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3 WINNERS & LOSERS 4 OUTTAKES 5 RANTS & RAVES

25 NEWS OF THE WEIRD 26 COMMUNITY OUTREACH 27 LAST WORD

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bradley “B.J.” Davis, Jr., Joani Delezen, Hana Frenette, Ashley Hardaway, Rob “Bubbs” Harris, Catrina, Hebert, Erica House, Brett Hutchins, Chelsa Jillard, Jennie McKeon, Kate Peterson, Scott, Satterwhite, Chuck Shepard, Will Strickland, Trevor Webb PRODUCTION MANAGER Joani Delezen ART DIRECTOR Samantha Crooke SALES DIRECTOR Jennifer Passeretti

4-6 PM WEEKDAYS We turn over the microphone to our listeners. This live, call-in show features frequent guest appearances by those in the news. Spirited discussion and debate about issues that matter to the community. Tune in to hear what Northwest Florida thinks. Better yet, call in and tell us what you think. It’s your turn.

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Standard postage paid at Pensacola, Fla. All stories are compiled from press releases, submissions, news wires or assignments. Comments and opinions expressed in this newspaper represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and are not necessarily those of INDEPENDENT NEWS or the publisher. Neither the advertiser nor the publisher is responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, typographical errors, etc., contained in INDEPENDENT NEWS. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

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GULF POWER Fortune Magazine has

MIKE HARIDOPOLOS The Florida Senate

ranked Gulf Power and the other Southern Company subsidiaries, Mississippi Power, Alabama Power and Georgia Power, as the No. 1 in the electric and gas utility sector of its 2011 list of the “World’s Most Admired Companies.” Southern Company was ranked first in the utility industry in six of the nine categories. This is the fourth time since 2002 that Southern Company has ranked No. 1 in the Fortune survey.

president got Brevard Community College to pay him $152,000 to write a textbook on Florida government. What the community college got was a 175page, double-spaced manuscript that sits on a shelf in its administration offices. One nugget of wisdom in the book was that a cell phone is essential for an elected official. Thanks, Mike. Should it be 3G or 4G?

ESCAMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE K9 UNIT Three ECSO K9 handlers recently competed against 51 other K9 teams at the United States Police Canine Association regional certification. Out of the 54 participants, Lt. Jason Potts finished first overall, Deputy Wayne Gulsby 13th place overall, and Deputy Patrick Crossley 17th place overall. Lt. Potts finished first in the control during aggression phase, first in obedience and aggression combined score, and teamed with Gulsby to finish first in the two-man team. We assume they all won the car door opening competition.

SACRED HEART HOSPITAL Emerald Coast Utilities Authority recently presented the “Protector of the Environment” Award to Sacred Heart Hospital’s cafeteria operations. This one-of-a-kind initiative rewards local businesses and food service establishments that promote a positive safe working and clean eating environment through the ECUA’s Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) and Backflow programs. The award recognizes organizations that train their employees on “best management practices,” participate in scheduled 90-day cleanliness inspections, have no FOG or Backflow violations, and no warnings within a one-year-period.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY COMMISSION The board voted 3-2 to ban more than five unrelated people from living in singlefamily detached homes. Kevin White, Gene Valentino and Wilson Robertson were in favor of the move that primarily targets college students. John “Bluto” Blutarsky and Eric “Otter” Stratton have pledged to fight the new law at the April 7 final hearing. “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” Bluto told the IN.

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over the federal funds for a high-speed rail. The Florida Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit by two state legislators who sought to make Scott accept $2.4 billion in federal stimulus money. Scott is following the lead of the other RoboGovernors, Scott Walker (Wisconsin) and John Kasich (Ohio), who also rejected the federal funds. On March 4, Gov. Scott announced that the State of Florida would spend $77 million to deep dredge the Port of Miami, which he claimed would create more than 30,000 jobs, which is amazingly about the same number of jobs lost by halting the high-speed rail project from Tampa to Orlando.

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outtakes MERITLESS FCAT The concept of

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What has happened is schools that have students who can’t read and do poorly on the FCAT spend an inordinate amount of time drilling on the test. Some start before Thanksgiving, and by January they are spending most of their class time on the FCAT. The result is some schools have one-time gains in FCAT scores, but the students don’t retain the knowledge. The Florida Department of Education grades schools on FCAT scores and their gains in reading and math among the highest and lowest performing students. In 2006, Allie Yniestra Elementary went from a “C” school to an “A,” only to drop to an “F” the following year. In 2007, Montclair Elementary made an even more dramatic turnaround, going from “F” to “A.” The following year it dropped to a “D.” For the same three-year period, Navy Point Elementary went from “F” to “A” to “C.” Did the teachers go from “world class” to dismal “failures” in one year? Of course not. If there was a magic instruction strategy that would move a school from “F” to “A,” don’t you think it would be repeated every year in every school in the district? Schools that have students from more stable homes where there are books to read and a parent who is involved with the child’s education do better on FCAT because reading, writing and math come easier. A bad teacher at Cordova Park Elementary or A.K. Suter Elementary can get above-average FCAT scores, while a good teacher at Allie Yniestra Elementary can only pray that her class has a good test day. Let’s reward our good teachers, regardless of where they teach, but we need a more objective measurement for their merits than the flawed FCAT score.

LET’S REWARD OUR GOOD TEACHERS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY TEACH, BUT WE NEED A MORE OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT FOR THEIR MERITS THAN THE FLAWED FCAT SCORE.

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merit pay makes sense. The best workers deserve to be paid better than slackers. No one can argue against that, unless you are one of the slackers. That’s why the new bills, SB 736 and HB 7019, that propose using the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores of students to determine half a teacher’s compensation, are called “merit pay” bills. The label makes the voters think the lawmakers will be rewarding the best teachers and culling the herd of the bad ones. Sadly, FCAT has little to do with the merit of the teachers, and the data from over a decade of FCAT scores proves it. Last year, the Florida Legislature, who loves to play with our children’s education more than dealing with the shrinking state budget, passed a “teacher merit pay” bill, but Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed it. Few believe that Gov. Rick Scott will do anything to stop this disastrous proposal from becoming law. After all, the mantra of the ultraconservative right wing of the Republican Party is that poor education is the teachers’ fault. The teachers, their union and tenure are the enemies. When a child takes the FCAT, the test is a one-time snapshot of that child’s knowledge and test-taking ability. The child’s reading, math, science and writing skills are not solely the result of his current teacher’s ability, but a product of all his prior teachers and whatever involvement his parents have had in his learning. The only merit that FCAT judges is that of the children, parents and the school system. Lawmakers and politicians can’t punish parents, school superintendents and school boards, so they target the school teachers, many of whom are buying school room supplies with their personal funds.

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rant & rave THANK YOU I wanted to thank you so much for such an incredible article (Independent News, “Outtakes: Keeping Dreams Alive,” March 3). I was surprised during a busy lunch crowd today when a woman told me, “I saw this article and came here for lunch.” It’s truly amazing to see this wonderful community coming to the aid of a local business such as mine. I never dreamed it would generate such a positive and powerful response and, as I tell my customers, it’s God working through people. And you my friend, are one of those people. I thank you so much. And my 35 employees thank you, too. It took me almost 50 years to finally get it–our mission on earth is to help those in need, and to be kind and compassionate to your fellow man (and woman). I agree with you wholeheartedly that we really need to support our local businesses. We do not have the deep pockets these large corporations have, and cannot survive any long-term recession or the effects of a natural disaster. So I don’t just talk the talk, I frequent local, family-owned businesses and try to avoid the big chain retailers. Again, your article was a blessing and I had lots of people compliment it already. I’m sure there’s more of that to come. Thank you, take care and God Bless. —Jerry Mistretta, Owner, Jerry’s Cajun Café, Pensacola

PRIORITIES MISPLACED Pensacola’s Westside and Westside neighborhoods are hugely in need of improvement in many areas, whereas current City resources to fund those improvements are limited. It should therefore be obvious that, in such circumstances, the first improvements should be those which may have the greatest economic impact for the area. Sadly, the initiative announced by Mayor Hayward does not meet this vital objective. The Mayor has proposed planting trees and making sidewalk improvements along A Street between Main and Maxwell Streets and is asking the City Council to approve an expenditure of $256,000 for that purpose. The Council Committee of the Whole will consider the Mayor’s request during its meeting on Monday, March 7. Although the project is a worthy one, it is in the fourth tier of priorities identified in the “West Side Neighborhoods Plan” prepared several years ago at substantial cost by expert and highly paid planning consultants.

Here’s what the plan recommends: The Concept Plan identifies a hierarchy of four primary corridor types within the neighborhood that could potentially act as catalysts for the redevelopment of the West Side Neighborhoods...The proposed corridor types are: 1. Neighborhood Street: Cervantes Street 2. Commercial Corridor: Pace Boulevard 3. Mixed Boulevard Setting: Garden Street 4. Residential Streets A Street falls under priority #4, residential streets. Reading further, we are given the objective and action strategies for each corridor type. Compare the objectives for Cervantes Street and A Street. Cervantes Street—Objective Transform the functional and visual character of Cervantes as the primary Neighborhood Street Corridor and neighborhood center that will stimulate quality development in the West Side Neighborhood. Capitalize on the corridor’s location and economic development opportunities to integrate the neighborhoods at a scale that is pedestrian friendly and compatible with the neighborhood. Residential Streets—Objective Maintain and improve the residential character of the neighborhoods. Enhance the community’s sense of place and identity by establishing higher quality architectural design standards in the residential areas. While both are worthy objectives, in these times, economic developmentrelated improvements are far more likely to produce job opportunities than “sense of place” improvements. This morning I drove the length of A Street from Maxwell to Main and could see the potential for a beautiful corridor with Pensacola High School at its northern terminus and Joe Patti’s Seafood at its southern end. But a catalyst for economic development in the near term? No. Why would the Mayor propose A Street as a first improvement for the Westside? Because most of the project’s cost, $150,000, would come from a readily available funding source, the Tree Trust Fund. Because there has been pressure from many, including my dear friends in the Belmont-Devilliers Neighborhood Association, to beautify A Street. Because

the Mayor needs to show quickly that he is fulfilling campaign promises. None of these justifies doing the right thing at the wrong time. Even though $256,000 might be just a drop in the bucket toward the transformation of Cervantes Street, it would be a beginning—and a desperately needed one. I hope the Mayor and the City Council will think deeply about this matter before embarking in the wrong direction. If you would like to review the entire West Side Neighborhoods Plan, click on this link: pensacolacitygov.com/internet/ upload/PDFs/CommunityDevelopment/ West_Side_Plan.pdf. —Diane Mack, Pensacola

RESTORING CITIZEN CONTROL Signs abound of citizen dissatisfaction with their local and state governments. Look at the recent Sunshine State poll. Almost half of Floridians say their state is worse off than five years ago. Sixty-five percent say it will get worse or stay the same in the next five years. And 21 percent are seriously considering leaving the state. Seventy-one percent think their government leaders do the right thing only some of the time or never do the right thing, and only 23-33 percent of Floridians think their government does a good or excellent job. Yet we have elections every year, two years, or four years. We’ve tried term limits for state politicians and some local governments, and we’re about to try Fair Districts at the state level, but that’s likely not enough either. What can bring government decisions back in line with people’s needs and desires? Back in the early 1900s, when Americans faced similar concentrations of corporate and economic power, reformers managed to expose and remove political machines and bosses. The parallel today is the division between the Insiders and the rest of us. A century ago, reformers sought to enable the citizenry to rule more directly, and thus they developed political safeguards–Initiative, Referendum and Recall. These three safeguards of citizen control have since been adopted, in various models, in about 25 states, including Florida. Yet existing safeguards have not gone far enough to give citizens a way to counteract undue money and insider control. What are needed are the following Constitutional Amendment initiatives: (1) A “Legislative Initiative” at the state level and then, similarly, “Legislative Initiative” for all local governments. Only in this way can citizen voices be truly

heard: citizens can petition and put a proposed law on the ballot for their fellow citizens to decide. (2) Create expanded “Referendum powers” for all local governments. Citizens need a mechanism to be able to effectively challenge decisions by their elected officials. (3) Enable citizens to Recall elected officials more easily. Astonishingly, there are various officials to whom recall does not currently apply, and it needs to. And, for all officials, though the percentage of signatures necessary to accomplish Recall needs to remain somewhat substantial, the primary reasons why you can recall an elected official need to be loosened. It’s simply too difficult to make Recall fit the usual “misfeasance, malfeasance, etc.” categories. I’ve had citizens gather signatures from 15 percent of registered voters within 30 days, only to have a court say they couldn’t make their issues properly fit the Recall definition. If citizens are outraged enough at a decision that their elected official makes, they should be able to try to remove them right away. We should also lengthen somewhat the time frame within which the signatures can be gathered, to make it possible to use Recall. Some would say that I haven’t mentioned one obvious reform that would help citizens curb the inf luence of Big Money. It’s called “Clean Elections/ Public Financing.” For example, we’ve just seen the grassroots Florida Hometown Democracy crushed by Big Money, and the same could well happen to a proposed ban on Offshore Oil Drilling. Unfortunately, unless and until the U.S. Supreme Court has its makeup changed to overrule the recent Citizens United and older Buckley decisions, or unless a federal constitutional amendment is enacted to overrule those decisions—decisions that have both unleashed unlimited Big-Money inf luence on our politicians, the Supreme Court is currently composed to eviscerate any “Clean Elections/ Public Financing” reforms. It’s important to note that Initiative, Referendum and Recall themselves are content-neutral and can be utilized by any citizen or organization. Enactment of the above reforms will go a long way toward restoring the power of the citizenry, curbing the inf luence of insiders, and moving Florida towards a better place than where it is currently headed. —John Hedrick, chair of Panhandle Citizens Coalition and President of People’s Transit Organization, Tallahassee

