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Pensacola
Tallahassee
Santa Rosa Beach
Destin
President Martha D. Saunders with UWF’s 2024 Top Scholars
winners & losers winners losers
CHRIS WATTS Escambia County selected Watts as the new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief starting Monday, Aug. 19. Chief Watts joins EMS with more than 13 years of emergency medical service experience. As EMS Chief, Chief Watts' duties will include managing the annual EMS budget, developing goals and objectives for EMS, planning and conducting research, ensuring compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, and complying with regulations, codes and standards. He has earned numerous certifications, including Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Burn Life Support.
JANET MIDDLETON The Florida Tax Collector Association recently awarded the manager of the Escambia County Tax Collector Molino Office the Distinguished Service Award. The prestigious honor recognizes Middleton's significant contributions to modernizing title and registration systems throughout the state. With more than 25 years of experience at the Escambia County Tax Collector's Office, she has established herself as a leading expert in state and federal laws pertaining to motor vehicle transactions.
RODNEY PRATT The Master Correctional Officer in Escambia County Corrections' Court Services Division is Escambia County's September 2024 Employee of the Month. Officer Pratt, who will celebrate 30 years with Escambia County later this year, began his career with Escambia County in November 1994. His team has recognized him for his in-depth knowledge of the Court Services unit, including medical and inmate transportation, court proceedings, Department of Juvenile Justice hearings and county vehicle checks.
WARREN
AVERETT CPAS AND ADVISORS
The firm has been named to The Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms™ list by Construction Executive for the fifth consecutive year. Warren Averett ranked 24th of more than 700 U.S. construction accounting firms to complete the survey. Its Construction Practice Group has more than 60 professionals who pride themselves on staying abreast of the ever-changing regulatory, economic and operational changes in the construction industry.
ESCAMBIA CHILDREN'S TRUST
The Escambia County Commission unanimously decided the Escambia Children's Trust (ECT) must return to the county $1,134,025 in tax increment revenues assessed in the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) districts since the ECT began receiving funds. The annual bill is estimated at $450,000 starting with the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The commissioners supported levying the tax and using the money for infrastructure projects, such as new sidewalks, lighting and security cameras, which will improve safety in the neighborhoods where children live. As of July 31, ECT had $24.65 million in its bank accounts.
TOWN
OF CENTURY Escambia's secondlargest city continues to defy Florida's Sunshine laws and doesn't even pretend to be transparent. Town officials refused to fulfill northescambia.com founder Will Reynold's multiple public record requests for the tentative budget before the town council meeting Sept. 3. The budget was published on the town's website or made available to the public for them to review the $10.6 million budget before the meeting. Adding to the circus, the town council approved a resolution establishing a final millage rate for 2024-2025 at the meeting but made some apparent mistakes in the details, according to Reynolds. The resolution read aloud before the vote differed from the resolution that was included with the agenda emailed to town council members and officials, along with local media.
FLORIDA'S BUDGET At the Joint Legislative Budget Commission meeting last week, Economist Amy Baker, coordinator of the Legislature's Office of Economic & Demographic Research, outlined the state's long-term financial outlook. The budget picture could go from a $2.09 billion surplus during the upcoming 2025-2026 fiscal year to a potential deficit of $2.826 billion in the 2026-2027 fiscal year and a potential deficit of $6.941 billion in the 2027-2028 fiscal year. The projections were based on lawmakers continuing current spending patterns and tax breaks while the state continues to grow rapidly. Baker said, "We have to acknowledge that fiscal strategies are going to be needed."
Chris Watts / Photo Courtesy of myescambia.com
outtakes
By Rick Outzen
SUPPORT THE DREAM
In June 1969, a Tampa planning consultant, Neil Carn of Adley Associates, outlined to the Pensacola City Council the goals of and guidelines for a 20-year master plan for the city's urban neighborhoods—similar to what Mayor D.C. Reeves is attempting to accomplish for many of the same neighborhoods with the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park project and with his Pensacola 2035: Strive to Thrive initiative.
Carn proposed a governmental complex on Spring Street to revitalize downtown and spur economic growth. He wanted historical and waterfront development closely tied to the development of the central business district, though I'm not sure where that district was supposed to be. And lastly, the consultant advocated elevating the Interstate spur from I-10 over the city's Black neighborhoods.
Why? Because the long-neglected and underserved neighborhoods were "lacking in basic facilities and such a state of deterioration that it would not be economically feasible to repair them."
The News Journal's editorial board described the urban neighborhoods where 20% of the city's population lived as "houses with holes in the wall or ceilings, houses with open cracks or missing materials over large areas of the floor, walls or roof, houses with leaning walls (or leaning themselves), houses damaged by fire or weather, or put together originally with makeshift materials."
Carn reported he found unpaved streets, mixed land uses, air pollution from nearby industrial plants, unsightly industrial storage, trash and junk in residential years and poor trash collection in the county portions.
The consultant called the "substandard housing" along the proposed spur a "real cancer" for Pensacola. The elevation of the I-110 would seal off the thoroughfare from the surrounding property. The gigantic bridge across the city's urban neighborhoods would prevent tourists, business travelers and white residents from having to see the neglect and poverty and help elected officials avoid doing anything in the Black neighborhoods as long as possible.
About 400 families would have to be displaced from Brent Lane to downtown Pensacola. Still, leaders seem to be more concerned about the landscape of the off-ramp when the spur hit the Gregory-Chase-Garden-Streets area and how it would impact the Seville historical district.
Many would be moved to public housing, which was being built at Davis Street and Fairfield Drive, now known as Pensacola Village. Others would move to the new Wedgewood Subdivision off Highway 29, which later had to deal with the environmental disaster of the Rolling Hills Landfill.
The city planner assured the city council, "The people displaced by the spur are given No. 1 priority on the public housing."
And the all-white city council and PNJ editorial board cheered.
However, the homes, businesses, churches and schools were destroyed. The city's Hollice T. Williams Equitable Development Framework Plan lists some of the history of the "lost neighborhood" in its presentation for the Pensacola City Council this week (see "The Buzz 9/12/24").
The "lost neighborhood" has several historically significant individuals, whose stories were nearly lost in the I-110 construction.
Katherine A. Goldsmith, R.N., coordinated the first nursing program for Black students at the Booker T. Washington Vocational School, which later became a model for the U.S. Navy. Dr. A.S. Magee Field is named for the surgeon who owned a pharmacy at Alcaniz and LaRua Streets. Dr. Magee performed surgeries in people's homes when Black doctors were not allowed to practice in hospitals during the early Jim Crow years.
Another doctor, Dr. Eli Sanford Cobb, served in the U.S. Army during WWI and returned to Pensacola after the war to practice medicine. Dr. Cobb loved sports and started two semi-pro teams: the Pensacola Seagulls baseball team and the Pensacola Giants football. The E.S. Cobb Community Center bears his name.
