FREE ▶Independent News | February 16, 2012 | Volume 13 | Number 7 | inweekly.net

“I was raised around King Cakes, beads and all that jazz.”

22

“Gawww-lee, Washington is crazy.”

75

"Highly intelligent people rarely run around telling others how smart they are."

2 inweekly.net2

publisher & editor Rick Outzen

production manager Joani Delezen

art director Samantha Crooke

administration/ staff writerJennie McKeon

staff writerJeremy Morrison

contributing writers Bradley “B.J.” Davis, Jr., Joani Delezen, Hana Frenette, Ashley Hardaway, Rob “Bubbs” Harris, Brett Hutchins, Chelsa Jillard, Sarah Mc-Cartan, Kate Peterson, Scott Satterwhite, Chuck Shepherd

▲King Cake gelato from Dolce / photo by Samantha Crooke

February 16, 2012 3

winnerswinners & losers

losers

DARLENE F. DICKEY Gov. Rick Scott ap-pointed the general counsel for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge John F. Simon to the First Judicial Circuit. Col. Dickey graduated from the FBI Academy and served at the ECSO since 2006. Prior to that, she practiced with Bozeman, Jenkins and Matthews P.A. from 2003 to 2005 after three years as an assistant state attorney.

SEVILLE QUARTER Pensacola’s iconic entertainment hub has been named to the 2012 Nightclub & Bar Top 100, which places Seville Quarter among the largest and most successful nightclubs, bars and lounges in the nation. The 2012 Top 100 were identified by Nightclub & Bar working in partnership with Technomic, Inc., a hospitality industry market research firm.

FRED LEVIN, MIKE PAPANTONIO & MARK PROCTOR “The Trial Lawyer Magazine” recently announced the trio's selection for the RoundTable: America’s 100 Most Influential Trial Lawyers. Selec-tion as a RoundTable member places these attorneys among the top 100 civil plain-tiff and criminal defense attorneys in the United States. “The Trial Lawyer Magazine” received thousands of nominations from all over the United States, which lead to each nomination being assessed by an indepen-dent research team.

DON GAETZ When asked by reporters about a lawsuit filed by the Florida Demo-cratic Party, the Florida Senate president dismissed complaints about the redistrict-ing plan passed by the senate by a 32-5 vote: “My father used to say, ‘Some people would complain if you hung them with a new rope.’” Really? There has to be a better metaphor than this racially charged one.

MICKEY O’QUINN The Navarre High baseball coach resigned for “personal reasons” after receiving a memo from Santa Rosa County Superintendent of Schools Tim Wyrosdick stating that O’Quinn had been accused of “kissing female students, changing student grades, inappropriate tex-ting to students, inappropriately touching female students, and meeting female stu-dents at their home after a football game.” The school district has submitted a report to the Florida Department of Education’s Educational Practices Commission.

NEWT GINGRICH What happens to a Republican presidential candidate when his campaign funds dry up? He drops like a rock. The one-primary wonder has lost momentum to the new “Anybody but Rom-ney” crowd’s wunderkind, Rick Santorum. Gingrich’s meteoric rise and steep fall match those of Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann and, in 2008, to Mike Huckabee. The GOP voters like new, but not for long.

winners losersDarlene F. Dickey

Don Gaetz

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WHY NOT PENSACOLA?

outtakesby Rick Outzen

Pensacola is once again on the cusp of being this country’s next great city. Mayor Ashton Hayward has brought vitality to the city. The maritime park is rushing to comple-tion of its first phase. Businesses are relocating to downtown Pensacola, and we’ve yet to see the impact of the millions of dollars of BP fine money once Congress approves its distribution formula.

The City of Five Flags has been on this precipice many times over its past 452 years, but this time can be different. If we are willing to deal with all the challenges—such as poverty, educa-tion, health, sustainability and racial dispar-ity—facing our community, then we might become the place where people from around the world come to solve similar issues.

Our public education system is broken. Only three out of five of our students in the Escambia County system are reading and performing math at or above their grade level, and that number has been relatively flat for the past three years despite the federal government pumping in almost $60 million of Title 1 funds into the school district over that period. Thirty percent of our children don’t graduate from high school.