WE WELCOME YOUR RANTS AND RAVES to the Independent News. All letters should be 200 words or less and should include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address (if you have one). All viewpoints should be no more than 700 words. The Independent News reserves the right to edit letters and opinions.Send letters and opinions to P.O. Box 12082, Pensacola, Fla. 32591 • FAX 850-438-0228 • E-mail opinions@inweekly.net

INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

news

IN INTERVIEW: JIM DONATELLI STORY BEHIND 2011 EMERGING LEADER HONOREE

BY CATRINA HEBERT

Jim Donatelli

Few can disagree that the Pensacola City President for Regions Bank has made an impact in the greater Pensacola area since assuming that role in September 2007. “The Emerging Leadership award is an award given to those who show strong leadership abilities within our community,” Hope Allen, Vice President of Member Services of Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, explained. “It is presented to newcomers who demonstrate a continuous positive impact on the Pensacola community.” Donatelli has met all of those requirements. Leadership is indeed one of his defining characteristics, and he has never shied away from community service. “I have often found myself in the position to lead,” Donatelli told IN. “If you have the ability to help, then you should. If not me, then who?” The Pittsburgh, Pa. native began his career in banking at an entry-level position in 1999 at First Union, which later merged with Wachovia Bank. He soon became a district manager and followed that with a regional manager position. In April 2007, Donatelli joined Regions as a consumer banking executive responsible for Regions consumer banking sales and service activities

“I AM IN THE CAREER I WANTED TO BE IN. I DIDN’T KNOW THIS WAS THE CAREER I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN, BUT I AM, PROFESSIONALLY, WHERE I THINK I SHOULD BE.” — JIM DONATELLI

oming off the heels of cochairing one of the most successful fundraising campaigns for economic development in this community’s history, Vision 2015, Jim Donatelli was honored in February by the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce as its Emerging Leader of Year at the 51st annual PACE (Pensacola Area Commitment to Excellence) Awards.

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from Pensacola to Panama City. When Jim Schmitz was tapped to serve as Regions Bank ’s Middle Tennessee area executive, he was promoted to head the Pensacola market. “I am in the career I wanted to be in,” he said. “I didn’t k now this was the career I was supposed to be in, but I am, professionally, where I think I should be.” His life hasn’t been without adversity and personal challenges. As a teenager, he lost his mom to cancer. Two years ago, Donatelli found himself facing the disease again that challenged both him and his family. During the pregnancy of their second child, his wife Kim was diagnosed with atrial myxoma, a tumor on her internal heart wall. The cardiologist determined that bringing the pregnancy to full term was the best option before attempting heart surgery. “In a strange way I found the experience fulfilling and challenging at the same time,” said Donatelli. Their son William was born in January 2010, and Kim was finally able to undergo successful heart surgery. Then Will was diagnosed with Down syndrome. The Donatelli family has taken it all in stride. Donatelli has thought of his youngest as their miracle baby, because without him they may not have discovered the tumor that was growing on the back of Kim’s heart and strangling her valves. Donatelli didn’t let his personal challenges force him to cut back on his community commitments. “It was important to still be there for the community as well as my family.” When the Pensacola Chamber was looking for someone to head the important drive to create a new economic development push to create 3,000 jobs by 2015, Donatelli and Bentina Terr y, vice president of external affairs and corporate ser vices for the Gulf Power Company, were chosen to lead the charge. Their mission was to raise

“PENSACOLA HAS ROOM TO GROW. “THERE ARE RESOURCES HERE THAT ARE NOT IN OTHER PLACES, AND THE ECONOMY IS RELATIVELY STABLE WITH THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING DUE TO THE MILITARY.” — DONATELLI $6.5 million over the next f ive years. They far exceeded that goal by getting pledges for $7,363,000. Donatelli hasn’t limited his community ser vice to only the Chamber. He is a board member of the University of West Florida and on the executive committee of United Way of Escambia County. He is also currently involved in the Regions Bank “Share the Good ” book drive. The 19 local Regions branches are collecting through April 1 new or gently used books for nonprof it organizations in our community. In Escambia County, the books will be distributed by United Way of Escambia County to nonprof it agencies that ser ve children as well as to adult literacy programs and programs that ser ve senior citizens. “This is a way for the Regions Corporation to give back to the community,” Donatelli said. He loves his new hometown. “We love the charisma, charm and the people of Pensacola,” said Donatelli. He is optimistic about its future. “Pensacola has room to grow,” he told IN. “There are resources here that are not in other places, and the economy is relatively stable with the government spending due to the militar y.” According to Donatelli, the impact of the BP oil spill on this community revealed many brave people who have been forced to deal with situations that others haven’t yet, proving Pensacola will continue to bounce back. Cooperation, collaboration and regionalization will play key roles in that comeback, but the foundation will be the character of the greater Pensacola area. “This community is incredibly resilient,” said Donatelli. info@inweekly.net

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FARM PHOTO AGENDA State Sen. Jim Norman (R-Tampa) wants to make it a first-degree felony to photograph a farm without first obtaining written permission from the owner. The law was roundly criticized by conservatives, liberals and media experts for violating the U.S. Constitution and potentially making it a felony for someone to photograph cows and horses from the roadside. Kelly Overton, executive director of People Protecting Animals and Their Habitat, believes Norman has another more dubious agenda. He says that SB 1246 is a dangerous bill for Floridians and food consumers across the nation. “This is a food safety issue,” said Overton in a phone interview with the IN. “People would want to know if their hospitals, schools and restaurants were not following laws. If there is nothing that violates the law being done at farms and agriculture sites, then what is the fear of it being photographed?” He believes the law targets whistleblowers who photograph or videotape safety violations at farms and processing facilities. “Have we not learned enough about trusting businesses to look after consumers’ best interests?” said Overton. “What if someone had photographed the safety violations going on atop the Deepwater Horizon prior to the explosion? I think Floridians would be better off today.” He believes that in the current tough economy, farming operations are cutting costs and that food safety may be at risk. “I’m not some crazy PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) person,” he said. “I am concerned about our public safety. You only have to Google ‘E. coli’ and see the dangers.” Overton has offered to work for a week side-by-side with Sen. Norman at an animal processing facility. “If there are no concerns about violation of federal regulations/food safety, this is a great opportunity for him.”

If the Florida Legislature passes Norman’s bill, Overton is considering a boycott of all agricultural products from Florida, including fruit and vegetables. “If we consumers do not have the right to know our food is being produced in a safe environment, then you, the producer, do not have the right to my and millions of other people’s business,” said Overton.

PROTECT RETIREE BENEFITS Protectseniors. org, an advocacy group representing over 14.3 million American retirees who receive health benefits through their former employers, is calling on President Obama to back up his State of The Union pledge not to put current retirees at risk. Paul Miller, executive director of protectseniors.org, told the IN, “Baby boomers and retirees were ignored during talks about the 2010 healthcare legislation. Last year’s healthcare reform provides incentives for companies to drop retiree prescription plans and supplemental coverage.” Miller believes that retirees and baby boomers have been made the fall guy for the country’s economic ills. The pensions and post retirement healthcare benefits these retirees receive aren’t entitlements, according to Miller. “They earned their pensions and these benefits in exchange for taking less in salary and vacation time during their working years,” he said. “Twenty or 30 years ago, they had employment agreements that said if you work longer hours and for less vacation time, the company would then provide you healthcare for life once you retired.” Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. Many retirees have seen their health benefits cut or in some cases eliminated entirely by their former employers, adding thousands of dollars in expenses to people already on fixed incomes. “These aren’t handouts,” says Miller. “These are earned benefits. The money saved went to the company’s bottom line and into higher and higher profits. So these people are retired and are saying, ‘We kept our part of the bargain, you keep yours.’” In some cases, companies or divisions are sold off and the new entities have filed bankruptcy to avoid the pension and healthcare

liabilities. In Pensacola, former Monsanto employees filed a class-action lawsuit against its spin-off, Solutia, over retiree medical benefits. That lawsuit was settled in 2001. Then Solutia filed bankruptcy in 2003, which put the medical benefits promised in limbo. According to Miller, these legal attempts to shirk pension and other retiree benefits are becoming more common. “In 2000, companies started to dump, slash and burn their retiree healthcare benefits,” he said. “The Supreme Court has ruled that companies do have the right to change their minds, and we’re taking our case to Congress saying we need legislation to protect these retirees. “We are urging President Obama and Congress to enact legislation to prevent employers from changing or eliminating post-retirement benefits for someone once they have actually retired.” Promises made by employers to these retirees for benefits that they earned should be kept. It’s that simple.”

SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE CONTINUES The ACLU of Florida, Advancement Project, and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP has released a report on their study of the ongoing harmful impacts of Florida schools’ “zero-tolerance” policies. The study, entitled “Still Haven’t Shut Off the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Evaluating the Impact of Florida’s New Zero-Tolerance Law,” shows that although the state took a significant step forward by amending its harsh zero-tolerance law in 2009, meaningful reform has still not reached most of the schools and students across the state. SB 1540 revised Florida’s zero-tolerance law by urging Florida schools to limit the use of expulsions and referrals to law enforcement for minor offenses and to address school behavior in less damaging, more developmentally appropriate ways. The law also expressly recognized that zerotolerance policies must apply equally to all students, regardless of economic status, race or disability. However, after studying the school discipline policies of 55 school districts across the state, as well as the available data following the passage of SB 1540, the authors of the study conclude that the implementation of the new law has fallen substantially short of what is needed to adequately address the over-criminalization of Florida’s youth and the over-reliance on exclusionary discipline by Florida’s schools. “This research shows clearly that, contrary to recommendations of the Department of Juvenile Justice’s Blueprint Commission, many school districts are needlessly referring too many students to the criminal justice

system,” stated Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida. “These policies are called the ‘school-to-prison pipeline’ for a reason, and they are funneling our children out of school and into the arms of the juvenile and criminal justice system–denying many Florida children the right to a quality education.” “Unfortunately, the promise of SB 1540 has been unfulfilled, and this study makes it clear that we need to demand more substance be put into the law,” said Adora Obi Nweze, President of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP. “In accordance with the NAACP’s policies, there must be incentives and sanctions in place to motivate our districts to eliminate zero tolerance, develop more humane alternatives that are proven to positively impact school climate and academic success, and eliminate racial disparities.” The study includes the following data: • Nearly half of all Florida school districts had more or the same number of referrals to the Department of Juvenile Justice following the passage of SB 1540 than they had the year before. • 67 percent of student referrals to the juvenile justice system were for misdemeanor offenses, meaning there were over 12,000 referrals just for these lower-level offenses. • Racial disparities in referrals to the juvenile justice system actually got worse after the passage of SB 1540. • In spite of the new law, most school districts’ policies still allow for extremely severe punishments–such as arrest, referral to law enforcement, and expulsion–for relatively minor infractions. In light of these findings, the report concludes with recommendations to the Florida Legislature, Departments of Education and Juvenile Justice, and school districts for the implementation of proven policies and practices that can ensure that Florida public schools provide a safe and effective learning environment for all Florida students. “Zero tolerance is a failed policy that is both ineffective and counter-productive,” said Jim Freeman, Director of the Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track Project at Advancement Project. “By following the lead of other districts and schools around the country, Florida can reduce the dropout rate, build safer and more effective schools, limit the number of youth entering the juvenile and criminal justice systems, use the State’s law enforcement agencies more efficiently, save taxpayer dollars, and build healthier communities throughout the state.”

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BY SCOTT SATTERWHITE

said LaRuby May, an African-American lawyer now living in Washington, D.C. May was born and raised in Pensacola and left her hometown to go to Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. After

Eckerd, May continued her education at George Washington University in D.C. and Villanova University outside of Philadelphia. Despite strong family connections in this area, May does not see herself returning to Pensacola. “I would appreciate the opportunity to serve the community which helped me to become the person that I am,” said May. “But I am also practical and understand that I have greater access to resources away from Pensacola than I do in Pensacola.”

Pensacola has long had a problem retaining its young professionals. Citing a multitude of factors such as economic

prospects, educational opportunities, cultural interests, and post-hurricane housing issues, the upwardly mobile have often seen greener pastures in larger cities. This is particularly true within the African-American community. While the exodus of talent spans multiple sectors of the population, the loss may be felt deepest within Pensacola’s African Americancommunity. While the overall U.S. economy and the continuing reverberations from recent hurricanes certainly play a strong part in the exodus phenomenon, historic factors such as racial disparity appear to be a stronger factor in this recent wave of black migration from Pensacola. Racism creates

its own hurdles for the rise of the young black professional. Despite the gains of the Civil Rights Era and the election of the first African-American president, obstacles still exist for even the most educated African Americans. According to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, 81 percent of all black professionals think that racism not only exists in the workplace, but that it is common. That less than 20 percent of AfricanAmerican professionals feel that the worksite is a place for equality between the races points to a problem. These feelings of inequality may be more pronounced in sections of the country that historically have had racial problems, such as Pensacola.

INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

“I honestly feel that living in Pensacola made the obstacles harder from [the perspective of] an African-American male,” said Pensacola native Rodney Carter. Carter was born and raised in Pensacola, graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and left Pensacola to go to college. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida Memorial University and his master’s degree from St. Thomas University. Both universities are in Miami Gardens. Carter currently directs student activities at Florida Memorial. “I honestly wanted to stay in Pensacola and help my city flourish,” said Carter. The problem for Carter was a common one for many black professionals: the lack of opportunity. Carter stated that there were few options in his chosen field that he felt would be good for his career. “Either you’re a coach, community center director or an athletic director,” he said. For Carter, none of these jobs were attractive, so he left Pensacola permanently. “It truly hurts me to say that my hometown has a very big problem with racism that can’t be overlooked anymore.”

Pensacola has historically had its ups and downs related to issues of racial disparity. Slavery was the norm in Pensacola before the Civil War. Although the city had a large free black population, there existed a much larger enslaved population that worked to build many of the 19th-century landmarks of Pensacola’s past, such as Fort Barrancas and Fort Pickens. After the war, Pensacola saw unprecedented gains by its recently emancipated

population. During this time frame, Pensacola had several black politicians serving in various capacities, from constable, city alderman, and even one African-American mayor. Although these gains were rolled back with the 1884 election of Gov. Edward Perry, Pensacola still maintained a large black professional and working class. The development of this new class of black doctors, lawyers, writers and printers was aided by the city’s close proximity to Tuskegee University, founded by famed intellectual and former slave Booker T. Washington. As a testament to this community, Washington even devoted a chapter in one of his books to Pensacola. He praised the city’s strong “Negro business community” as proof of the post-Civil War gains for blacks in the South. Census records shows that Pensacola was majority black by the turn of the century. However, with the intrusion of Florida’s Jim Crow laws into the lives of blacks and the subsequent lynching of at least five African-American men between 1899 and 1912, nearly all political power in the African-American community had been drastically eroded by the next census. The percentage of African Americans in Pensacola was cut in half by 1920. Though the professional class that remained stayed strong during the Jim Crow years, many other black Pensacolians left the South for less racially intense environments elsewhere. This was not unique to Pensacola but happened throughout the South. Thousands of African Americans took the rise in racial violence and the lack of political enfranchise-

ment in the South as a sign that they may have a better chance at success— and survival—in the North or out west. The move by blacks from the South to Northern cities is known as the Great Migration.

Recent years have seen a reversal in this trend. Civil rights legislation and a friendlier racial climate have made the South more attractive to African Americans looking for career prospects in the 21st century. For the first time in generations, more African Americans are moving to the South than leaving. Florida is listed among the states that have had a substantial growth in their African-American population, according to an article published last month by the Associated Press. Despite this trend, Pensacola is seen by some African Americans as a less-than appealing option for relocation. Often dubbed the “Black Mecca,” Atlanta has become one of the major destinations for African-American professionals from around the country as well as from Pensacola. Keisha Nelson currently resides in Atlanta but calls Pensacola home. A graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, Nelson worked in the Pensacola area for some time before leaving to attend college at Georgia State. Nelson holds a master’s degree in computer sciences and currently works for a major corporation in Atlanta as an IT specialist and training manager. Nelson said that the best job she could get before leaving Pensacola was at a frozen yogurt shop.

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“There simply weren’t any opportunities in Pensacola for jobs that paid higher than minimum wage, and I knew that there more jobs available outside of the city,” said Nelson. With hopes of using the G.I. Bill to pay for college, Nelson joined the Army Reserves. She used the opportunity to leave Pensacola. “I was just grabbing at straws trying to find something,” she said. “My thought was that I would have to leave Pensacola if I wanted to survive.” Nelson worked consistently in Atlanta for several years until the most recent economic collapse. “In March of 2010, I was briefly laid off from my job in Atlanta,” said Nelson. This development and her mother’s health led Nelson to consider returning to her hometown. “I thought about coming home, and I interviewed with two companies here,” said Nelson. However, when she was finally offered a job, the pay was 54 percent less than what she has earned in Atlanta. “The salaries were so drastically different, it just didn’t make sense to relocate.” The pay difference between Pensacola and Atlanta wasn’t the only sticking point for Nelson. She was also troubled by the local mindset and perceptions of racism in the local workforce. To explain, Nelson related a story. Nelson said that she has a close friend “who has a degree in business and worked professionally in Atlanta.” When the friend came to Pensacola to look for work, she received few offers of employment. “The only job she was offered paid $8.50 an hour, just barely above minimum wage,” Nelson said. Although Nelson admits this may just be a ref lection of the economy, she added that the person who offered her friend the job did something strange.

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“This person looked her up and down and said, ‘I know exactly where we can put you.’” Nelson’s friend’s new job was to supervise six other African Americans in a company that had several white employees. “It wasn’t even the job that she applied for,” said Nelson. “This is an African American woman with a degree in business. Now she is working in Pensacola for minimum wage—and then only hired to supervise other African Americans.” Nelson added that the lack of opportunity prevents people from coming back to Pensacola after earning a degree. “Because if they come back, not only will they have to work two or three jobs to survive, but then they have to deal with the type of biased employers that would tell a professional, ‘I know exactly where we can put you.’” Carter, the student activities director, had similar experiences with the lack of opportunity. His family still resides in Pensacola, and he said that Pensacola has “a major problem with giving the opportunities to African Americans who meet all the requirements [for employment].” The disparity in pay and equal opportunity in the hiring process– or the perception of both–have the potential to repel Pensacola’s black professionals from returning to their hometown. “With bigger cities, there are better pay scales and more opportunities,” said Carter. “Within my profession, there aren’t many opportunities [in Pensacola] that have a good pay.”

The era since the election of Barack Obama has been heralded as “post-racial.” However, federal statistics on discrimination paint a much different picture. Instances of legal discrimination are often difficult to quantify but apparently are still common. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported more than 35,000 claims of discrimination in 2010 alone. A recent study sponsored by the EEOC of over 200,000 large and midsize companies found that African-American professionals nationwide have a 30 percent chance of being discriminated against in the workforce. In the past decade, discrimination lawsuit payouts within Fortune 500 companies have gone as high as $192 million. In a 2007 racial discrimination study by the EEOC, Dr. Marc Benedick wrote that some workplaces operate with an “underlying corporate culture [that] includes conscious racist attitudes and perception [as well as] deliberate adoption of policies”

that put employees of color at a disadvantage. Even in the 21st-century corporate workplace, Benedick stated that “virulent racism is not dead.” “Whether the causes are conscious or unconscious, active or passive,” Dr. Benedick wrote in the study, “the point is that the complained-about actions are typically neither isolated nor accidental. They are rooted in an employer world view and normal operating procedures reflecting that world view.”

There remain perceptions that African Americans don’t belong in certain seg-

ments of society. Nelson blames the older generation, both white and black, for perpetuating these attitudes. For whites, the view may be based on a prejudice against blacks that has been fostered over the years through national culture, local history and familial influence. For blacks, the mindset of inferiority may be a defensive mechanism created during the era of segregation, only intensified with multiple personal experiences with outright racism and workplace discrimination. “It’s hard to change a mindset that is so deeply ingrained, and the older generation passes it forward,” Nelson said. “I had to leave Pensacola before I truly understood that.” Because of her light complexion, Nelson said that she felt employers viewed her as the “safe” black employee who could work with customers. Recalling that memory, Nelson spoke of an earlier experience working in a Pensacola restaurant. “When I worked at the restaurant,” Nelson said, “I noticed all of the black people were in the kitchen. Everyone else—all the other black people—were in the kitchen. “Because I was light-skinned, I was the only [African American] up front. I didn’t want to be the only one where I worked. I didn’t want to be the only one like me, so I left.”

One person who is helping to reverse the trend of outward migration is Quincy Hull. Hull, who goes by his stage name “Q”, is a poet with several books and CDs under his belt. Q has toured the country extensively promoting his work and has recently relocated to Pensacola from the majority minority city of Memphis, Tenn. The first time Q visited Pensacola he was attracted to the water. “The beaches are beautiful,” said Q. “I felt like it was something I needed.” Q was invited back to Pensacola a month later to participate in an anti-police brutality poetry reading at Movement for Change. Shortly afterwards, Q gave a reading at End of the Line Café and decided to move here. Q said, “At the time, I was ready to leave Memphis and was looking for a change. We performed at End of the Line, and it gave me an opportunity to meet people that helped me move to the city.” Though Q likes his new surroundings, he said Pensacola is a hard place to work and live for a professional African-American artist. “There’s definitely a divided view between the white artist in Pensacola and the black artist,” Q said. “When a white [poet] says something on stage, it will often be accepted. When I’m saying something opposite to their experiences, it won’t be looked at the same. If your work is being looked at as different because of skin privilege; that means that we have a long way to go.” Q observed that the general lack of entertainment catering to a black audience may partly explain the exodus of young professionals from this area. “If I was a young, professional black person I would be asking, ‘What’s here for me?’” Q said. “For an outsider like me, [Pensacola] is kind of a culture shock,” says Q. “Now I have a decent job, it’s a decent community,

but what kind of music and plays are being brought here? What kind of entertainment does the city support? Are there performing acts that I want to see? These are the questions I ask myself,” he said. “Right now, I don’t see that kind of entertainment here,” Q said. “I shouldn’t have to leave my city’s limits to see entertainment, especially in a city where we [blacks] are 30 percent [of the population]. It’s like, we’re here, but you don’t care. That’s how it feels sometimes.” INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

When talented professionals leave the area, “Pensacola loses out because of the great value that diversity provides in all aspects of a city,” said May, the D.C. attorney. “I know African-American lawyers, doctors, teachers, accountants and other professionals that were born and raised in Pensacola and who would love to come back to their hometown,” May said. “But there are few opportunities for employment and almost no opportunities for growth in their professions.” Carter believes that Pensacola loses the people that could mentor troubled youth and serve as an example to those who see little hope for their lives in Pensacola. “Pensacola loses out because that’s one less positive role model/mentor that can help stop the violence, end racism, address topics that need improvement and be a voice for the people,” Carter said.

Nelson spoke of a friend in the medical profession who treats patients for free in Atlanta. According to Nelson, the friend works for free and provides pro bono work to people in her adopted community that need help, but cannot afford it. “That work could be helping out people in her hometown of Pensacola,” Nelson said. “Right now, [these professionals] are encouraging their communities to eat healthier and are giving free legal advice, for instance. These people could be helping to break that small-town mentality, but only if we can maintain our own right here. So far, that’s not happening.”

Some see the attitudes of indifference or open hostility to African Americans slowly changing and have ideas about how to make greater progress. “I feel that Pensacola is growing into an environment of positivity for people

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of color, but needs to change the negative image [of African Americans] throughout the community,” Carter said. To some extent, Nelson agrees. “I think it’s getting better,” Nelson said. “I mean, I did get a return call. I did get an offer, even though it was at 54 percent lower pay than what I made doing the same thing in Atlanta.” “The other side of that is that if you can surpass any racial barriers, you still have the economic hurdle,” she said. “That makes it increasingly hard to survive [in Pensacola].” The combination of perceived racism in the workplace, lack of cultural opportunities for young people of color, and the general economic climate make Pensacola a hard sell for many former residents. May insists that the “city has to take a clear stand on the importance of inclusion. The city will have to take the lead and be aggressive in its support of the value of diversity in the workplace.” To help change this exodus of minority talent, “those who have access to resources will need to be willing to share those resources with individuals who are willing and have the capacity to perform,” May added.

For those interested in changing the trend of exodus from Pensacola, Q offered some advice: Anyone serious about correcting the situation must be prepared to start a dialogue. “To leave black people behind is an old racist practice of Americans, and you don’t want to be associated with that past,” Q said. “If all races, genders, and classes don’t move forward, then Pensacola doesn’t move forward. And if black people don’t progress, Pensacola doesn’t progress.” Scott Satterwhite is a freelance writer and teaches writing at Pensacola State College. Lauren Anzaldo contributed to this article. info@inweekly.net

INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

14 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011

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arts + entertainment ART, FILM, MUSIC, STAGE, BOOKS AND OTHER SIGNS OF CIVILIZATION...

ST. PATRICK’S DAY EVENT GUIDE

A GUIDE TO ALL THINGS IRISH AROUND TOWN BY HANA FRENETTE

Go to the End O’ The Alley Bar for an Irish Jig contest, and the Sexiest Redhead contest- both will be judged by the audience.

Dinner and a Movie Special at Sluggo’s Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant 101 S. Jefferson St. 791.6501

Sluggo’s will be serving a traditional Irish meal, vegetarian style. The dishes included in the meal will be revealed in the next week via facebook. Drink specials will also accompany the meal. The film Zeitgeist will be shown at 7 p.m. and will be followed by two guest speakers, who will be discussing the film.