General Daniel "Chappie" James was born and raised in the neighborhood. A Tuskegee Airman pilot, General James was the first African American four-star general. Spencer Bibbs was the county's first African-American Supervisor of Colored Schools. Spencer Bibbs Academy was established in 1919 and served students through the fourth grade. School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas closed Spencer Bibbs Elementary School in 2011 over protests from the neighborhood.
Mayor Reeves' dream of reconnecting the Eastside neighborhoods is ambitious. We all should support it. {in} rick@inweekly.net
$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
BEGGS LANE CAMP ON THE CLOCK
By Tom St. Myer
The homeless population at the Beggs Lane encampment runs the gamut of hard-working, minimum-wage earners to substance abusers to sexual predators. Dozens of stray dogs and cats, countless piles of trash and a smattering of dilapidated RV campers, boats and vehicles add to the ambience.
An EPA sign states in capital letters, "Escambia Wood Treating Company Superfund Site No Authorized Entry" and hangs on a fence at the back of the encampment. The contaminated county property is no place for human habitation. The EPA minced no words in telling the county anyone living there is unacceptable. Yet, just about 100 feet from the sign is a couple sitting in lawn chairs surrounded by all of their worldly possessions.
"It being a Superfund site means absolutely nothing to them," said Frederick Henderson, who is in charge of street outreach for Waterfront Rescue Mission. "It's a little tragic because that's been their way of life."
Walter Arrington, a homeless health navigator for Community Health Northwest Florida, said the repercussions for those living at the Superfund site include "aggressive forms of cancer."
The combination of EPA enforcement and House Bill 1365 has spurred the county to partner with service providers to transition the homeless population from Beggs Lane to other living arrangements. HB 1365 goes into effect Oct. 1 and prohibits unauthorized camping or sleeping on
homeless from moving back to the contaminated property? Those are questions with no easy answers, especially in a county with a shortage of shelter beds.
Homeless service providers are increasing the number of beds and transitional housing options, said Serene Keiek, the Opening Doors interim executive director. But she also said, "I wish I could tell you we have enough housing to put all of them into, but we don't."
Arrington said one possible solution is to purchase five-plus acres of land that is commercially zoned and has a property owner willing to sign a one-year lease at an affordable price. County code would permit an outdoor encampment on private property that meets those specifications.
Satoshi Forest provides a blueprint. The nineacre private, nonprofit homeless camp is located at 1999 Massachusetts Ave. The 20-shelter campground includes solar power, porta-potties, running water and designated cooking areas. Arrington describes Satoshi Forest as safe with no drugs, alcohol or sex offenders on the property. He envisions a similar campground for those displaced from encampment closures.
Waterfront is one shelter option for women. The mission previously sheltered only men, but that changed Sept. 3 with the opening of 49 beds for women. Seven of the beds are designated for respite.
"It's one of the biggest social needs in our area," Henderson said. "At Waterfront, we do outreach, and we see some of the women in the camps, and we see some of the danger they're under and it's just really a stressful situation where they have nowhere to go."
HAIL MARY
Homeless service providers such as Waterfront require individuals to adhere to strict guidelines. Programmatic barriers turn off some of the homeless population. Criminality, substance abuse and severe and persistent illness are common traits among those at the encampment who refuse help from homeless service providers.
public property. The county has two additional months to ensure everyone is removed from Beggs Lane by Dec. 2.
A groundswell of support began with the county hosting meetings with the service providers. Since then, their outreach efforts to connect with the homeless in the encampment have included shelters, transitional housing, IDs, health care, mental health services and substance abuse programs. Providers stop by the encampment each day and drop off food and water to the homeless individuals.
FEW OPTIONS
Located in forested land near the North Palafox intersection, Beggs Lane is the longest active homeless encampment in the county at nearly 20 years old. County Emergency Manager Travis Tompkins estimated about 150 homeless individuals live on the Superfund site. Arrington said the population fluctuates and probably tops out at about 200 over the course of a day.
An uptick occurred two years ago when the city closed down the homeless encampment under Interstate 110. Arrington said those homeless individuals were essentially loaded up like cattle in a U-Haul and transported over to Beggs Lane.
"We can't do what we did under the (I-110) bridge," said Chandra Smiley, the Community Health CEO. "There's a difference of opinion. Some people think it was a huge success. I think it was an absolute fiasco."
So where will the homeless at Beggs Lane be placed? And how will code and law enforcement devote enough manpower to prevent the
"That way you have everybody in one spot where they're safe, where you can meet Maslow's hierarchy of needs," Arrington said. "They can start to decompress, get out of that fight-orflight (mindset). Then you can start addressing whatever underlying need needs to be addressed to build that person up for long-term sustainment and housing and reintegration into a community of their creation."
WOMEN AT HIGH RISK
No one describes Beggs Lane as safe, including those who live there. Women, in particular, are in constant danger. Arrington estimates anywhere from 20 to 30 women camp there on a given day. Homeless service providers kick into high gear to find shelter or housing for women, knowing the consequences of them staying at Beggs Lane are dire.
"We've known that (sex) trafficking has gone on down there," Arrington said. "We've had kidnapping situations and false imprisonment. When a woman exits into homelessness, we try to pull them out quickly. The metrics essentially say, show me a woman who's been experiencing homelessness for 30 days and I will show you a victim of sexual violence—full stop."
A 58-year-old woman affectionately known as "Mom" said she narrowly escaped being raped just a month earlier at the encampment.
"He told me, 'You're going to give me some of that pussy or I'm going to take it and watch you burn alive in your house, and I bet you're going to give me some before that happens,'" said Mom, who has been at the encampment for nearly a year and lives in a 20x40 foot shelter created out of tarp.
Mom said the raping of women of all ages is a normal occurrence at Beggs Lane and no one will report the crimes to law enforcement.
"Homeless people don't talk to the cops," she said. "Most of them have warrants."
"Some of them, no matter what type of help you try to give them, they won't take it," Tompkins said. "In some cases, there are some folks who that's how they want to live. There's not a whole lot of things you can do to convince somebody to take help."
Help is desperately needed, if not wanted. Point-in-Time data reveals roughly 60% of the homeless population has a disability. Some of them still manage to work. Research indicates up to 68% of them are employed. They simply do not make enough money or have a high enough credit score to rent a property.
A 55-year-old man known as "Right On" runs a bike repair business at Beggs Lane. Right On said, "We all have our place, we all have our jobs."
Right On is speaking about his particular section of the encampment. The encampment is divided into three subdivisions and each has its own version of a homeowners association, or HOA. Right On essentially serves as president of his subdivision. He is an expert on how to navigate the homeless lifestyle. He has been homeless for the past 17 years in Pensacola.
Right On describes the people at Beggs Lane as a "big family." Mom chimes in and says, "Closer to family than blood. We are the worst of the worst in society. You have no idea how we've been treated. Bad. Bad."
The family will soon break up after the county and homeless shelter providers figure out who to transport where. Right On holds out hope that the Beggs Lane encampment will somehow remain intact. He argues that the land is private and not beholden to HB 1365.