Our median household income is below the state average, our health outcomes are worse, and our rate of domestic violence is higher. All of these issues are intertwined. If we can make headway on them, people will

be knocking on our door wanting to move here, or, at least, coming to learn how we are doing it.

While we’ve made strides in dealing with the environmental problems of the past, which have placed our community on most lists for bad water and air, we can begin further change our tarnished image by becoming one of the “greenest” areas in the country. Mayor Hayward’s initiative to convert government

vehicles to natural gas and to build natural gas fueling stations is a giant step in that direction.

When the city receives its disparity report, it will see what may be the biggest challenge in creating a reputation for innova-tion, sustainability and accountability and beginning a world-class city. The gap be-tween west Pensacola and east Pensacola is huge. Black households make 46 percent less than their white counterparts—$26,492 to $49,279 median household income. The pov-erty rate is three times higher in the African-American community. The unemployment is more than double for blacks versus whites.

Until we narrow that gap, Pensacola can’t progress and become the next great city, but if we do, then the future will be bright for all of us.

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February 16, 2012 5

Mr. Cousins,I take issue with your viewpoint that

the majority of the Republican field for President in 2012 have IQs below room temperature (Independent News, Feb. 2). I saw your bio in the “Rising Stars” issue (Independent News, Jan. 26) where you stated that you are a member of MENSA. You referred to your membership again in last week's issue, adding that you “consider yourself to be highly intelligent.”

I respectfully disagree. Highly intelli-gent people rarely run around telling others how smart they are, and they generally re-spect viewpoints that differ from their own.

Let’s start from the top. You claim that “we haven’t seen very much of George W. Bush since he left office, that there aren’t very many people that miss him, or have even noticed his absence.” In addition to writing his memoirs, The Center for Public Integrity estimated in May 2011 that former President Bush had delivered around 140 speeches since leaving office (not as many as Bill Clinton, to be sure, who capped a decade of paid speaking events that has earned him a cool $75.6 million since leav-

ing office according to a CNN analysis of federal financial records).

To some of us less is more, and we don’t care to see our past presidents cashing in on their political fortunes. There are a great number of people who DO miss Bush as is evidenced by the number of “MISS ME YET?” billboards around the country, and many who have sor-rowfully noticed his absence replaced with a president we can’t seem to get away from every time we turn on the television.

You then make the absurd claim that none of the following candidates for the Republican nomination is “qualified to run the counter at a fast food joint.” Might I remind you that:

Michele Bachmann is a tax attorney and a U.S. congresswoman.

Ron Paul is a medical doctor and a U.S. congressman.

Rick Perry is a retired Air Force captain and the governor of one of our largest states.

Newt Gingrich is a history professor and a former Speaker of the House of Rep-resentatives.

Sarah Palin is a former gov-ernor and vice presidential candidate.

I venture to say that any of them could run that fast food counter and that all of them have accomplished far more in their lives than you will.

You then go on to question whether any of these candidates should have access to our nuclear codes and the ability to launch weapons. Might I remind you that less than two years ago the Bird-brain from Alcatraz was third in line to the nuclear buttons!

It would seem to me that someone who publicly states that he considers himself to be highly intelligent would be a little bit

scared of that unfortunate reality. She and her minions are largely responsible for the shellacking of 2010, the impending man-date of 2012 and the setback of progressive causes for generations to come.

It is time for the elite among us to quit posing as the smartest. MENSA member or not. {in}

viewpointby Ron Herrington

I BEG TO DIFFER

It is time for the elite among us to quit posing as the smartest. MENSA member or not.

6 inweekly.net6

As the city attorney, I have the unique privilege of not only experiencing the right to speak firsthand at city council meetings, but also litigating First Amendment issues on behalf of the city. My recent experiences with the right to speak triggered this examina-tion of the legal basis of the right to speak.