$2 Pint of Green PBR at Hopjacks

Go Irish on the Island Pensacola Beach 932-1500 pensacolabeachchamber.com

From Friday, March 11 through Thursday, March 17, Pensacola Beach will be celebrating the luck of the Irish. Check out food and drink specials, live entertainment, giveaways, bikini contests, crawfish boils, and more at various beach bars and restaurants. Participat-

ing bars and restaurants include Paddy O’Leary’s Irish Pub, Paradise Bar & Grill, Crabs We Got ‘Em, Bamboo Willies and Sandshaker, among others. The week culminates with the 2011 St. Patrick ’s Day Pub Crawl. For a detailed schedule of events of the week-long celebration, and information on when and where to get your St. Patty’s Day drink on, visit pensacolabeachchamber.com.

St, Patrick’s Day Celebration Seville Quarter 130 E. Government St. 434.6211

Grab some lunch at Seville and enjoy a lunch of Irish stew and Corned Beef and Cabbage. Come back at 4 and enjoy nickel green beer until 5. Take advantage of the many drink specials being offered on Irish beers and ales, and of course, Whiskey.

Swing by Hopjacks before or after your St. Patrick’s Day festivities and grab yourself a $2 pint of green PBR. All martinis will be half off after 7 p.m. as well as the traditional Thursday night $3 Sweetwater Brewery taps.

McGuire’s 34th Annual 5k St. Patrick’s Day Run and After Party McGuire’s Irish Pub 600 E. Gregory St. 433.6789

Around Town Oh Snap! Cupcakes 707 A East Cervantes St. 387.4777

Oh Snap! Will be featuring a special Pistaccio cupcake for St. Patrick’s Day, as well as a variety of green sugar cookies and cakes. Cakes can also be custom made for any St. Patrick’s Day event.

Jay’s Bakery 2014 N. 12th Ave 432.4180

Jay’s Bakery will offer their signature shamrock iced cookies, Irish soda bread, as well as a few other surprise green treats.

Jackson’s Presents a Special Irish Meal

Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen and Taproom 10 Palafox Pl. 497.6073

here are so many things to do on St. Patrick’s Day. Wear green. Don’t wear green and get pinched all day. Draw amateur sketches of leprechauns. Buy a “Kiss me I’m Irish!” shirt from the mall, even though you’re not Irish. The list goes on. Or, you could attend any one of these events and have an amazing time- regardless of whether or not you remembered to throw on something green. Go on, embrace your heritage, or lack of it and join Pensacola in making the Irish proud.

Irish Sweet Treats

Although every day is basically St. Patrick’s Day at McGuire’s, the 17th of March does bring something bring something extra. The 5k run. Participate in this legendary run or be a spectator of the madness. The McGuire’s 5k is one of the largest 5k runs in the United States, bringing about 10,000 runners each year. The race starts and ends at McGuire’s and you must be registered to participate in the run. The post run party will feature Irish coffee, Irish Wakes, Michelob Ultra and soft drinks. Have a dinner or a drink and listen to traditional Irish folk songs as you’re surrounded by thousands of hanging dollar bills and all the nostalgia of Ireland itself.

Jackson’s Steak House 600 S. Barracks St. 433.2582

If you’re looking for a classy way to spend St. Patrick’s Day, look no further than Jackson’s. Chef Irv Miller will be preparing a new twist on a traditional Irish dinner. At 5:30 p.m. Miller will begin serving potato soup, with a smoky cheddar cheese and Guinness flare. The main course will include a grass-fed spring lamb, served with fresh mint marmalade, parsley new potatoes, grilled asparagus, and traditional Irish soda bread. Their full dinner menu will also be available.

Go For the Green at the Elbow Room The Elbow Room 2213 W. Cervantes St. 434.0300

The Elbow Room is known for it’s unique atmosphere, which involves a variety of strange décor, an amazing jukebox that plays only 45s, piles of board games and a ton of red light bulbs. There are no white lights inside the Elbow Room. Every last one of them is red. On St. Patrick’s Day, they switch them around and every single light is green. The jukebox and the board games stay the same. Bask in the green lights and enjoy $1 green Schlitz all night. info@inweekly.net

INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

hot times THURSDAY 3.10 ▼ART

LUCKY DOGGS 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 312 E. Government St. 469-1001 or hubstaceys.com.

ART HISTORY LECTURE AT PMA 6 p.m. Classical Civilizations 800 BC-337 AD. Free, reservations appreciated. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org.

JAY WILLIAMS BAND 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s at the Point, 5851 Galvez Road. 497-0071 or hubstaceys.com.

ART CLASS AT PAINTING WITH A TWIST 6-8 p.m. Bring your favorite bottle of wine or beverage, and paint a picture step by step that you will take home. 16 years and older. Theme: Sand Dollar. Painting with a Twist, 4771 Bayou Blvd., Suite C-11. $35. 471-1450 or paintingwithatwist.com/pensacola.

BO HARRIS & MOST WANTED 7 p.m. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com.

▼LIVE MUSIC

THE BLENDERS 7 p.m. Five Sisters’ Blues Café, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com. FISH OUT OF WATER 7 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via de Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com. RONNIE LEVINE 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com. PSC WIND AND JAZZ ENSEMBLES WITH SPECIAL GUEST DOUG ELLIOT 7:30 p.m. Free, but tickets required. Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. 484-1000 or pensacolastate.edu.

JOHN CONLEE 7 p.m. Farmer’s Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Road. 994-6000 or farmersopry.com.

JOHN CONLEE 7 p.m. Farmers’ Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Road. 994-6000 or farmersopry.com. PANHANDLE ALL STARS 7 p.m. Five Sisters’ Blues Café, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com. KINGDOM OF GIANTS, WE ARE DANGER, FAMOUS LAST WORDS, OCEAN NOVA 7 p.m. $6-$9. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. 434-9060 or handlebarpensacola.com. ONE JAMAICAN 9 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. HEADLINER 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 932-2211 or sandshakerlounge.com. MO JILES 9 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com.

HUGO, SKIN WIGGIN 8 p.m. $5. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 Palafox. vinylmusichall.com.

THE MODERN ELDORADOS 9 p.m. LiliMarlene’s in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

THE LISPS, FABRIC 9:30 p.m. $5. Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. 791-6501 or sluggos.net.

THE REZ 9 p.m. Apple Annie’s in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

▼THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 4700003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

‘MOON OVER BUFFALO’ 7:30 p.m. A pair of fading stars learn they have a last chance at glory, but in comic tradition, everything that can go wrong, does. A madcap comedy by Ken Ludwig. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. 4324042 or pensacolalittletheatre.com. ‘LILY’S LOUNGE’ 8 p.m. Lily and Madge are having a hard time keeping things afloat, until two strangers appear and the world is changed. The play takes place in the early 1940s, and the world is realizing that the war is close, even on a hill in the center of a vast country. Loblolly Theatre, 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 211. 439-3010 or loblollytheatre.com.

▼OTHER EVENTS

‘HISTORY OF THE PENSACOLA PAPER MILL’ 12 p.m. A guest lecturer will continue John Appleyard’s ‘Rediscovery’ lecture series for the Pensacola Heritage Foundation. $10 for lunch provided by New York Deli. The Bowden Building, 120 E. Church St. 438-6505 or pensacolaheritage.org.

FRIDAY 3.11 ▼ART

ART CLASS AT PAINTING WITH A TWIST 6-8 p.m. Bring your favorite bottle of wine or beverage, and paint a picture step by step that you will take home. 16 years and older. Theme: Red Sunset on the Beach. Painting with a Twist, 4771 Bayou Blvd., Suite C-11. $35. 471-1450 or paintingwithatwist.com/ pensacola.

▼LIVE MUSIC

SUPERHERO, THE NEW COLLISIONS 5 p.m. Free. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com. HOLLY SHELTON, DAVID SHELANDER AND LUCKY KELSON 5 p.m. Rag Tyme Grille, 201 S. Jefferson St. 429-9655 or ragtyme.net. TIM SPENCER 6 p.m. Crabs We Got ‘Em, 6 Casino Beach Boardwalk. 932-0700 or crabswegotem.com. FISH OUT OF WATER 6 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via De Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com. ALLSTAR WEEKEND 6 p.m. $12-$15. Phineas Phogg’s in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. BEACH MICE 7-11 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 677-9153 or thegrandmarlin.com. 3 AMIGOS DUO 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com.

NATALIE KIRK & CO. 9:30 p.m. Free. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, 10 S. Palafox. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com. LORD GREEN, EMERALD COAST MURDERS, CHICKEN AND WHISKEY, APOSTATE 9:30 p.m. $5. Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. 791-6501 or sluggos.net.

Jewelry, 32 S. Palafox. 434-8948 or susancampbelljewelry.com. GALLERY NIGHT—NORTH PALAFOX 5-9 p.m. Join Digital Now on North Palafox for Gallery Night. The street will be closed from Sole Inn north to Digital Now. Enjoy children’s activities, frozen treats from Beach Pops, art and live jazz music. 282 N. Palafox. Call 434-2525 for details.

GULF BREEZE CELEBRATES THE ARTS 2011 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Proceeds from the festival are used to help produce the event, for scholarship awards to area schools and to students attending Pensacola State College who exhibit talents in the arts. Gulf Breeze High School Parking Lot, 675 Gulf Breeze Parkway. 932-1722.

PENSACOLA LIGHTHOUSE GHOST HUNT 6:45 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Join Rocky and the Ghost Seekers of Texas for a ghost hunt at the Pensacola Lighthouse. Reservations required. 393-1561 or pensacolalighthouse.org.

PEG LEG PETE’S OYSTER FESTIVAL 11 a.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com.

MONSTER TRUCK RALLY 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 or pensacolaciviccenter.com.

SATURDAY 3.12 ▼ART

ART CLASS AT PAINTING WITH A TWIST 5:30-8:30 p.m. Bring your favorite bottle of wine or beverage, and paint a picture step by step that you will take home. 16 years and older. Theme: Meet Me at the Beach. Painting with a Twist, 4771 Bayou Blvd., Suite C-11. $45. 471-1450 or paintingwithatwist.com/pensacola. MULTICULTURAL DAY AT PMA 12-4 p.m. Exploring cultures from around the world through performances, art and artifacts. Children can participate in craft projects and learn to appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of these cultures. Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org.

SAME TIME, SAME PLACE ▼ONGOING ART EXHIBITIONS

PUCCINI’S ‘TURANDOT’ 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Opera is proud to present Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot” as the final production of their 28th Season. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. 5953882 or pensacolaopera.com.

THE RECYCLED ART PROJECT WITH WINE & CHEESE 4 p.m. Ever’man will host its first recycled art class along with sampling their favorite wines and cheeses. Elie Barnes will teach notecard and collage techniques using re-used, up-cycled and found objects. $2, please RSVP. Ever’man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden St. 438-0402 or everman.org. GALLERY NIGHT 5-9 p.m. Come downtown and enjoy the sights, sounds and food of downtown Pensacola. Businesses will stay open late for this special event. 434-5371 or downtowpensacola.com. TRUNK SHOW AT SUSAN CAMPBELL JEWELRY 5 p.m. Jewelry boutique Susan Campbell Jewelry will host a trunk show during Gallery Night to showcase the bridal headpieces and accessories of highly publicized designer Jenny Packham. Susan Campbell

16 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

3 AMIGOS DUO 5-9 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com. TIM SPENCER & REDD NECKLESS 6 p.m. Crabs We Got ‘Em, 6 Casino Beach Boardwalk. 932-0700 or crabswegotem.com. PAXTON NORRIS & TYLER MAC 6 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via De Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com. JOHN CONLEE 7 p.m. Farmer’s Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Road. 994-6000 or farmersopry.com. BO HARRIS & MOST WANTED 7 p.m. The Oar House,1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com. BEACH MICE 7-11 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 677-9153 or thegrandmarlin.com. PENSACOLA GUITAR ENSEMBLE 7:30 p.m. Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. 4841000 or pensacolastate.edu.

mutant creatures exploring the questions surrounding our relationship to the natural world and the role that science has in shaping the living environment.

TAG Art Gallery at UWF Bldg 82, 11000 University Parkway

‘LILY’S LOUNGE’ 8 p.m. Lily and Madge are having a hard time keeping things afloat, until two strangers appear and the world is changed. The play takes place in the early 1940s, and the world is realizing that the war is close, even on a hill in the center of a vast country. Loblolly Theatre, 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 211. 439-3010 or loblollytheatre.com.

PREMIER WINE TASTING AT EVER’MAN 3 p.m. Premier Beverage will be on hand sampling a variety of their sustainably grown wines. Ever’man will also sample their popular Whole in the Wall pestos. Ever’man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden St. 438-0402 or everman.org.

JAM SANDWICH 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com.

‘CELEBRATING LIFE IN PENSACOLA’ 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday through March 23. Area artists Debbie Andress and Valerie Aune will present an exhibition of paintings celebrating life in Pensacola. They have painted homes, gardens, city streets, parks, wildlife, landmarks and tourist attractions in a variety of mediums.

MUSTANG CLUB CAR SHOW 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 W. Mobile Highway. 712-4510.

▼LIVE MUSIC

Quayside Gallery 17 E. Zaragoza St. 438-2363 or quaysidegallery.com.