Reality says otherwise.
"Right now, there's just a lot of fear," Arrington said. "There's a lot of unknown and it's scary. Everything that person owns is in that camp."
The consensus among the longtime campers is they don't want to leave and will stay until forced out. Contaminated land and HB 1365 be damned.
"They're still in denial," Keiek said. "They believe a Hail Mary is going to come down and this bill isn't going to push them out of the woods. That's simply not the case." {in}
Photo by Tom St. Myer
RECONNECTING A LOST NEIGHBORHOOD
On Sept. 12, Urban Design Associates will present draft principles created for the Hollice T. Williams Equitable Development Framework Plan. Mayor D.C. Reeves has repeatedly said he wants the long-awaited Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park project to be more than drainage improvements, and the Pensacola City
In April 2023, Mayor Reeves participated in the Just City Design Mayoral Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He presented the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park project and how he wanted to reconnect the "lost neighborhood." He received advice on how
"It was really great to connect with national experts who have done projects exactly like this before and have seen them through, ensured that the community had feedback," Reeves said.
In July 2023, the City of Pensacola received over $39.7 million in state grant funding for several significant infrastructure projects, which included the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park project. The other projects involved the Port of Pensacola and the Fricker Community Center.
This past February, the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) awarded a contract to Urban Design Associates (UDA) to update the Urban Core, Eastside and Westside community redevelopment plans, and to produce a preliminary Equitable Development Framework Plan
The EDFP aims to counter negative developmental impacts catalyzed by the project's construction. The equity principles developed after public input will be included in the EDFP. They will guide park design and effect development projects with public funding within a half-mile
Several community events were held to gather public input, including multiple pop-up events with the Eastside community, as well as the two-day Party in the Park event. All community engagement ended the first week of August,
What is an Equitable Development Plan? It's a development that minimizes negative impacts, like increasing rents and home prices, and it is inclusive to everyone, especially long-time resi-
CRA Urban Design Planner Rachel Bennett discussed the presentation with Inweekly.
"These principles that you see in this presentation are completely from the community members that live in and around the park area, or specifically the half-mile radius that you see in the presentation," she said. "These principles are going to be applied to the design of the park, and they're also going to come up with applications in terms of how they can be presented in the design as well."
She added, "This will be a document that developers will reference if they seek any kind of local or federal money, especially incentive programs through us. This is the document that they're going to have to reference to make
sure that their developmental projects meet these principles."
Bennett said Eastside residents were initially skeptical of the process and plan. "Traditionally, there have been some projects or plans that they have committed to that didn't necessarily pan out. So, there's been some distrust in terms of local government and our processes, but I think throughout our community engagement and being active in the community, we're slowly starting to gain some of that trust back."
The Pensacola City Council meeting begins 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at Pensacola City Hall, 222 W. Main St. Visit cityofpensacola.com for more information.
STAY OF JAIL CARDS Last
week, State Attorney Ginger Madden announced that former Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill's aide, Jonathan Owens, would not be charged with any crime related to the personal text messages of Commissioner Jeff Bergosh that were stolen off the county's server.
However, the investigation did reveal that Jonathan Owens and the County's former IT director, Bart Siders, lied to cover up their conspiracy to damage Bergosh's political career.
In 2023, the PNJ reported that Owens had given former County Medical Director Rayme Edler's attorneys a spreadsheet containing 60,000 of Bergosh's text messages.
Bergosh had turned over his personal phone to the Siders in February 2022 because it was having issues, and he wanted a backup to preserve any public records before an overseas trip. Bergosh was given a copy of his files, and he said he directed Siders to delete all other copies.
Owens told the PNJ reporter that Siders had questioned him about how he obtained the files. The former commissioner said he told Siders a thumb drive showed up in his office when he was still working at the county, and "lo and behold, it had all Commissioner Bergosh's text messages on it."
Siders closed the investigation, accepting Owen's explanation. Commissioner Bergosh said when he asked Siders how the information was leaked to Owens and others in the community, the IT director told him he had no idea how it happened.
Now, we know both Owens and Siders lied, and neither will be charged.
According to the letter dated Sept. 4 from Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille, Siders told the state attorney's office under oath that he received a phone call after Bergosh complimented Siders and his staff for helping him with his phone during a public meeting. The caller wanted to remain anonymous but was making a public request for the data downloaded from Bergosh's phone. Even though the caller did not identify themselves, Siders recognized the voice was Owens.
Siders provided Owens with a complete copy of the information downloaded from the phone. This took place in a parking garage adjacent to the county office building. He said
he did not review or redact any confidential or exempt material that provided information or contained private communications and personal identification data not subject to the public records request.
The Florida Information Protection Act of 2014 was passed to better protect Floridians' personal information by ensuring entities take reasonable measures to protect personal information and report data breaches to affected consumers.
Siders' investigation into how IT leaked the records was a shame. The IT director knew how Owens got the records because he gave them to him. Still, he went through the pretense of an investigation. Marcille told the daily newspaper that Siders had been granted immunity by federal authorities, and the state attorney's office honored that agreement.
In his letter, Marcille said the state attorney would not charge Owens because the state could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the former commissioner's aide was aware the files handed to him by Siders contained Bergosh's data.
It appears Owens and Siders conspired to game the system to damage Bergosh politically, and they won.
When asked about his lies, Owens refused to explain the discrepancies between his narrative to the media and Siders' sworn statement, but he appeared to gloat that his political rival lost his Aug. 20 primary.
Owens told the News Journal, "Here's something I will say, Jeff lost his race, but I still have to battle an ethics complaint filed by Jeff Bergosh, and I have no comment as far as Marcille's letter."
Since receiving the letter, Bergosh has written a letter to State Attorney Madden asking her to reconsider the decision not to prosecute Owens.
Bergosh described the transfer of his phone records from Siders and Owens as "theft of personal identification information by an insider employee (Siders) who subsequently violated multiple laws and rules when the information he stole he also disseminated to a known political rival whom I had recently defeated in the 2020 election (Jonathan Owens)—unredacted and in contravention to established policies on handling public records requests."
He added the stolen files contained fullcolor photographs of two passports, two driver's licenses, three complete tax returns, credit cards, bank debit cards, passwords for bank accounts, login credentials to secure accounts, entrance codes for private residences and other information that is "confidential, privileged, and exempt from release under any public records request."
Bergosh said to Madden, "If you won't prosecute, I'm formally asking that this whole sordid episode be presented to the Grand Jury so they can (and will) investigate it as is appropriate."
SPEARS PROMOTED Last month, Ed Spears was named Milton's city manager after serving as
assistant city manager and economic development director.
"There are a lot of great opportunities in Milton," he said. "It's a diamond in the rough, and we're busy polishing it every day, letting people know it's a great place to live, work and play."
