet" and "at times, can't control his sexual desires." Johnson was charged with three counts of voyeurism and three counts of disorderly conduct and held on $10,000 bond.
CREEPY In late September, Derek Johnson, owner of JVI Secret Gardens in Donelson, Tennessee, was alerted by an employee that someone was walking around the garden center wearing a clown mask, WTVF-TV reported. But Johnson was not about to physically confront the creepy clown, whom he could see on surveillance video. Johnson clicked on his security system's speaker, but before he could say anything, the clown backed off: "I'm leaving." He left behind a propane tank and a saw blade that he had picked up to steal. "This is a sweet little garden center," Johnson said incredulously. Police are investigating.
GREAT ART? A work of art at the LAM museum in Lisse, the Netherlands, was mistakenly thrown away by an elevator technician in late September, CNN reported. "All the good times we spent together" by French artist Alexandre Lavet appears to be two empty beer cans, but, the museum said, it is really "meticulously hand-painted with acrylics, with each detail painstakingly replicated." The work was displayed in the facility's glass elevator shaft, and when a technician came in to work on the lift, he helpfully pitched it in the trash. "He was just doing his job in good faith," said Sietske van Zanten, the museum director. The cans were later recovered, cleaned and returned to display, albeit in a different location.
WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU ... Tizi Hodson, 70, of Lincolnshire, England, sent off an application in January 1976, hoping to become a motorcycle stunt rider, the BBC reported on Oct. 5. Recently, the letter was returned to her with a note: "Late delivery by Staines Post Office. Found behind a draw(er). Only about 50 years late." "How they found me when I've moved house 50-odd times, and even moved countries four or five times, is a mystery," Hodson said. "I was so disappointed because I really, really wanted to be a stunt rider on a motorcycle." Instead, her life's work has included being a snake handler, horse whisperer, aerobatic pilot and flying instructor. "It means so much to me to get it back all this time later," she said.
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
AWESOME! Reddit user Springchikun was doing some lawn cleanup in September when she noticed that a small hatch leading to a crawlspace under her home was unlatched. The New York Post reported that the Oregon woman investigated, finding a makeshift bed and several bags of belongings. She noted that the crawlspace was free of cobwebs, suggesting that someone had been there recently. "I'm sure someone is using the space," she said. But Springchikun didn't want to call the authorities about the squatter. "We have an option to be kind," she said. Instead, she wrote the person a note, offering support such as food, a phone or help with resources. As a result, she met her unexpected guest, whose name is Gaby, and connected her with a friend who could help her with shelter and a mental health evaluation. "I'm not without empathy," she said. "I just can't have humans living under my home."
FAMILY VALUES Indonesian police have arrested a man near Jakarta, identified as RA, after he allegedly sold his 11-month-old baby on Facebook for $995 to fund his gambling addiction. The Telegraph reported that when the baby's mother returned home, she asked him where the child was. "RA saw on Facebook that the buyers were looking to purchase a toddler so he sent them a message and arranged the purchase," the police chief said. Police found the child in a rented home and arrested two adults suspected of human trafficking.
NEWS YOU CAN USE When Hannah Willow arrived at the Scottish Tree Hugging Championships in Glasgow on Oct. 6, she thought the event was a charity affair, The Guardian reported on Oct. 9. "When I was told it was a competition, my inner child took a somersault ... This was a moment of glory for me," Willow said. Now, she's on her way to the World Tree Hugging Championship in HaliPuu Forest in Finland in August 2025. She's already strategizing about how to win: "I need to step up my game for the world championships," she said. "I will have to bring out my fairy wings and my ukelele and go singing to the trees." Willow said her children were "hugely embarrassed" to learn she had won the Glasgow contest.
•As if folks in Florida didn't have enough to worry about, State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis announced on Oct. 9 that after Hurricane Helene came through in September, at least 48 fires involving lithium-ion batteries had been reported—11 in electric vehicles. "Floridians living on the coastline who own EVs are at risk of those EVs being inundated with saltwater storm surge, which presents a dangerous fire threat to Florida families and homes," Patronis said, according to WFTS-TV. Other products like electric scooters, golf carts or children's toys also could be affected. "These compromised vehicles and devices are ticking time bombs," Patronis said. He suggested people move affected vehicles away from their homes. {in}