▼THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

▼OTHER EVENTS

▼FESTIVALS

artwork by Rob Vander Zee

Blue Morning Gallery 112 S. Palafox. 429-9100 or bluemorninggallery.com. ‘KREWE KREATIVE’ 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 12:30-4 p.m. Sundays through March 26. Inspiration and fascination with the environment around us is apparent in the intimate naturescapes that Jan creates, from broad vistas to rocks, bugs, insects and microscopic shapes. Jan enjoys working in a variety of mediums. Sarah Mason created the pottery and Jan Kurtz created the water media and jewelry. Pensacola Museum of Art 407 S. Jefferson St. 432-6247 or pensacolamuseumofart.org ‘VISIONS OF PARADISE’ 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 12-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, through March 15. The PMA invites you into the imaginary world of Rob Vander Zee’s work of vibrant colors and fantastic plants and new

‘ICONICITY’ 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday through April 14. “Iconicity” is an exhibition of work by two graphic designers, Scott Campbell and Albert Exergian. Both artists utilize the poster medium—Campbell for music events or “gigs”, and Exergian for television with his “Iconic TV” series. West Florida Public Library, Southwest Branch 12248 Gulf Beach Highway. 453-7780 ‘INTERNATIONAL DREAM ROCKET PROJECT’ 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday through March 31. The Dream Rocket Team is collecting nearly 8,000 artworks from participants around the globe. The artwork will be assembled together to create a massive cover in which to wrap a 37-story Saturn V Moon Rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. The Wright Place 80 E. Wright St. JURIED ART SHOW FOR ART STUDY CLUB Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.-2 p.m through April 17. The Club is composed of 79 local artists and represents a wide variety of styles and mediums.

hot times LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 4700003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.

▼FESTIVALS

MO JILES 9 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com.

GULF BREEZE CELEBRATES THE ARTS 2011 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Proceeds from the festival are used to help produce the event, for scholarship awards to area schools and to students attending Pensacola State College who exhibit talents in the arts. Gulf Breeze High School Parking Lot, 675 Gulf Breeze Parkway. 932-1722.

ANA SIA WITH DJ CHARLES III & RANDOM ACTS 9 p.m. $12$15. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com.

PEG LEG PETE’S OYSTER FESTIVAL 3 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com.

THE MODERN ELDORADOS 9 p.m. LiliMarlene’s in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

▼THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

HEADLINER 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 932-2211 or sandshakerlounge.com.

THE REZ 9 p.m. Apple Annie’s in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. NOT QUITE FAB 9 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Dr. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. REDDOG AND FRIENDS 9:30 p.m. Free. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, 10 S. Palafox. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com. MAT MUSTO, SHINOBI NINJA, THE EXTRAORDINARIES 9:30 p.m. $8. Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. 791-6501 or sluggos.net.

▼THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

‘MOON OVER BUFFALO’ 2:30 p.m. A pair of fading stars learn they have a last chance at glory, but in comic tradition, everything that can go wrong, does. A madcap comedy by Ken Ludwig. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. 432-4042 or pensacolalittletheatre.com. ‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’ 7:30 p.m. In honor of Tennessee Williams, Theatre West will be performing “The Glass Menagerie”. $15 and reservations are strongly recommended. Sanctuary in the Groves, Theatre West, 9732 Sidney Road. 912-4087 or sanctuarytheatrewest.com. ‘LILY’S LOUNGE’ 8 p.m. Lily and Madge are having a hard time keeping things afloat, until two strangers appear and the world is changed. The play takes place in the early 1940s, and the world is realizing that the war is close, even on a hill in the center of a vast country. Loblolly Theatre, 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 211. 439-3010 or loblollytheatre.com.

▼OTHER EVENTS

MCGUIRE’S 5K PREDICTION RUN 7 a.m. Largest prediction run in the nation with more than 5,000 participants. After party with plenty of food and drink following the run. McGuire’s Irish Pub, 600 E. Gregory St. 433-6789 or mcguiresirishpub.com.

PUCCINI’S ‘TURANDOT’ 2 p.m. Pensacola Opera is proud to present Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot” as the final production of their 28th Season. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. 5953882 or pensacolaopera.com. ‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’ 2:30 p.m. In honor of Tennessee Williams, Theatre West will be performing ‘The Glass Menagerie’. $15 and reservations are strongly recommended. Sanctuary in the Groves, Theatre West, 9732 Sidney Road. 912-4087 or sanctuarytheatrewest.com. ‘LILY’S LOUNGE’ 3 p.m. Lily and Madge are having a hard time keeping things afloat, until two strangers appear and the world is changed. The play takes place in the early 1940s, and the world is realizing that the war is close, even on a hill in the center of a vast country. Loblolly Theatre, 1010 N. 12th Ave., Ste. 211. 439-3010 or loblollytheatre.com.

▼LIVE MUSIC

SHAWN CURLE 2 p.m. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 5494444 or the-oar-house.com. PAXTON NORRIS & TYLER MAC 3 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via De Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com. KYLE PARKER BAND 3 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com. LECTRIC MULLET 3-7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com. MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS 4-8 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 932-2211 or sandshakerlounge.com. PENSACOLA STEEL & PAUL KILLOUGH 6 p.m. Crabs We Got ‘Em, 6 Casino Beach Boardwalk. 932-0700 or crabswegotem.com. MATT WHITE, BRENDAN JAMES, WILL KNOX 7:30 p.m. $10$12. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com.

AUTO RACING AT FIVE FLAGS 8 a.m. Open practice. Five Flags Speedway, 7451 Pine Forest Road. 944-8400 or 5flagsspeedway.com.

BEAUVILLES, EYES LIPS EYES, LIGHTHOUSE MUSIC 9:30 p.m. $6. Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. 791-6501 or sluggos.net.

B-BAR-K 8 a.m. Free. Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. 944-1783 or myescambia.com.

POT OF GOLD POKER TOURNAMENT 5 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

ROCK CULTURE CON 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Rock Culture Con is a charity rock festival/rock expo with 20 bands, tattoos, belly dancing, YouTube celebrities, pinup models and more. $10$12. Bayview Park, Mallory Street and 20th Avenue. MUSTANG CLUB CAR SHOW 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 W. Mobile Highway. 712-4510.

▼OTHER EVENTS

MONDAY 3.14 ▼LIVE MUSIC

RONNIE LEVINE 6 p.m. Crabs We Got ‘Em, 6 Casino Beach Boardwalk. 932-0700 or crabswegotem.com.

MONSTER TRUCK RALLY 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 or pensacolaciviccenter.com.

MUSIC: BLUES JAM 6 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via De Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com.

MUSIC: RICHARD MADDEN 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK GUINNESS PARTY 9 p.m. Guinness giveaways and Guinness pouring contest. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

SUNDAY 3.13 ▼ART

ART CLASS AT PAINTING WITH A TWIST 1-3 p.m. Bring your favorite bottle of wine or beverage, and paint a picture step by step that you will take home. 16 years and older. Theme: Hootsie-Family Day. Painting with a Twist, 4771 Bayou Blvd., Suite C-11. $35. 471-1450 or paintingwithatwist.com/pensacola.

▼OTHER EVENTS

JAZZ EDUCATORS APPRECIATION DINNER 6-8:30 p.m. $15, reservations required by March 10. Gregory Street Assembly Hall, 501 E. Gregory St. 433-8382 or jazzpensacola.com. ST. PATTY’S POKER PARTY 7 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 932-2211 or sandshakerlounge.com.

TUESDAY 3.15 ▼LIVE MUSIC

IRISH SPRING BREAK CONCERT 5 p.m. Featuring Bella Orange and Citizen Icon from Atlanta. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com. JEFF GLICKMAN 6 p.m. The Leisure Club, 126 Palafox. 9124229 or tlcdowntown.com. INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

hot times PAXTON NORRIS & TYLER MAC 6 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via De Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com.

▼LIVE MUSIC

MIDWEST HYPE 6-10 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via De Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com.

ANYBODY KILLA, AXE MURDER BOYS, SOULJAH PRIESTS 7 p.m. $10-$12. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. 434-9060 or handlebarpensacola.com.

BROOKS HUBBERT 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com.

RICHARD MADDEN 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com.

▼OTHER EVENTS

BLUES PRACTICE FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE TOWER 8-9:30 a.m. See eye to eye with the Blue Angels, and watch the entire show from a vantage few others have. Space is limited. $15. Reservations required. Pensacola Lighthouse, 2081 Radford Blvd. 393-1561.

PENSACOLA CIVIC BAND WITH SPECIAL GUEST DR. KADISHA ONALBAYEVA 7:30 p.m. $5. Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. 484-1000 or pensacolastate.edu. G LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE 7:30 p.m. $20-$25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com. KARAOKE HOSTED BY VIC AND STACEY 9:30 p.m. Free. Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. 791-6501 or sluggos.net.

▼THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

‘MAMMA MIA!’ 8 p.m. Over 32 million people all around the world have fallen in love with ‘Mamma Mia!’, the ultimate feel-good show. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. 595-3880 or pensacolasaenger.com.

▼OTHER EVENTS

‘PRELUDE TO FLORIDA: THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF FIRST CONTACT IN CUBA’ 7 p.m. Dr. John Worth from the department of Anthropology at UWF will present this section of the lecture series ‘Beyond Our Backyard: Archaeology Around the World’, hosted by the Florida Public Archaeology Network. Free. Bowden Building, 120 E. Church St. 5950500, ext. 103 or flpublicarchaeology.org.

WEDNESDAY 3.16 ▼ART

ART CLASS AT PAINTING WITH A TWIST 6-9 p.m. Bring your

SAME TIME, SAME PLACE ▼WINE TASTINGS THURSDAY: Aragon Wine Market 5-7 p.m. 27 S. Ninth Ave., aragonwinemarket.com

6TH ANNUAL ART OF FASHION EVENT 11 a.m.-1 p.m. This Kentucky Derby themed luncheon features a runway fashion show, live and silent art auctions, derby hat contest and prize drawings. $35-$40. New World Landing, 600 S. Palafox. 4389714 or support.covenanthospice.org/artoffasion/index.html. LUNCH & LEARN AT DK 12 p.m. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Irish clam chowder with asparagus and thyme, roast beef salad with braised cabbage and soda bread and Irish coffee pots de crème. $15. Distinctive Kitchens, 29 S. Palafox. 438-4688 or dk4u.com.

FRIDAY: City Grocery 5:15-7:30 p.m. weekly. 2050 N. 12th Ave. 469-8100. Distinctive Kitchens 4:30-7 p.m. Includes beer tastings. 29 S. Palafox Place. 438-4688 or dk4u.com. Seville Quarter 5-7 p.m. Gift Shoppe at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. Wine World Outlet 5-7 p.m. $10 with $5 toward purchase. 5010 Bayou Blvd. #103. 476-3890.

COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS AND COCKTAILS AT JACKSON’S 5-6:30 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m. “Cooking with Artisanal Cheeses”. Artisanal cheeses are manufactured by hand, using the traditional craftsmanship of skilled cheese makers around the globe. Chef Irv Miller will demonstrate the proper preparation of these cheeses. $40. Reservations required. Jackson’s Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. 217-2347 or jacksons.goodgrits.com.

favorite bottle of wine or beverage, and paint a picture step by step that you will take home. 16 years and older. Theme: Pensacola Beach. Painting with a Twist, 4771 Bayou Blvd., Suite C-11. $45. 471-1450 or paintingwithatwist.com/pensacola.

BRIDAL JEWELRY TRUNK SHOW AT SUSAN CAMPBELL 5 p.m. Pensacola jewelry boutique Susan Campbell Jewelry will host a trunk show to showcase the bridal headpieces and accessories of Anne Sportun, a Canadian designer who is driven by her belief in universal shapes and symbols. Susan Campbell Jewelry, 32 S. Palafox. 434-8948 or susancampbelljewelry.com.

18 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

SHIPWRECKS OF PENSACOLA BAY 6 p.m. Join an archaeologist with the University of West Florida’s Public Archaeology Network for the history and archaeology of these sites shown through narrative and photos. $8. Fort Pickens, 1400 Fort Pickens Road. 934-2600 or nps.gov/guis.

THURSDAY 3.17 ▼LIVE MUSIC

DUEL CHRISTIAN, TOM BURMAN 12 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. 3 AMIGO’S DUO 4 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com. TIM FINNEGAN’S WAKE 4:30 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. LEKTRIC MULLET 5 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. HOLLY SHELTON, DAVID SHELANDER AND LUCKY KELSON 7 p.m. Five Sisters Blues Cafe, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com. UNNATURAL SOUNDZ, THE METROPHONIC, ELEVATED 7 p.m. $4-$6. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. 434-9060 or handlebarpensacola.com. MIDWEST HOPE 7 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via de Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com. RONNIE LEVINE 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Rd. 932-4139 or pegletpetes.com. SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS 7:30 p.m. $20-$25. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com. PETTY CASH 9:30 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com.

S P O N S O R E D B Y

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▲MEGAMIND

Available On Demand March 11 STARRING: Voices of Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey DIRECTOR: Tom McGrath GENRE:Animation, Action, Comedy, Family, SciFiMPAA RATING: Rated PG for action and some language. The supervillain Megamind finally conquers his nemesis, the hero Metro Man... but finds his life pointless without a hero to fight.

▼THE FIGHTER

Available On Demand March 15, Same Day As DVD Release STARRING: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy AdamsDIRECTOR: David O. Russell GENRE: Biography, Drama, Sport MPAA RATING: Rated R for language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality.