Spears continued, "There's so many projects, new construction businesses going in. When we eclipsed 10,000 in population for the first time in 2020, that put us on the radar for a lot of national site selectors. And we're seeing the fruits of that now, where national companies are coming into Milton. They're filling up our shopping centers, they're doing new buildings, and it's really making a big difference."
While working for the City of Pensacola, he oversaw the construction of the Community Maritime Park and Blue Wahoos Stadium. Spears talked about working under and with strong leaders in Pensacola.
"(City Manager) Tom Bonfield, Kevin Cowper (Community Development) and Marianne Ustick (Employee Services) were the three who brought me to Pensacola when I was in Richmond, Virginia," he said. "They laid so much of the foundation for the revitalization and the renaissance that we're living in today over in Pensacola with the changes to the code and the land development ordinances so that the flexibility was there; the creativity was there to let the private industry do what they do best and kind of get out of the way, cut all that red tape."
Spears added, "And then you add people like Quint Studer, who's been an amazing friend and mentor, and down the line—Dr. John Cavanaugh with UWF, Dr. Martha Saunders with UWF, Admiral [John] Fetterman and his wife Nancy. Amazing, amazing leaders who came forward. They held the course, they had a vision, and they made it a reality."
The City of Milton needs a new sewage treatment plan. Spears said, "We can build a new wastewater treatment plant. We're doing the exact same project Pensacola did. Our wastewater treatment plant is on a body of water in harm's way from a hurricane, discharging into the river, whereas they (ECUA) discharged right into Pensacola Bay. We want to move it inland and upland. It's the exact same project, and we can do it. At the same time, we can revitalize our downtown."
REAFFIRMING COMMITMENT ST Engineering, also known as VT MAE, has come under public scrutiny regarding its workforce at its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the Pensacola International Airport, particularly its layoff of Chilean workers.
Company officials met with Mayor D.C. Reeves on Thursday to discuss its workforce and detailed strategic growth plans. The mayor plans to meet later this month with Escambia County, FloridaWest, CareerSource, Pensacola State College, UWF and the school district to create a more robust pipeline to meet the ST's employment needs.
ST Chief Integration Officer Bill Hafner wrote Triumph Gulf Coast chair David Bear,
offering to share the same information with the board.
"Prior to that report, we wanted to re-emphasize—as we know you have received questions on the topic—that VT MAE is fully committed to growth and economic development in the City of Pensacola," Hafner wrote.
"At VT MAE, we have a diverse workforce that includes many talented local professionals who are instrumental in our operations. While we have been partnering with Pensacola State College to grow the local workforce to meet our skilled labor requirements, we have been complementing our local talent by relying on a group of workers recruited from other countries for roles that have been challenging to fill locally."
Hafner disputed claims that his company has laid off 300 Chilean workers.
"Currently, fewer than 60 workers have had to leave their positions," he said. "We are exploring options for these employees and others whose work authorizations are or may be impacted, including offering to support potential new visa applications for eligible impacted employees. This process could take several months because it can involve filings with a variety of federal agencies."
Hafner added, "VT MAE is offering financial support and travel costs during the visa application process for those who want to pursue the opportunity to be able to potentially return to work at the company."
CASINO GODFATHER BNews Monthly recognized Pensacola attorney and developer Charles Liberis for his contribution to gambling in Mississippi.
The City of Biloxi's monthly news magazine pointed out Liberis was the catalyst for the multi-billion casino industry in the Magnolia State when the City of Biloxi, under Mayor Gerald Blessey, and the Europa Star filed a lawsuit against the State of Mississippi in December 1987. A ruling by Judge James Thomas that the Supreme Court declined to review allowed Liberis' 187-foot Europa Star to dock at Biloxi's Point Cadet while offering cruises, with gambling, to nowhere.
"They ended up being cruises to the future; three years later, the state Legislature allowed the voters of Harrison County to vote on "dockside" gaming, and the measure was approved on its second local referendum, leading to the Isle of Capri opening as the first legal casino in the South on Aug. 1, 1991," wrote BNews. "The Isle was the first to open, but only after the Europa Star tested the waters."
Liberis tried "day cruise" gambling in Pensacola. In March 1988, the Pensacola City Council approved day-cruise service from the Municipal Auditorium pier for up to six months for his Europa Sun, a refitted oil supply boat. However, by the end of 1988, Liberis had pulled out of Pensacola and Biloxi due to lack of demand and eventually moved the ships to St. Petersburg. {in}
Say Goodbye to Balance Transfer Fees
FALL
FESTS
BY JENNIFER LEIGH
The calendar says fall is right around the corner—even if the thermostat doesn't agree. But locally, you can usually tell summer is over when festival season begins.
The Pensacola Seafood Festival is one of those indicators.
"It's a great time of year with the summer coming to a close—people are getting ready for the fall season with wonderful weather and local food," said Margaret-Anne West, director of events at Fiesta Pensacola.
Happening later this month, the 47th annual Pensacola Seafood Festival will boast more than 40 food vendors that range from local seafood to regional fare to even traditional fair foods.
"Some of the vendors have been with the festival for 30-plus years," West said. "There is something for everybody."
The three-day festival is more than a celebration of cuisine. The schedule also boasts live music, arts and crafts and kids' activities. It's a celebration of the community, West said.
"We have a great community behind us, we couldn't do it without them," she added. "Even as we grow, we try to keep it as local as we can."
QUANTITY AND QUALITY
Another longstanding and beloved local fall tradition is the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival (GGAF). This year is the 52nd annual event. In those five decades, the festival has earned its reputation as one of Pensacola's premier events. Last month, it was recognized by Sunshine Artist magazine as one of the most profitable arts and craft festivals in the country, ranking No. 18 in the fine arts & design category.
Cynthia Campfield, co-chair of GGAF, appreciates the ranking not just to showcase the success of the event, but the success of the artists. Those artists are hand-selected through a jury committee. They come from all over the country and the world, along with some locals.
Working with a finite space in Seville Square, Campfield said the committee is "diligent" when it comes to selecting artists. This year, there are 205 participating artists and artisans. At GGAF, there is both quantity and quality.
"We strive to showcase high-caliber talent, and increase that level every year," she said. "We have artists who return every year. They love the beautiful venue and the wonderful people of Pensacola."
Part of the success of GGAF is also because of its longtime volunteers, some of whom have been a part of the festival for more than 40 years.
"We have over 100 volunteers who work in various capacities," Campfield said. "From setup to tear down … we're like a family."
Volunteering is how Laynie Gibson got involved with Stamped Film Festival. She joined the festival's board in 2020 and is currently vice president. The festival has been around for 12 years, sharing stories that encompass all aspects of the LGBTQ experience. It's unique for the area to have such a space, Gibson said.
"Pensacola really stands out in that way," she said.
Gibson points out that while Visit Florida was recently criticized for removing its LGBTQ travel section, Visit Pensacola awarded a grant to Stamped. As with other local festivals, Gib -
son said Stamped is a celebration of community and is for everyone. It also continues to be a free event.