During the last several months, speakers at the council meetings have exercised their right to speak in a manner that causes one to ques-tion the utility of the debate. Speakers have freely denounced council members as Nazis, threatened their property and limbs, scorned their morals and religious beliefs, called them out by name in “gangsta” style, held them per-sonally respon-sible for the lives of the home-less, rambled in lengthy, incom-prehensible diatribes on any topic of interest and, my all-time favorite, simply stood up and recited a litany of words, which if uttered anywhere else would have resulted in a trip to the emergency room.

These visceral offerings are justified under the rubric of free speech and debate. They bring to mind the references to the Lincoln-Douglas debates of yesteryear, which are held out to be exemplars of debate. To the

contrary, the Lincoln historian, Harold Holtzer points out that “the encounters were brutally sarcastic, featuring highly personal attacks rather than elevated discourse.”

Oddly enough, the only basis for the right to speak is because the Pensacola City Council

has voluntarily extended this right to the citizenry during open forum. There is no legal authority for citizens who are not a party to the proceedings to speak and be

heard at council meetings. Neither the Florida Constitution nor the

so-called “Sunshine Law” bestows the right to speak. The law is, quite simply, silent as to citizen participation in meetings.

Florida courts have never upheld either a right to speak or participate for a citizen who is not a party to the proceedings.

In the 1993 case of Wood v. Marston, the Florida Supreme Court stated “nothing in this

decision gives the public the right to be more than spectators. The public has no author-ity to participate in or to interfere with the decision-making process.”

More recently in Keesler v. Community Maritime Park Associates, our First District Court of Appeal upheld the CMPA’s denial of a citizen’s opportunity to speak at a meeting concerning the maritime park.

Proponents of the right to speak have introduced legislation that would ensure the public a right to speak.

In an effort to avoid the diatribe, the proposed legislation would also permit rea-sonable rules to ensure the orderly conduct of a public meeting such as time limits on the speech, procedures or forms that indicate the desire to be heard, position on a proposition, and designation of group representative.

The irony of the situation seems to be that the proponents of the right to speak to their government must defer to that same government to legislate their right to speak. By doing so, they will also have to accept government standards that act to elevate the discourse they so avidly seek. {in}

viewpointby Jim Messer

RIGHT TO SPEAK

There is no legal authority for citizens who are not a party to the proceedings to speak and be heard at council meetings.

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February 16, 2012 7

D.C. REALITY, G.C. CALAMITY It was supposed to be a home run. Forecasts had the RESTORE Act sailing through the House and Senate unopposed. As of late last month U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller (R-Florida) sounded optimistic about RE-STORE—the bill sponsored by Gulf Coast lawmakers that would keep 80 percent of the fines and penalties collected as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf region instead of sending them into a general federal pot.

“We are having meetings on a daily basis now,” Miller said in late January. “—we need to move.”

The Northwest Florida representative said RESTORE wasn’t getting any push-back—“No, none.”—and should be passed as soon as some bookkeeping details were addressed. The bill was apparently still a bipartisan darling.

“We would like to have something passed as quickly as possible,” Miller said.

But Escambia County Commissioner Grover Robinson sounded more like a realist than an optimist when he returned from an early February trip to the nation’s capital.

“Gawww-lee, Washington is crazy,” Robinson said while waiting to board a plane home in the Atlanta airport. “When you make the easy ones difficult—we’ll see what happens.”

The Escambia commissioner traveled to Washington D.C. as part of a contingent of Gulf Coast officials to lobby for the RE-STORE Act’s passage. He compared the ex-perience to a “roller coaster” and said at one point “I felt like a truck had run over me.”

Most of the Gulf Coast officials returned home with dismal reports. Robinson seemed rattled following the venture.

“They’re not telling us it’s impossible,” he said. “But they’re telling us it’s going to be difficult.”

Unlike most issues in Washington, the RESTORE Act seemed to have wide sup-port from members of both parties when Gulf Coast lawmakers unveiled it last fall. There’s still support for the bill, but there’s also opposition from both ends of the political spectrum.