PREMIERES MAR. 22

A look at the early years of boxer “Irish” Micky Ward and his brother who helped train him before going pro in the mid 1980s.

▲THE TOURIST

Available On Demand March 22, Same Day As DVD Release STARRING: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany DIRECTOR: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck GENRE: Action, Drama, Romance, Thriller MPAA RATING: Rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language.

PREMIERES MAR. 29

Revolves around Frank, an American tourist visiting Italy to mend a broken heart. Elise is an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses his path.

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Order using your Digital remote! Go to Channel 1

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Mail completed coupon to Cox/On DEMAND, 2205 La Vista Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32504. Coupon good for one On DEMAND movie priced at $4.99 or less; not valid for adult programming or special events; cannot be used with other offers. Limit one coupon per household per month. Void if altered or transferred; no photocopies or reproductions accepted. Account holder is responsible for all charges on his/ her account. Available to residential customers in Cox service areas. Cox Advanced TV, remote, receiver required. Digital cable ready TV’s and other devices equipped with a CableCard require a Cox digital receiver to receive On DEMAND programming. Some On DEMAND programming costs extra. On DEMAND cannot be recorded. All programming and rates are subject to change and may not be available in all areas. Names of programming services, features and/or programmers are the property of their respective owners. Other restrictions may apply. ©2011 Cox Florida/Georgia. All rights reserved.

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hot times ▼THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

JAZZ SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION 7:30 p.m. There are two divisions, college and high school. Winners will receive scholarship awards. Ashmore Auditorium, Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. 433-8382 or jazzpensacola.com. ‘AMERICAN ICONS’ PRESENTED BY BALLET PENSACOLA 7:30 p.m. The production is a collection of innovative choreographic works celebrating the contributions of American playwrights, musicians and artists. $17-$30. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. 432-2042 or balletpensacola.com. ‘MAMMA MIA!’ 8 p.m. Over 32 million people all around the world have fallen in love with ‘Mamma Mia!’ the ultimate feel-good show. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. 595-3880 or pensacolasaenger.com.

▼OTHER EVENTS

ST. PADDY’S DAY AT PADDY’S 9:30 a.m. Start the day with Catholic Irish Mass followed by an all day meal of the traditional corned beef and cabbage with fish and chips and an appearance by St. Patrick himself. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Dr. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. SEVILLE ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION 11 a.m. Irish-themed lunch with Irish stew, corned beef and cabbage. Nickel green beer from 4-5 p.m. in Lili Marlene’s. Throughout the day there will be specials on Irish beers and ales and lots of Irish whiskey to go around. The fun will continue with an “Irish Jig” contest in the End O’Alley Bar and “Sexiest Redhead” contest. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. ST. PATRICKS DAY FEAST AT DK 11 a.m. Join DK as Chef Hoffert shows guests some quick and simple ways to prepare some of these classic favorites: corned beef and cabbage pizza, 30-minute shepherd’s pie, smoked salmon and watercress salad with a lemon-caper vinaigrette and original Irish Coffee. Distinctive Kitchens, 29 S. Palafox. 438-4688 or dk4u.com. ST. PATRICK’S DAY GREEN BIKINI CONTEST 5 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com. ST. PATRICK’S DAY AT JACKSON’S 5:30 p.m. Jackson’s Steakhouse, 400 S. Palafox. 469-9898 or jacksons.goodgrits.com.

FRIDAY 3.18 ▼FESTIVALS

BEULAHFEST 10 a.m. Enjoy some of Nashville’s hottest country music stars, arts and crafts, carnival-style rides and great sausage. Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. 595-4902.

▼LIVE MUSIC

JAY WILLIAMS BAND 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 312 E. Government St. 469-1001 or hubstaceys.com. THE BUDZ 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s at the Point, 5851 Galvez Road. 497-0071 or hubstaceys.com. 3 AMIGOS DUO 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com. MUSIC: BEACH MICE 7-11 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 677-9153 or thegrandmarlin.com. MUSIC: THE BROWNS 7 p.m. Farmer’s Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Road. 994-6000 or farmersopry.com. MUSIC: TIM SPENCER 7 p.m. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 549-4444 or the-oar-house.com. LONG REEF 9 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 4700003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com. SCHOFIELD 9 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com. PETTY CASH 9 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. THE WALDAMERE REVIVAL 9:30 p.m. Free. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen, 10 S. Palafox. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com. REDDOG 9:30 p.m. Five Sisters Blues Cafe, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com. DANCE PARTY HOSTED BY LOCAL DJ’S AND BANDS 9:30 p.m. Donations appreciated. Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. 791-6501 or sluggos.net.

20 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

▼THEATRE & PERFORMANCE

‘AMERICAN ICONS’ PRESENTED BY BALLET PENSACOLA 7:30 p.m. The production is a collection of innovative choreographic works celebrating the contributions of American playwrights, musicians and artists. $17-$30. Pensacola Cultural Center, 400 S. Jefferson St. 432-2042 or balletpensacola.com. ‘THE GLASS MENAGERIE’ 7:30 p.m. In honor of Tennessee Williams, Theatre West will be performing ‘The Glass Menagerie’. $15 and reservations strongly recommended. Sanctuary in the Groves, Theatre West, 9732 Sidney Road. 912-4087 or sanctuarytheatrewest.com. ‘LILY’S LOUNGE’ 8 p.m. Lily and Madge are having a hard time keeping things afloat, until two strangers appear and the world is changed. The play takes place in the early 1940s, and the world is realizing that the war is close, even on a hill in the center of a vast country. Loblolly Theatre, 1010 N. 12th Ave., Suite 211. 439-3010 or loblollytheatre.com.

▼OTHER EVENTS

FULL MOON WALKING TOUR 7 p.m. Meet at Langdon Beach and join a park ranger for an hour-long program. $8 entrance fee to Fort Pickens. Langdon Beach at Fort Pickens. 934-2600 or nps.gov/guis. PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS V. MISSISSIPPI SURGE 7 p.m. The Hanger, Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 or pensacolaiceflyers.com. AFTER GAME SKATE 10 p.m. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 pensacolafigureskating.com.

SATURDAY 3.19 ▼FESTIVALS

BEULAHFEST 10 a.m. Enjoy some of Nashville’s hottest country music stars, arts and crafts, carnival-style rides and great sausage. Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. 595-4902.

▼LIVE MUSIC

HOLLY SHELTON AND AL MARTIN 7 p.m. Rag Tyme Grille, 201 S. Jefferson St. 429-9655 or ragtyme.net. MIND POWERS, THIS MEANS CHUK, SLUMBERJACK, OPERATION HENNESSEY 7 p.m. $6-$8. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. 434-9060 or handlebarpensacola.com. PAXTON NORRIS & TYLER MAC 7 p.m. Paradise Bar and Grill, 21 Via de Luna Drive. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com. 3 AMIGOS DUO 7 p.m. Peg Leg Pete’s, 1010 Fort Pickens Road. 932-4139 or peglegpetes.com. BEACH MICE 7-11 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd. 677-9153 or thegrandmarlin.com. SAWMILL & GUEST 7 p.m. Farmer’s Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Road. 994-6000 or farmersopry.com. THE BLENDERS 7 p.m. The Oar House, 1000 S. Pace Blvd. 5494444 or the-oar-house.com. 10 YEARS, DIGITAL SUMMER, A CRY FAREWELL 7:30 p.m. $15$20. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. vinylmusichall.com. LIVE MUSIC 9 p.m. The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 4700003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com. SCHOFIELD 9 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Road. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com. RUSTY GRITS 9 p.m. Paddy O’ Leary’s Irish Pub, 49 Via De Luna Drive. 916-9808 or paddyolearysirishpub.com. SWEET PEA’S REVENGE 9 p.m. End ‘O the Alley, in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. DOG SPANKING MONKEY 9 p.m. Apple Annie’s in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com. PAT PRICHARD GROUP 9:30 p.m. Five Sisters Blues Cafe, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com. FAUX BAND 9:30 p.m. Free. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, 10 S. Palafox. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com. KOONDA HOLAA, JOHN MAKAY, HEADWAR 9:30 p.m. $6. Sluggo’s, 101 S. Jefferson St. 791-6501 or sluggos.net.

A SALUTE TO DIFFERENCE MAKERS A plaque honoring the first three African-American officers hired by the Pensacola Police Department was recently unveiled. The officers – Joe Jordan Jr. and John McDaniel – were sworn into office June 24, 1954. Felix Cotton was sworn into office September 1, 1954. The large plaque honoring the officers will be displayed at police headquarters on 711 N. Hayne St.

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culture

“ICONICITY”: AN EXHIBIT OF ICONS REPRESENTING ICONS UWF HOSTS AN EXHIBIT THAT PRAISES DESIGN

BY HANA FRENETTE

poster by Scott Campbell

he range of things an icon can be is expanding daily. Religious, musical, literary—whatever the icon, someone usually manages to slap their face onto a poster, allowing a mass of others to pay homage as they see fit. This Thursday, UWF is opening “Iconicity”, an exhibit by Scott Campbell and Albert Exergian that utilizes the poster medium. Campbell creates layered screen prints for musical shows, and Exergian makes nonpromotional posters for television shows. Both artists create out of a love for posters, modernism and television, highlighting things most iconic to themselves. Campbell and Exergian have both started their own design companies. EXERGIAN was founded in 1998 and serves as a design consulting business, offering direction and design advice regarding media outlets. Campbell’s Young Monster was started in Chattanooga, Tenn. in 2009 and is a design and printing collective. Campbell’s work is very detailed. It contains many images within the plane of the poster but isn’t overwhelming or cluttered. In contrast, Exergian’s posters are extremely clean and modern, and often incorporate the use of bold colors and defined lines.

22 | INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET

poster by Albert Exergian

The opening reception will take place on March 10 from 5-8 p.m., and the exhibition will run until April 14. “The opening receptions are always fun and always accessible,” said Art Director of UWF Amy Bowman. “While there will be no formal talk, those attending will have ample opportunities for more intimate conversations with the artist.” Exergian will be unable to attend the opening, but Campbell will be there. “The openings are always celebratory, and they help to bring an interested community together to initiate this month-long exhibition,” Bowman said. Both the artists are approaching something extremely commercial, such as music and television poster design, and are making it into an art form. The design of their posters is non-client based, so they are creating for themselves only. “I wanted to feature graphic artists who approach their work from a fine art perspective,” Bowman said. “I was attracted to Campbell and Exergian’s work because they are designers who also function as artists through their intelligent treatment of image as both a form for mass communication and an outlet for expression.”

Graphic design and advertising often go hand in hand at turning art into a commodity. Everyone becomes so overly saturated with media they become desensitized to it. Campbell and Exergian are creating things that one might see on the street, but with more thought to the perception of the poster. The exhibit should serve as a model for those who wish to create, perhaps for something commercial, and still retain the original idea that what was made can proudly be called art. “Keeping with our mission, we consider our academic presence, incorporating the inquiries of our faculty, our students, and our surrounding communities, while introducing current temperatures of art and design,” Bowman said. “I am looking forward to a new season of visiting artists and speakers who further our perceptions about art’s vitality, both locally and globally.” The exhibit will run until April 14 and is free for all guests. Stop by and check out what advertising might look like if money was no longer involved and art was the first priority. info@inweekly.net

“ICONICITY” BY SCOTT CAMPBELL AND ALBERT EXERGIAN

WHEN: Opening reception March 10 from 5-8 p.m. Exhibit runs through April 14. WHERE: University of West Florida, Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Bldg. 82 COST: Free DETAILS: 474-2146

music

FROM PHILADELPHIA WITH LOVE

G. LOVE AND SPECIAL SAUCE PERFORM AT VINYL MUSIC HALL

BY KATE PETERSON

wards the best performances. They are very clear in their vision and work ethic and we were able to make the record of my career, so far, in nine days. All along the way they were constantly making the right important creative decisions. We really wanted a stripped down, minimalistic approach to the music. Everything was recorded live. The music is very honest and sincere. We had just enough time to make a great record and not enough time to screw it up.

usicians are hard characters to nail down, and if you want to ask them questions, well, they are busy being creative and stuff. However, we got this one, literally, on the fly. We tracked down G. Love and Special Sauce in an airport, about to embark on a U.S. tour to promote their recently released album, “Fixin’ To Die”. “Fixin’ To Die” is the fourth album released by G. Love and Special Sauce on Brushfire Records, a record label owned by Jack Johnson. The interesting thing about this album is, not only do the Avett Brothers, Scott and Seth, perform on some of the tracks–they produced the album. The convergence of these musicians came after some time performing on the same concert stages and playing together after shows. Front man G. Love (aka Garret Dutton), stopped to answer some questions about their album and life in general. IN: There is some chatter on your website forum that your new album “Fixin’ To Die” is being made using red vinyl. Is that true? G. LOVE: Yes, that is true. It looks dope. Seriously the slickest vinyl in my collection, and the record sounds best on vinyl (but that’s just my opinion). IN: How is the tour going? G. LOVE: I leave for tour today. Actually, I’m in the airport writing this at the gate. The band is sounding great–the new record is going to be amazing live. I don’t think

I’ve looked forward to a tour this much in a long, long time.

was KRS-ONE or Muddy Waters, had stage names, so I figured that was the way to go.