"This is a space for people to use their authentic voice," she said. "We want to make it accessible to anyone."
BUSY AND BLESSED
Getting excited for festival season? This is just a sampling. Campfield said she's personally looking forward to several staples like Pensacola Seafood Festival, Barktoberfest and the Pensacola Greek Festival.
"There are so many things going on, we're just blessed," she said.
Gibson said she looks forward to GGAF and Pensacola Seafood Festival, as well as the oneday music festival Night Moves, which debuted last year as part of Foo Foo Fest.
"Festivals keep you connected to your local areas and bring together other communities from the Gulf Coast," she said. "It's a beautiful moment for arts and culture. We feel lucky to be involved with it."
If you're feeling as if there is too much to do this fall season, you're correct. The key to making the most of festivals is taking it slow and accepting there's always next year.
Take it from a professional, like Campfield.
"Go early, be patient and relax," she said offering some sage advice for GGAF patrons—but could also be used for any festival. "Don't feel like you have to rush through everything. Parking in Pensacola is always going to be a challenge. Just take a deep breath, it's worth it."
SEPTEMBER
Coastal County Oktoberfest
Sept. 13-15, facebook.com/coastalcounty
Raise a stein for Oktoberfest time at Coastal County Brewing Co. with an official beer release, food, games and more.
ComposerFest XIX
Sept. 15, facebook.com/pscperformingarts
Listen to original music from local and regional composers at the Pensacola State College Ashmore Auditorium.
Latino Festival
Sept. 20, latinomediainc.com/latino-festival-2024
Celebrate all things Latin from music, to dancing, to food and more. The festival is during the September Gallery Night.
Pensacola Lionfish Festival
Sept. 21-22, pensacolalionfishshootout.com/festival
Learn about all things lionfish—including filleting and eating the fish and how they affect marine life.
Oddtoberfest
Sept. 21, facebook.com/oddcolony
Celebrate German culture at Odd Colony Brewing Co. This event will feature a can and draught release of their Oddtoberfest brew, plus lederhosen and dirndl apparel, pretzels and more.
Oktoberfest at Emerald Republic
Sept. 21, facebook.com/emeraldrepublicbrewing
Enjoy six new beers, a keg toss, multiple steinrelated contests, live music from the Yard Lights and traditional German food.
Pensacola Seafood Festival
Sept. 27-29, fiestapensacola.org/seafood-festival
Take in the tastes, sounds and crafts of this annual event with more than 40 food vendors and live entertainment all weekend.
Seventh Annual
Pe rfect Oktoberfest
Sept. 29, facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco
Celebrate all day with live music, limited edition Perfect Plain Brewing Co. boot steins, stein hoisting competition and more.
OCTOBER
Pensacola Beach
Songwriters Festival
Oct. 1-6, pensacolabeachsongwritersfestival.com
Hear original music from the writers who brought the tunes to life with the backdrop of Pensacola Beach.
Stamped Film Festival
Oct. 3-6, stampedfilmfest.com
Watch original films centering around the LGBTQ experience. The three-day film festival is free, with the option to purchase VIP experiences with filmmakers and actors.
Danetoberfest
Oct. 5, facebook.com/nwflgdr
Support the Northwest Florida Great Dane rescue with a day of vendors, food and naturally, Great Danes.
Taste of the Beach
Oct. 10-12, pensacolabeachchamber.com/tob
Experience the sips, smells and sights of Pensacola Beach while celebrating local restaurants. The main event is free, with ticketed VIP experiences available.
Festa Italiana
Oct. 11-12, buonafortunalodge.org/festa-italiana Celebrate Italian culture at Fountain Park with food, music and family activities.
Dragon Boat Festival
Oct. 12, pensacoladragonboatfestival.com
Whether you're a spectator or one of the teams, you'll have a good time for a good cause at Dragon Boat Festival. The event supports Gulf Coast Kid's House and Escambia County Public Schools Foundation.
Pensacola Interstate Fair
Oct. 17-27, pensacolafair.com
It's not the fall season without at least one visit to the fair. Enjoy rides, food vendors and live music.
Gulf Coast Jazz Festival: Fall Edition
Oct. 18-19, gulfcoastsummerfestjazzedition.com
Enjoy two days of smooth jazz at the Community Maritime Park.
Barktoberfest
Oct. 27, pensacolahumane.org/barktoberfest
Spend the day supporting Pensacola Humane Society with pet friendly activities.
Brunch Fest
Oct. 27, emeraldcoastbgc.org
Breakfast or lunch? Why not a bit of both at the fourth annual Brunchfest. This event benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast.
September 12, 2024
Hot Diggity Dogs Fest
Oct. 27, apexshowsandevents.com
If you like hot dogs, then this event is for you. And even if you don't like them, there are food trucks, vendors and more to keep you entertained.
Foo Foo Fest
Oct. 31-Nov. 11, foofoofest.com
You don't want to miss this 12-day celebration of culturally creative happenings, including 13 grant-funding events produced by local nonprofits like Pensacola Opera, Pensacola Museum of Art and 309 Punk Project.
NOVEMBER
G reat Gulfcoast Arts Festival
Nov. 1-3, ggaf.org
This is a premier Pensacola event featuring artists and artisans from all over the country and the world, plus live music and food vendors.
Pensacola Greek Festival
Nov. 1-3, facebook.com/pensacolagreekfestival
A beloved local tradition since 1959, this event is a celebration of Greek culture and culinary arts.
Beulah Crafts and Sausage Festival
Nov. 2, facebook.com/beulahcandsfestival
In case you didn't know, Pensacola has its own sausage festival complete with dozens of vendors, live music and, of course, sausage.
Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival
Nov. 7-17, frankbrownsongwriters.com
More than 200 nationally renowned songwriters perform at your favorite locations on the Florida/Alabama coast.
Night Moves
Nov. 9, nightmovesfest.com
After a successful inaugural year, Night Moves is back with a lineup featuring Alvvays, Silversun Pickups, Beach Fossils and Tigers Jaw.
Pensacola Egg Fest
Nov. 10, pensacolaeggfest.com
Backyard cooks and barbecue masters from all over the U.S. share their best recipes for a good cause.
Pensacola Fall Food Truck Fest
Nov. 16, apexshowsandevents.com
Sample from some of the best food trucks while enjoying live entertainment and kids' activities. {in}
Arts & Entertainment
a full-time sound engineer at Fresco Recording Services; and what he's learned in sessions with owner Fabio Arauz has been pivotal to his own
Coleman has produced for some local artists,
and being able to create at any moment is one of said. "There's a story of me singing on a plane and
Writing poems (aka lyrics) was what got him engineering piece wasn't far behind. He recorded
side of things, because I thought creating music said. "And so that started the whole journey into engineering and figuring out how to make music finish—not so much passing it off to anybody. I'm
Coleman's competitive, too. He's a sucker for all things sports—watching them, playing them
ball player Tim Duncan). He's apologetically an Atlanta fan across the board.
He played tennis growing up, but he's golfed a lot since.
"I used to always say, 'I'm the best golfing rapper', and I would I literally stand by that," Coleman said. "I just love to compete. That's what fires me up, whether it's musically or anything."
It's no surprise one of Coleman's most popular songs to perform live is "In My Zone." When performing locally at The Handlebar or Vinyl Music Hall, Coleman says, "Once I'm in my zone," and the crowd shouts back.
"We can get everyone in there screaming, 'I'm gone,'" Coleman said. "It's really fun."
He doesn't even have to tell the crowd the lyrics to his most streamed song "Glass of Water" with Mick Jenkins, he said.
"That song, I feel like, encompasses a lot of the nostalgic light vibe of this area, where it's being near the beach all the time," Coleman said. "I think it just has a lot of connection with this area—not even just this area, but any coastal area. That song is actually really big in a lot of coastal areas, which is pretty funny."
Coleman tries to ensure all of his music has a positive message that inspires people.
"I've always said, even since my first song, that music will live forever; I already know I won't," Coleman said. "So having something like my voice will be here when I'm gone, that really keeps me going all the time—especially if I lose sight or get caught up in something else. That always brings me back to the true vision of why I started making music." {in}
WYATT COLEMAN @madebydubs madebydubs.com
Wyatt Coleman / Courtesy Photo
a&e happenings
ROCK4VETS The Rock4Vets Run/Walk raises funds for local homeless veterans. The race is 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. The 5k course begins at Community Maritime Park, 351 W. Cedar Ave. The race ends with food, live performances and games. Details are at choosepeoples. com/rock4vets.
THE DAVE TRIMM GROUP LIVE: BENEFIT FOR SANTA ROSA KID'S HOUSE
Enjoy a special evening of live music from The Dave Trimm Group 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22 at Goat Lips Chew & Brewhouse, 2811 Copter Road. All funds raised will support Santa Rosa Kid's House.
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 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.
ARTS & CULTURE
SPOOKY BOOK CLUB Enjoy a new book club at Bodacious Bookstore convening once a month September, October and November. The first meeting is 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Bodacious, 110 Intendencia St. The book pick is "I Was a Teenage Slasher" by Stephen Graham Jones. Details are at facebook.com/bodaciousbookstore.
SEPTEMBER MEWVIE NIGHT:
BEETLEJUICE Visit Coastal Cat Café, 1508
W. Garden St., for a screening of the original "Beetlejuice" 7-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Cost is $32 a person and includes complimentary popcorn, coffee, hot chocolate or hot tea.
LIBERATION! PRESENTS: BIZARRE
BAZAAR Enjoy a fluid combination of various performers, performance art, drag and live dancers. Event is 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at 407 N. DeVilliers St. Details are at linktr.ee/liberationpensacola.
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS Enjoy a Pensacola Little Theatre production that takes place during the reign of King Henry VIII. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Sept. 13 and 20, Saturdays, Sept. 14 and 21, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays Sept. 15 and 22. A Thursday performance is 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19. Tickets are $15-$45. Thursday performances are half off. Pensacola Little Theatre is located at 400 S. Jefferson St. Details are at pensacolalittletheatre.com.
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, Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15 at 3808 N. 12th Ave. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.
GULF COAST DRAG RACE Event is Tuesday, Sept. 17 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets and info are at thehandlebar850.com.
IMPROVABLE CAUSE Improv comedy show is 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.
PENSACOLA CINEMA ART: FALL SCREEN SERIES PCA presents screenings throughout September. "The Cowboy and the Queen" is 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 and Saturday, Sept. 14; "The Critic" is 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21; and "Merchant and Ivory" is 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28. More films and showtimes will be announced. All films are $10 cash donations. Located at 220 W. Garden St. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for details.
CINEMAS IN THE SAND: 'INSIDE OUT' The next Cinemas in the Sand is Friday, Sept. 20 with a screening of "Inside Out." Admission is free. Movies start at sunset at the Gulfside Pavilion stage, weather permitting. For updates, visit facebook.com/visitpensacolabeach.
GALLERY NIGHT: VIVA PENSACOLA The next Gallery Night is 5-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. The theme is "Viva Pensacola." For details, visit gallerynightpensacola.org.
CINEMAS IN THE SAND: 'INSIDE OUT'
Enjoy a movie night on the Gulfside Pavilion stage at Casino Beach. Movie starts at sunset Friday,
Sept. 20. Visit facebook.com/visitpensacolabeach for details and updates.
BLOW YOUR OWN PUMPKIN Muffinjaw Designs will be at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave., at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 for its annual Blow Your Own Pumpkin event. Register at muffinjaw-design.square.site.
THE ART GALLERY AT UWF PRESENTS TAG ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 2024 'TESTBED' "TESTBED" 2024 Faculty Artist in Residence and Exhibition features UWF Department of Art and Design faculty members Marzia Ransom, Jason Pinckard and John Dougherty. Artwork will be displayed at TAG, in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 11000 University Parkway, Building 82, on the Pensacola campus. Following the open studio hours and reception, visitors can view completed works during the exhibition dates through Sept. 26. A closing reception is 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 in TAG. TAG is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and observes all UWF closures and holidays. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit uwf.edu/tag.
CELEBRATING 70: A HISTORY OF COLLECTING A new Pensacola Museum of Art exhibit runs through Sept. 29 featuring highlights of PMA's permanent collection at 407 S. Jefferson St. Details are available at pensacolamuseum.org.
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.
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,
Photo Courtesy of Pensacola Museum of Art
a&e happenings
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
THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER: A COLLABORATION DINNER Family-style oyster event by Chef Darian Hernandez is 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. Cost is $60 a person. Reservations are required. Call (850) 287-0200 or email taylor@goodgrits.com to make your reservation.
LUNCH AND LEARN: BLOODY ORANGE
SOAP Learn how to utilize Bodacious Blood Orange Olive Oil two ways: in soap making and as an ingredient. Create your own Bloody Orange Soap with Katrina, the soap master of Epiphany. After class, enjoy a lunch salad using Bodacious Blood Orange Olive Oil. Class is 11:30-12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox St. Cost is $40. Register on Eventbrite or through the link at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.
TRIONE VINEYARD AND WINERY Enjoy a multi-course dinner by Chef Edward Lordman with wine pairings from the Trione Vineyard & Winery in Sonoma County, California 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Bodacious, 407-D S. Palafox. Tickets are $90 and available at facebook.com/bodaciousshops.
COOKING WITH CHEF IRV MILLER: THE THRILL OF SEAFOOD Cooking classes are 5 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Jackson's Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. Cost is $55 a person, which covers the class, recipes, wine pairings and a take-home booklet. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (850) 686-3149 or emailing Jessica Ryberg at jessica@ goodgrits.com.