IN: What is it like to have people using social media outlets to communicate their love for your music? G. LOVE: This is amazing. It’s even more gratifying than a Polaroid picture. Instant gratification is what we all want, right? As a musician, I really feel connected with my supporters and fellow musicians, and I appreciate the love and honest feedback.

IN: What is the best part of what you do? G. LOVE: The best part is doing what I love, which is playing music. There is nothing in the world like writing a song about something personal and seeing people singing your lyrics right back at you. What could be more fulfilling than making a living inspiring people to play music, dance and have a really great time?

IN: From 1992 to now you have recorded 14 albums, 10 with the band and four solo recordings. How has your music progressed from then to now? G. LOVE: The music is like a river. It keeps flowing, and I’m just holding on riding the rapids. I started releasing records in 1994 as G. Love–when I discovered the Hip-hop Blues. The new record, “Fixin’ To Die”, is a second chance at making a first record. This is the record I have been trying to make for 20 years.

IN: Being a part of Brushfire Records and working with Jack Johnson—How has that experience changed your music, or has it? G. LOVE: Brushfire is a family, and all the other artists are my friends. It has been an incredibly supportive place to make records. The label is driven by creativity, not sales. It’s just a wonderful place to call home. As artists and musicians we are constantly feeding off of each other and bouncing ideas around.

IN: Garrett Dutton to G. Love—How did that come about? G. LOVE: I had made a record that I was going to sell out of my guitar case when I was a street musician in Boston in 1992. When I went to the cassette-duping place in Revere, Mass., they asked me what did I want to call it. I said, ‘Call it G. Love, Oh Yeah!’ I never looked back. I wanted a stage name that would reflect both the Blues and Hip-hop. All of my influences, whether it

IN: The Avett Brothers not only performed on your latest album, but they also produced it, what was that experience like? G. LOVE: Working with Scott and Seth Avett of the Avett Brothers was extremely important to the creative success of “Fixin’ To Die”. From the initial stages of picking the tunes, to putting the sequence together and everything in between—they proved themselves as excellent producers. As brothers, they work very well together, constantly pushing one another and me to-

IN: Are you scheduled to play any festivals this year? What do you like or dislike about those experiences? G. LOVE: We are scheduled to play Bonnaroo. And it looks like we will be at a bunch of festivals that haven’t announced their lineups yet. I love playing the festival circuit. Knowing that you can reach new people and also the opportunity to play in front of your peers helps to take the music on a very high level. IN: Sorry, have to ask: Best place for a Philly, in Philly? G. LOVE: You mean a cheese steak? I recommend Jim’s Steaks, on South Street. Coach would always take us there after we won a big game in my basketball league growing up. I like it with provolone cheese and fried onions, hot peppers on the side. Nice order. IN: What’s next for the band? G. LOVE: We are just really looking forward to getting out on the road and playing “Fixin’ To Die” live coast to coast and around the world. 1,000 percent every night. The low-down-dirty-blues. IN: What can we expect from your live show that’s different from your recordings? G. LOVE: We always flip it live. I hardly know what to expect every night. I just want the music to take the band, the whole audience and me to another world—We call it the 13th level. It is rather euphoric. info@inweekly.net

G. LOVE AND SPECIAL SAUCE

WHEN: 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 15 WHERE: Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox COST: $20-$25 DETAILS: vinylmusichall.com

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music

HANGOUT FEST RETURNS

2ND ANNUAL HANGOUT FEST BRINGS EXCITING LINEUP TO GULF COAST BY HANA FRENETTE

angout Fest is back. The second annual festival will be held May 20-22 in Gulf Shores, Ala. and will feature an eclectic lineup, a new layout, an additional stage, and a few manmade lagoons to cool off in. There may even be a couple of hammocks strung up here and there. Around 15,000 people attended last year’s festival each day, and Shaul Zislin, Hangout Fest creator, is expecting 35,000 a day this year, which would be the max amount of tickets allowed per day.

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“I really think the festival might be sold out,” Zislin said. “We’ve got a bunch of new amenities this year, as well as an additional stage for children’s activities. We are really proud of the fact that we’re bringing in kids to the festival, too.” The lineup this year features a wide range of acts such as Paul Simon, The Foo Fighters, Widespread Panic, The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips, My Morning Jacket, Pretty Lights, Primus, Girl Talk and Cee-Lo Green. “One of the mission statements of the festival is to allow people to get the opportunity to explore new things,” Zislin said. “We set out to make sure we included as many acts and as many genres as possible.” Although a lot smaller, Hangout Fest’s lineup is comparable to many other big name festivals like Bonnaroo and Jazz Fest and Voodoo Fest. “Just being mentioned in the same breath as those other festivals is an honor,” Zislin said. “We are definitely smaller, which we see as a benefit because it’s more intimate.” This is only the second year for Hangout, but if all goes well, Hangout will continue for years, building a following and a name for itself. “The premise from the beginning was to make something sustainable, and create

Jim Sanborn

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a fan base,” Zislin said. “We want people to think of the Gulf Coast when they think of Hangout, and to know it’s in May and work it into their calendars each year.” Although Hangout is becoming synonymous with the Gulf Coast, so is oil. Last year, just a few weeks before Hangout’s debut, the BP Oil rig exploded, gushing over 50,000 barrels of oil a day into the gulf. While people were still supportive of the festival, there was a lot of uncertainty and at the last minute Hangout Fest was changed into a non-profit festival, donating all proceeds to the cleanup and rehabilitation of the Gulf Coast. “There were a lot of unknowns at the time,” Zislin said. “We didn’t know if people were going to be in danger from being on the beach.” People were allowed on the beach, just not in the water. Faithful fans showed up despite the spill, and Zislin is hoping for the same support this year. “We have our fingers crossed,” Zislin said. While Hangout expects to max out at 35,000 people a day, some of the other festivals like it top out at 65,000 people a day. Sometimes smaller is better, at least when it’s involving thousands of people in between you and your favorite bands. The tickets for Hangout Fest are currently only available in three-day pass tickets for $174; three-day pass VIP tickets for $525; and a three-day Big Kahuna Super VIP pass for $900. All tickets are also available through a payment plan if you’re unable to front the entire ticket price now. To purchase tickets, visit hangoutmusicfet. frontgtetickets.com.

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HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL

WHEN: Friday-Sunday, May 20-22 WHERE: The Hangout, Gulf Shores, Ala. COST: Three-day pass $174, VIP three-day pass $525, Big Kahuna Super VIP pass $900 DETAILS: hangoutmusicfest.com

LINEUP: Paul Simon Widespread Panic Foo Fighters The Flaming Lips The Black Keys My Morning Jacket Primus Old Crowe Medicine Show Michael Franti and Spearhead Girl Talk Minus the Bear Cee-Lo Green Drive By Truckers Pretty Lights Ween Bassnectar Amos Lee Slightly Stoopid Umphrey’s McGee Dead Confederate Keller Williams Matisyahu Galactic Warren Haynes Band Medeski Martin and Wood Xavier Rudd Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue Easy Star All-Stars A Thousand Horses Mariachi El Bronx Truth and Salvage Civil Twilight Cas Haley Jon Black Roman Street Portugal The Man Kristy Lee Beats Antique Jonathan Tyler and Northern Lights Rich Aucoin

news of the weird NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ARTS PROFESSOR

Wafaa Bilal had his camera surgically removed in February—the one that was implanted in the back of his skull in November to record, at 60-second intervals, the places he had left behind (beamed to and archived by a museum in Qatar). The camera had been mounted under his skin, braced by three titanium posts, but his body very painfully rejected one of the posts, and his temporary solution is to merely tie the camera to the back of his neck (even though that work-around is unsatisfactory to him because it represents a less-personal “commitment” to the art). In the future, he said, communication devices like his will routinely be part of our bodies.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Till Krautkraemer’s New York City beverage company MeatWater creates dozens of flavors of water for the upscale market of hearty gourmets who would like their daily salads, or shellfish, or goulash from a bottle instead of from a plate. Among his new flavors introduced in January, according to an AOL News report, were poached salmon salad water and a Caribbean shrimp salad water that can double as a vodka mixer. Old standbys include Peking duck water, tandoori chicken water, bangers ‘n’ mash water, and Krautkraemer’s favorite, German sauerbraten water. SELL WHAT YOU KNOW In December, a company in eastern Ukraine (a country known for hard drinking) announced a “drinking buddy” service in which, for the equivalent of about $18, it would supply a barroom companion for the evening, “qualified” to discuss politics, sports, women, etc., and even to offer psychological counseling if appropriate. NOT YOUR FATHER’S SCOTCH (1) The Panamanian company Scottish Spirits recently introduced a straight Scotch whisky in 12-ounce cans, for a market of mobile drinkers who prefer not to invest in a whole bottle. The international Scotch whisky trade association expressed alarm. (2) At Clive’s, of Victoria, British Columbia, Glenfiddich Scotch whisky is only one ingredient in the signature cocktail “Cold Night In,” which, according to a January New York Times review, combines “molecular mixology” and comfort food. An especially buttery grilled-cheese sandwich is soaked overnight in the Scotch, along with Mt. Gay rum and Lillet Blanc wine. Following a brief freeze to congeal any remaining fat, and double-straining, it is ready to serve—with a celery stick and other garnishments. SCIENCE ON THE CUTTING EDGE “You’re not going to like this,” warned NPR’s Robert Krulwich, about to deliver a February story about visionary robotics developers James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau, who created a carnivorous clock, supposedly able to power itself for 12 days merely on the carcasses of 12 dead houseflies (which the clock traps with fly paper and then mechanically razors in two). The pair also showed a prototype of a coffee table that catches mice by luring them up the table legs

BY CHUCK SHEPPARD with cheese into a hole in the center, where they are guillotined. Auger and Loizeau said their creations are just extensions of TV nature programs showing animals hunting in the wild, but Krulwich fretted about the dangers inherent in “giving robots a taste for (meat).”

THE CONTINUING CRISIS In May 2008, classroom disrupter Alex Barton, 5, was finally made by his teacher at Morningside Elementary kindergarten in St. Lucie County, Fla., to sit down and listen to the accumulated complaints of his classmates, who then were asked to vote on asking Alex to leave the class. (He lost, 14-2.) Shortly afterward, Alex was diagnosed with a form of autism, and his mother filed a federal disability discrimination lawsuit, citing Alex’s “humiliation” by the voting incident. A settlement was reached in February 2011 when the school district agreed to pay Alex $350,000 (which included legal expenses). Said Ms. Barton, “Money can’t take care of what (the school district) did to my family.” FINE POINTS OF THE LAW Lawyer Terry Watkins admitted to a judge in Faribault, Minn., in February that his client William MelchertDinkel did things that were “abhorrent,” “sick” and “creepy,” but that doesn’t make him a criminal. Melchert-Dinkel has been charged with two felonies for counseling depressed people online on the techniques and virtues of suicide (for example, recommending positioning for a noose to a Briton who hanged himself three days later). (A judge’s decision was pending at press time.) PEOPLE WITH ISSUES Mental health prac-

titioners, writing in the January issue of the journal Substance Abuse, described two patients who had recently arrived at a clinic in Ranchi, India, after allowing themselves to be bitten by cobras for recreational highs. Both men had decades-long substance-abuse issues, especially involving opiates, and decided to try what they had heard about on the street. One, age 44, bitten on the foot, experienced “a blackout associated with a sense of well-being, lethargy and sleepiness.” The other, 52, reported “dizziness and blurred vision followed by a heightened arousal and a sense of wellbeing,” and apparently was so impressed that he returned to the snake charmer two weeks later for a second bite.

Visit us on Gallery niGht! Friday, March 11 • 5-9 PM Meet local artist

Margaret Biggs whose paintings are inspired by the sea and our beautiful coastal areas. Stop by to see her work that captures the fascinating designs found in nature.

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Another

“negative cash-flow” robbery occurred in February, in Kansas City, Mo., as an unidentified man tried to distract the clerk at a gun store by laying $40 on the counter to buy a box of bullets, then pulling a gun and demanding all the store’s money. The clerk thwarted the robbery by pulling his own gun (not surprisingly, since it was a gun store) and scaring the robber off— while the $40 remained on the counter. Send your Weird News to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, Fla., 33679 or weirdnews@earthlink.net, or go to www.NewsoftheWeird.com. FROM UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE CHUCK SHEPHERD’S NEWS OF THE WEIRD by Chuck Shepherd COPYRIGHT 2011 CHUCK SHEPHERD

Margaret donates a portion of all sales to The Waterkeeper Alliance, who strive to keep our waters clean.