ODDTOBER FEST The 2024 Oddtoberfest is 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Entry is free. The event will feature a can and draught release, stein hoisting competition, authentic German food and pretzels, and more. Details are at facebook.com/oddcolony.
BIERGARTEN LUAU Event is 4-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 with tropical brews, hula dancers, Hawaiian food plates and more at Gary's Brew, 208 Newman Ave. Details are at facebook.com/garysbrew.
MUSHROOMS AND BEER Mushroom growing class with Lost Boys Mushrooms is 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Cost is $55 and includes a mushroom grow bag and beer. Details and signup are at facebook. com/oddcolony.
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 accepted 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
a&e happenings
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.
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.
POKER NIGHT AT SIR RICHARD'S Poker Night is 6 p.m. Saturdays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.
WEEKLY SATURDAY BRUNCH Brunch is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
SHAMROCK SATURDAY Shamrock Saturday is 9 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S TAVERN Enjoy free pool all day and play bar
bingo 9-11 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.
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. Ninth Ave. Live music begins at 10 a.m. Visit cafesinglefin. com for details.
SUNDAY BRUNCH AND KARAOKE O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St., hosts brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. Karaoke begins at 8 p.m. Visit orileyspub.com for details.
SUNDAY BRUNCH AT ATLAS OYSTER
HOUSE Sunday Brunch is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. View menus at atlasoysterhouse.com.
LIVE MUSIC
BANDS ON THE BEACH Weekly concert series is 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Gulfside Pavilion on Pensacola Beach. Sept. 17 is Whitesands Panhandle and Sept. 24 is Crosstown. For details, visit visitpensacolabeach.com/whats-happening-bands-on-beach.
DEAD KENNEDYS Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at vinylmusichall.com.
[GLSNR], KAIRO, PALMMEADOW, YNICORNS Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at
The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets and details are at thehandlebar850.com.
BROADWAY RAVE Show is 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets and details are at thehandlebar850.com.
REGGAETON RAVE Show is 9 p.m. Saturday, Sep.t 14 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at vinylmusichall.com.
RANDY TRAVIS With special vocalist James Dupre. Show is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.
JESS LAWS BENEFIT SHOW Show is noon Sunday, Sept. 15 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets and details are at thehandlebar850.com.
PENSACOLA SONGWRITER ROUNDS
Show is 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets and details are at thehandlebar850.com.
JAZZ VIBES Special performance with Jensen Cadenhead is 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Cost is $12 for Jazz Pensacola members and $15 for nonmembers. Details are at jazzpensacola.com.
GRAVE CHORUS, TUFF TURF, DMPSY, BLSSR, USER ASSUMES RISK Show is 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Cost is $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.
SHENANDOAH Show is 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at pensacolasaenger.com.
PARABELLUM/EXFORMATION, TREMORS, ROTTING WORLD Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $10 and available at thehandlebar850.com.
THE STEEL WOODS Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Tickets are available at vinylmusichall.com.
BLACK TUSK, HORSEBURNER, SOMNURI, SLUGGER Show is 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are $15-$20 and available at thehandlebar850.com.
THE BUTTERTONES, SWMRS Show is 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Tickets are available at thehandlebar850.com.
for more listings visit inweekly.net
free will astrology
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 12
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): One of the longest bridges in the world is the 24-mile-long Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. During one eight-mile stretch, as it crosses Lake Pontchartrain, travelers can't see land. That freaks out some of them. You might be experiencing a metaphorically similar passage these days, Aries. As you journey from one mode to the next, you may lose sight of familiar terrain for a while. My advice: Have faith, gaze straight ahead and keep going.
TAURUS (APril 20-May 20): My horoscopes don't necessarily answer questions that are foremost in your awareness. This might annoy you. But consider this: My horoscopes may nevertheless nudge you in unexpected directions that eventually lead you, in seemingly roundabout ways, to useful answers. The riddles I offer may stir you to gather novel experiences you didn't realize you needed. Keep this in mind, Taurus, while reading the following: In the coming weeks, you can attract minor miracles and fun breakthroughs if you treat your life as an art project. I urge you to fully activate your imagination and ingenuity as you work on the creative masterpiece that is you.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): The Gemini musician known as Prince got an early start on his vocation. At age 7, he wrote his first song, "Funk Machine." Have you thought recently about how the passions of your adult life first appeared in childhood? Now is an excellent time to ruminate on this and related subjects. Why? Because you are primed to discover forgotten feelings and events that could inspire you going forward. To nurture the future, draw on the past.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): You are lucky to have an opposable thumb on each of your hands. You're not as lucky as koala bears, however, which have two opposable thumbs on each hand. But in the coming weeks, you may sometimes feel like you have extra thumbs, at least metaphorically. I suspect you will be extra dexterous and nimble in every way, including mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You could accomplish wonders of agility. You and your sexy soul may be extra supple, lithe and flexible. These superpow-
By Rob Brezsny
ers will serve you well if you decide to improvise and experiment, which I hope you will.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): The internet is filled with wise quotes that are wrongly attributed. Among those frequently cited as saying words they didn't actually say, Buddha is at the top of the list. There are so many fraudulent Buddha quotes in circulation that there's a website devoted to tracking them down: fakebuddhaquotes.com. Here's an example. The following statement was articulated not by Buddha but by English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray: "The world is a looking glass. It gives back to every man a true reflection of his own thoughts." I bring these thoughts to your attention, Leo, because it's a crucial time for you to be dedicated to truth and accuracy. You will gain power by uncovering deceptions, shams and misrepresentations. Be a beacon of authenticity.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Did you ever have roommates who stole your credit card and used it to buy gifts for themselves? Does your history include a friend or loved one who told you a lie that turned out to be hurtful? Did you ever get cheated on by a lover you trusted? If anything like this has happened to you, I suspect you will soon get karmic recompense. An atonement will unfold. A reparation will come your way. A wrong will be righted. A loss will be indemnified. My advice is to welcome the redress graciously. Use it to dissolve your resentments and retire uncomfortable parts of your past.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Peregrine falcons can move at a speed of 242 mph. Mexican freetailed bats reach 100 mph, and black marlin fish go 80 mph. These animals are your spirit creatures in the coming weeks, Virgo. Although you can't literally travel that fast (unless you're on a jet), I am confident you can make metaphorical progress at a rapid rate. Your ability to transition into the next chapter of your life story will be at a peak. You will have a robust power to change, shift and develop.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Mythically speaking, I envision a death and rebirth in your future. The death won't be literal; neither you nor anyone you love will travel to the other side of the veil. Rather, I foresee the demise of a hope, the finale of a storyline or the loss of a possibility. Feeling sad might temporarily be the right thing to do, but I want you to know this ending will ultimately lead to a fresh beginning. In fact, the new blooms ahead wouldn't be possible without the expiration of the old ways. The novel resources that arrive will come only because an old resource has faded.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): One of my oldest friends is Sagittarius-born Jeffrey Brown. We had rowdy fun together in our twenties. We were mad poets who loved to party. But while I went on to become an unruly rock and roll musician, experimental novelist and iconoclastic astrologer, Brown worked hard to become a highly respected, award-winning journalist for the "PBS News Hour," a major American TV show. Among his many successes: He has brought in-depth coverage of poetry and art to mainstream TV. How did he manage to pull off such an unlikely coup? I think it's because he channeled his wildness into disciplined expression; he converted his raw passions into practical power; he honed and refined his creativity so it wielded great clout. In the coming months, dear Sagittarius, I urge you to make him one of your inspirational role models.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Let's hypothesize that you will be alive, alert and active on your 100th birthday. If that joyous event comes to pass, you may have strong ideas about why you have achieved such marvelous longevity. I invite you to imagine what you will tell people on that momentous occasion. Which practices, feelings and attitudes will have turned you into such a vigorous example of a strong human life? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to meditate on these matters. It will also be a favorable phase to explore new practices, feelings and attitudes that will prolong your satisfying time here on planet Earth.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Few Americans are more famous than George Washington. He was a top military leader in the
Revolutionary War before he became the country's first president. George had a half-brother named Lawrence, who was 16 years older. Virtually no one knows about him now, but during his life, he was a renowned landowner, soldier and politician. Historians say his political influence was crucial in George's rise to power. Is there anyone remotely comparable to Lawrence Washington in your life, Aquarius? Someone who is your advocate? Who works behind the scenes on your behalf? If not, go searching for them. The astrological omens say your chances are better than usual of finding such champions. If there are people like that, ask them for a special favor.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Over 15 centuries ago, Christian monks decided Fridays were unlucky. Why? Because they were the special day of the pagan Goddess Freyja. Friday the 13th was extra afflicted, they believed, because it combined a supposedly evil number with the inauspicious day. And how did they get their opinion that 13 was malevolent? Because it was the holy number of the Goddess and her 13-month lunar calendar. I mention this because a Friday the 13th is now upon us. If you're afraid of the things Christian monks once feared, this could be a difficult time. But if you celebrate radical empathy, ingenious intimacy, playful eros and fertile intuition, you will be awash in good fortune. That's what the astrological omens tell me.
HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Imagine an adventure you would like to create and tell stories about in the future. {in}
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news of the weird
LOOK, DON'T TOUCH Picture it: a curious young boy at a museum. An ancient artifact unprotected by glass. Bet you can't guess what happened next. On Aug. 23, reports CNN, a 4-year-old boy visited the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel, with his parents. According to the child's father, the boy noticed a large ceramic container and "pulled the jar slightly," wanting to see what was inside—accidentally smashing the 3,500-year-old relic in the process. Museum officials were unfazed: "We are appealing to parents: Don't be afraid. Things like this happen," said museum head Inbal Rivin. "We will fix (the jar) and put it back." The Hecht Museum displays some items without protective cases, a nod to founder Reuben Hecht's belief in allowing the public to experience archaeological finds with as few barriers as possible. The jar dates to between 2200 B.C. and 1500 B.C., and was likely used for storing and transporting liquid goods such as wine or oil. Finding an intact vessel was something of a rarity, and restoration efforts are already underway.
BOOK LOVER BOOKED A 71-year-old flat owner in Rome woke one night to find a burglar in his residence ... reading a book about the Iliad. The BBC reported on Aug. 24 that the would-be burglar claims he broke into the building to visit someone else and simply found himself in the wrong unit. Spotting Giovanni Nucci's book "The Gods at Six O'Clock," a retelling of The Iliad from a divine perspective, the 38-year-old settled in for story time. When the homeowner awoke and confronted him, the thief attempted to get away via the balcony, but was soon arrested. News of the bookworm burglar made its way to the author, who said he'd like to give the criminal a copy: "... he'll have been arrested halfway through reading it. I'd like him to be able to finish it." Nucci added that his favorite deity is Hermes, the god of thieves— and of literature.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER The U.K.-based Royal Mail service delivered a postcard to the Swansea Building Society in Wales—a mere 121 years after it was posted. The BBC reported on Aug. 21 that the Christmas-themed postcard was addressed to "Miss Lydia Davies" and signed by "Ewart." Among other lines, Ewart apologizes for not picking up a "pair" of an unknown item: "I am so sorry, but I hope you are enjoying yourself at home." The postcard made waves online after Henry Darby, the Swansea Building Society's marketing and communications officer, found it when sorting through the post. Unable to find any information about Lydia, he took to social media for help. West Glamorgan Archives confirmed that a John Davies once lived at the address in question with his wife, Maria, and six children—including Lydia, who would have been 16 when the postcard was sent.
UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT A groundhog made headlines In Hollidaysburg, Pennylvania, about an hour from Punxsutawney—but not
By the Editors at Andrews McMeel
for predicting the weather. Fun-seekers playing the claw machine at a local arcade realized that one of the "stuffed animals" was blinking back at them, reported the Associated Press on Aug. 14. Manager Lynn Castle of The Meadows frozen custard and mini-golf isn't sure how the critter got in, but said it almost took an army to release the rodent. Employees contacted the machine's owners, who passed the buck to the police department, who called in the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Game wardens were able to open the machine and set the rodent, dubbed Colonel Custard, free in a nearby field. Castle and The Meadows wasted no time capitalizing on the incident, making T-shirts that said "Respect the Groundhog" and naming a frozen treat flavor after their furry visitor. "It's a good story that ended well," Castle said. "He got set free. No one got bit."
U R IN TROUBLE Some people yell, throw things or shut down when they get mad. Not Dr. Giovanni Baula. According to court records in St. Petersburg, Florida, on two separate occasions, the good doctor expressed his ire with Dr. Dylan Dinesh by dousing the latter's office doors in gallons of fluid that smelled suspiciously like urine. As The Smoking Gun reports, court documents say the liquid "soaked into the front wooden doors, causing irreparable damage." Dinesh's practice suffered $6,000 worth of losses, in addition to the $1,500 to replace the doors. Baula was arrested and charged with a felony count of criminal mischief, but released after paying a $5,000 bond. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Baula doesn't exactly have a clean rap sheet. In 2003, he was fined $10,000 and reprimanded by the Board of Medicine for a number of standard-of-care violations, including improperly prescribing medication for a telehealth client that he never physically examined. His medical license expires in January 2025.
IS NOWHERE SACRED? Thanat Thangtewanon of Thailand recently had a bathroom break that was, well, nuts. India's Deccan Herald reported that on Aug. 22, what started as a routine trip to the washroom ended with Thangtewanon killing the python that had bitten his testicles. "I felt something biting my balls, which was very painful, so I put my hands in," he said. After whacking the reptile on the head with a toilet brush until it died and released its grip, Thangtewanon headed to the hospital for a tetanus shot. Doctors assured him that his injury wasn't too deep, and that no stitches would be required. Perhaps he should count himself lucky, all things considered—pythons are known for suffocating and squeezing their prey to death! {in}
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