O f f i c i a l P a rt i c i Pa n t

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Downtown Pensacola • 40 N. Palafox Street (Corner of Palafox and Chase) • 434-9300 GC0194-Mar 11 Gallery Night_IN.indd 1

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community outreach SACRED HEART CATHDRAL SCHOOL HOSTS TRIVIA NIGHT Trivia buffs will have a chance to prove their command of random bits of knowledge at Sacred Heart Cathedral School’s first ever Trivia Game Night on Saturday, March 12. Teams of eight will compete in six rounds of trivia for cash and prizes. Categories are Sports, History, Geography, Arts & Literature, Film & TV and the 1980s. Prizes will be awarded to winners of each round, plus the event will offer bonus contests between rounds. Entry fee is just $15/person and includes heavy hors d’oeurves. Beer and wine will be offered for a suggested $1/glass donation. Prize for best theme/decorations for a team will also be awarded. Form your own team of eight, or enter as individuals and event organizers will help you create a team. Advance registration encouraged, but registrations will be accepted at the door, space permitting. Proceeds will benefit the school. To register, or for more information, contact Nancy Young at nyoung@ewbullock.com or call the school office at 436-6440. AQUATIC CENTER FREE AND FUN SWIM PROGRAM The Booker T. Washington High School Aquatic Center is offering a “free and fun swim program” for elementary aged students in Escambia County. This program is a fun introduction to competitive swimming and diving and is coached by Randy Sanderson. These are not swim lessons and students will be required to swim 40 feet unassisted at registration. Session 1 registration will be March 14 and 15 from 4-8 p.m. These classes will begin March 16 and end on April 15. Session 2 registration will be April 18 and 19 from 4-8 p.m. These classes will begin on April 20 and end on May 27. Elementary Schools will not be able to help with further information, but calling the Booker T. Washington High School Aquatic Center will be the place and number to call to receive all information. All elementary aged participants must be ready to swim at registration. 494-5681 BAYOU HILLS RUN Runners and athletes put on your running shoes and come out for the Bayou Hills Run, a 10k, 5k and Kids Fun Run being held on March 19 at 7:30 a.m. The race features two challenging courses that starts and ends at Bayview Park and winds through Pensacola’s beautiful East Hill neighborhood. The Bayou Hills Run began in 1978 and was a tradition for many years. Creative Learning Academy resumed this popular annual race last year. Registration for the Bayou Hills Run is as follows: Postmarked after March 6- 10k $30, 5k $25, Kids Fun Run $10; Race Day 10k $35, 5k $30, Kids Fun Run $10. To register online or download the race application, go to bayouhillsrun.com . For more information contact Vicky Wonders at 432-1768.

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GULF BREEZE HOSPITAL AUXILIARY Saint Patrick’s Day card/game party is set March 11, 10 a.m.-3p.m. You can play bridge, bunco, dominoes, monopoly orwhatever you like. Lunch will be provided by New World landing. There will be door prizes, raffles and a pot of gold. Tickets are sold in Gulf Breeze hospital gift shop for $20 each. Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church, 100 Andrew Jackson Trail. PACE ROTARY 12TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT The Pace Rotary Club will hold its 12th annual golf tournament at Stonebrook Country Club on Thursday, April 21. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Cost to play is $400 for a team of four or $100 for an individual and includes lunch, fish fry dinner, cart & greens fees, range balls prior to start, soft drinks/ water, two drink tickets, two mulligans and one tee buster. To register or for more information about $100 tax deductible sponsorships, please contact Wendell Hall 304-1823, whall@srso.net or Margaret Porter 2559795, margaretins@bellsouth.net LUNCH AND LEARN: SPRING INTO ORGANIZING CLASS 11:30 a.m., Thursday, March 24 Spring into clutter-free spaces with this class that is all about getting a fresh start. Learn how to let go of the excuses that keep you cluttered as well as letting go of the clutter in this class with Professional Organizer Lea Schneider. A nationally recognized organizing expert, her advice has been found in many places from Family Circle to Woman’s Day, ThisOldHouse.com, and Better Homes and Gardens’ magazines. You’ll leave this class with a clear goal and a step-by-step plan for your organizing project or room. Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Community Center, 913 South I Street. $20. You are invited to bring a brown bag lunch if you wish. Register at organizerightnow.com or by phoning 477-2582. Registration deadline: March 23. A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: DRESS DRIVE BENEFIT This annual fundraiser benefits one local area resident who has sustained a brain and/or spinal cord injury. This year the funds raised will go toward the recovery efforts of Gulf Breeze resident Anna Pope, age 25, who sustained a brain injury after a car accident in October 2010. In 2004, Anna graduated from Gulf Breeze High School. In 2009, she graduated from the University of North Florida with a bachelor of arts in Finance and Real Estate. She enjoys her job at the Hilton on Pensacola Beach and has also been an active member at the Gulf Breeze Recreation Center where she participates in the 4-Shore-Fit boot camp fitness class. UWF students Kerri Wright and Samantha Rodzwicz are collecting new and gently used formal and semiformal gowns to be sold at the first annual A Night to

BRIGHT START - RIGHT START ART CLASS Inspire your Preschooler’s imagination and self-expression with a world of hands-on art activities. In this class we will begin at the beginning and create good foundations in art technique. This will include coloring techniques with crayons, markers, and oil pastels. We will also cover some basics of painting using washable and non-toxic paints and proper scissor use too. This class is held on Wednesday’s from 4-5p.m. for children between the ages of 4-6 with a low cost of $5 per class. For more information, please contact 436-5198 or playpensacola.com. GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY About 600 youth are served each year during Give Kids a Smile Day, a community service that provides free dental treatments to underserved children. The event is March 12 at the dental hygiene clinic on the Warrington campus of Pensacola State College. It’s a big volunteer effort by area dentists, dental hygiene students and faculty. This year, pre-screenings are noon to 5 p.m. Friday, March 11, and Give Kids a Smile Day is 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, on the ground floor of Building 3100, of the Warrington campus. For more information, contact: Linda Lambert, 206-6733, llambert@pensacolastate.edu. RUMMAGE SALE One of the biggest Annual Rummage Sales in Pensacola returns to Trinity Presbyterian Church, Saturday, March 19, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.) Eager shoppers wanting first pick can come to Preview Night on Friday, March 18, 5-8 p.m. with everything sold at 50-percent mark-up. Everything is well sorted and priced. Proceeds support the youth programs, including Lightshine Choir, with a portion going directly to local charities. 3400 Bayou Blvd., between 12th Ave & Cervantes. Sale is held in the gymnasium. More information: Church Office 432-3505. PERDIDO SPRINGFEST Join us for the 1st Annual Perdido Springfest & Fair Tuesday March 22–Saturday, March 26 from 3-10 p.m. daily on the grounds of Liberty Church, 2221 S. Blue Angel Parkway. Sponsored by Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce, Perdido Springfest & Fair will have full-blown carnival rides by James Gang Amusements, games, concessions, live entertainment and

vendors. A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit Perdido’s new football league. Admission is free. Tickets for the rides and unlimited ride wristbands will be sold at the event. $2 Coupons off the price of the unlimited ride wristband will be available at our sponsor’s locations beginning March 1st. Check perdidofootball.com for our participating sponsor list and for more event information. FOURTH ANNUAL FATHER DAUGHTER BALL Calling all princesses and distinguished gentlemen! The Fourth Annual Father Daughter Ball is Saturday, April 2, from 6:30- 8:30 p.m. Pensacola Country Club located at 1500 Bayshore Dr. Destined to be a magical night of dancing, memories, food and fun, please join us to celebrate the special relationship between fathers and daughters. Get ready to twirl your princess around the dance floor as a DJ plays her favorite tunes, enjoy a dinner buffet, dessert and smile for the paparazzi as they capture this moment. You can make her a princess for the night! The Father Daughter Ball is a gala fundraiser benefiting Creative Learning Academy and Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. This event is open to the public and to all age girls and their father or father-figure. Suggested dress is formal. Tickets are available now; purchase price is $75 per father/daughter couple and $20 per additional daughter. A limited number of tickets are available, so call today. Picture packages are also available for purchase. For more information and ticket sales, please contact Sacred Heart Foundation at 416-4661 or Creative Learning Academy at 432-1768. FUN FEST IN NAVARRE SEEKING ARTISTS, CRAFTERS, VENDORS The Navarre Area Chamber of Commerce presents their 27th Annual Fun Fest on Friday, April 29, and Saturday, April 30, at Navarre Beach. The family two-day event is sponsored in part by Santa Rosa Medical Center. Application forms for: Artists & Crafters, Food Vendors and Sponsors are located on the Navarre Chamber website at navarrechamber.com. During the event, up to 50 artists and crafters can showcase and sell their products. We are seeking painters, potters, stain glass artists, beach arts and all types of crafts welcomed. Spaces are available for $100 per 10x10 space. Hours for this show are Friday, April 29, from 4-10 p.m. and Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Any artist or crafter seeking application forms or information may contact Connie Jones at: 939-7964, or clsjones08@gmail.com. Other vendor forms may be downloaded from the Navarre Chamber website. For general information about Fun Fest, call the Navarre Chamber: 939-3267.

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Remember: Dress Drive Benefit. The event will feature a raffle, silent auction, and refreshments along with the dress sale, and will be held March 20, at the Hilton on Pensacola Beach from 2-6p.m. If you have formal or semi-formal gowns that you would like to contribute, contact Kerri Wright at anight2remember.dressbenefit@gmail.com or 346-5158. Donations will be greatly appreciated by both Anna’s family and friends!

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THE UNIVERSAL CROSSWORD EDITED BY TIMOTHY E. PARKER COLOR CODED by Jill Pepper

ACROSS 1 More than fear 6 “El,” pluralized 9 Words to live by 14 “Divine Comedy” penner 15 “20/20” airer 16 Like the boonies 17 Mercury, in alchemy 18 It’s heard in a herd 19 “___ you glad you did?” 20 Chicken, so to speak 23 Attitude of self- importance 24 Category in pitching’s Triple Crown 25 Ball masks (Var.) 27 Concentrated extracts 32 Saucy and sassy 33 “Rope-a-dope” pugilist 34 Flying flock of geese 36 Father of Indira Gandhi 39 Classroom reading 41 “No right turn ___” (traffic sign) 43 Litigation instigator 44 River embankment 46 Revolutionary periods? 48 GQ or Cosmo, e.g. 49 Congerlike 51 Like well water 53 Deserted 56 Baby food 57 Fall back 58 Combat award 64 Early A merican diplomat Silas 66 Prospecting yield 67 Diffuse 68 Peptic problem 69 Answers to some proposals 70 West Yorkshire metropolis

PATTY HIGHTOWER

ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, DISTRICT 4 What is your chief characteristic? I’m optimistic. Some even call me a Pollyanna. What do you appreciate most about your friends? That they know all of my flaws and like me anyway. Who is your favorite fiction character? The mom in the comic strip “For Better or Worse”. I thought she was living my life. Who is your favorite non-fiction character? Diane Ravitch. She doesn’t let past convictions keep her from changing her mind when the facts change. What is the best thing you have ever won? I won two silver medals in track in the Junior Olympics.

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

71 ___ Peak, Colo. 72 2-BR listing 73 Chesapeake Bay or Oslo Fjord, e.g. DOWN 1 1944 turning point 2 Bulldoze 3 An organic compound 4 Churchill was his predecessor and successor 5 Does a cattleman’s chore 6 Symbol of innocence 7 Certain chamber music instrument 8 Give a tongue- lashing to 9 Some horse cart operators 10 “___ Gang” 11 Aptitude for gardening 12 Certain drupe 13 A chorus line? 21 Screwball 22 Do more than prune (with “off”) 26 Angers 27 “Duke of ___” 28 Fruit similar to a

plum 29 Gorilla patriarch 30 Choosing rhyme starter 31 Engendered 35 Very close 37 Not imaginary 38 Driving force 40 Directors Ang and Spike 42 A tieback ties it back 45 Couples marrying quickly 47 Language that “Kwanzaa” comes from 50 “Hey” follower 52 Zaius and Honorious, e.g. 53 Angry and impatient 54 Marks on old manuscripts 55 Capital of Sweden 59 Play thing? 60 “___ we forget” (Kipling) 61 Victim of s ibling rivalry 62 Hardly gentlemanly 63 Reason for a cram session 65 Birth name signifier

What did your mother always tell you? My mom was a wonderful person who told me to stand up straight and to keep the hair out of my eyes. What is the worst idea you’ve ever had? I don’t think I’ve had one, but maybe my husband would disagree. What is your favorite food? Pepperoni pizza. I’d eat pizza every meal, if I could. Which talent would you most like to have? Speed reading. There are so many books and articles I want to read, but I never seem to have time. What movie do you love to watch repeatedly? “Dave” with Kevin Kline. I want a president like Dave. What was your most embarrassing moment? So many to choose from…how about the time my skirt got caught in my panty hose. What TV show is your guilty pleasure? “Grey’s Anatomy” What is the last book you read? “The Confession” by John Grisham What is your theme song? “The Sun’ll Come Out Tomorrow” from “Annie”. I really believe things will get better.

INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |

VOTED PENSACOLA’S FAVORITE RESTAURANT 5 YEARS IN A ROW!

THE BIG MIX FROM 4 TO 6 Every day from 4 to 6 — at every bar — buy one drink, then get another one free! It’s the Big Mix and it’s only at our house. Great drink specials from beer to wine to cocktails. Fantastic food for noshing from tequila wings to sautéed crab claws. And all of the most interesting people in Pensacola. The Big Mix. It’s the ultimate fusion of food, fun, and frivolity.

FISH HOUSE: (850) 470-0003, OPEN DAILY 11 A.M. · ATLAS: (850) 437-1961, MON.–SAT. 5 P.M., SUN. 11 A.M.

THE FISH HOUSE, ATLAS, AND THE DECK BAR ARE LOCATED DOWNTOWN AT 600 S. BARRACKS ST. · CREDIT CARDS OK · WWW.GOODGRITS.COM

INDEPENDENT NEWS | MARCH 10, 2011 | WWW.INWEEKLY.NET |