“It’s strange,” Robinson said, chalking up the oppositions’ motives to defending either financial or political turf. “They either want

something from it, or, they generally fear that if it passes it will make the other side look good—that’s both sides.”

Dan McFaul, Rep. Miller ’s chief of staff, said that RESTORE is still on track and that the Gulf Coast contingent had simply been introduced to D.C.’s harsh political landscape.

“Well, there’s not pushback, but that doesn’t mean there aren't obstacles,” McFaul said. “This is not something that’s a new obstacle or a wall. It’s the reality of what we’re facing up here.”

Basically, McFaul explained, the bill is hung up on the math. Lawmakers must account for the expected financial loss incurred as a result of passing RESTORE, an amount currently pegged at about $1.4 billion. Supporters hope to pass the bill before BP possibly reaches a settle-ment with the federal government and the offset amount is fixed and, most likely, considerably higher.

“Once it becomes a federal situation it becomes almost impossible,” Robinson said.

There has been some talk about tucking the RESTORE Act into other bills that look promising. One such bill being considered for the piggybacking is a transportation bill currently making the rounds—ironically, that bill also includes language that opens up vast amounts of the Outer Continental Shelf and essentially the entire eastern por-tion of the Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas drilling.

McFaul said that Rep. Miller would vote to attach RESTORE to the transpor-tation bill, but could not vote for the bill itself—H.R. 3410—due to the potential for drilling as close as 12 miles from the Florida Panhandle’s shoreline.

“That’s not ideal,” McFaul said, add-ing that if the legislation was attached to the transportation bill, the eastern Gulf of Mexico would have to be taken off the table for Miller to support the final version.

Lawmakers have said they would like to get RESTORE passed before the second anniversary of the oil spill in April. There have been talks of the federal government reaching a settlement agreement with BP prior to that.

McFaul said he rather not place odds on RESTORE’s chances.

“I wouldn’t want to put odds on it,” he said. “Maybe the congressman will—I seri-ously doubt he’d put odds on it though, this isn’t Vegas.” {in}

“So, this unthinking, crude, mental midget is in charge of redistricting this state? We’re screwed.”—Marilyn

“Why privatize and spend more money? Consolidate!”—Bubba

“These politicians hiding behind their political appointees did not listen to their constituents.”—Eric

from the blog

Rick’s Blog has been quoted in the New York Times, Newsweek and on dozens of websites, including The Daily Beast. Read it to find out the real story behind the news. Visit ricksblog.biz.

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▲SURF ONE FOR YANCY The local surfing community will gather Feb. 18 to celebrate the life of legendary Pensacola surfer Yancy Spencer, III.

On Valentine’s Day 2011, while enjoy-ing the waves off the California coast, Spencer passed away at the age of 61. He is remembered as an East Coast-surfing pioneer, as well as the owner of the local Innerlight Surf and Skate shops.

Spencer caught his first wave in 1965. Later that same year, he won his first competition on Pensacola Beach.

“A wave tubed over me and I disap-peared for the entire length of the ride. But I did not even know I was in the

tube; I had closed my eyes,” Spencer wrote about that day in his testimonial. “When I came out of it, everyone on the pier was cheering and scream-ing—it was like a football game. I looked around to see who was having a good ride and then I realized they were cheering for me.”

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Spencer’s passing, local surfers will gather at 11 a.m. near ‘The Cross,’ at 850 Ft. Pickens Rd. on Pensacola Beach. After-wards, there will be chili served up at the Emerald Dolphin—across the street from ‘The Cross’—and a screening of a com-memorative movie.

8 inweekly.net8

THE BLACK MAN AND THE KLAN

Once the meetings had been arranged, there was only one thing left to do. Show up.

“And I’d show up and knock on their door and, of course, they’d freak out,” said Daryl Davis.

For a number of years he traveled the country in an attempt to learn more about the Ku Klux Klan. Why did they hate? And, why did they hate him?

Daryl Davis’ Foray into the KKK

By Jeremy Morrison

“A lot of different answers,” Davis re-called. “None of them made sense, of course.”

Davis emerged from his explorations into the Klan with a book, “Klan-Destine Rela-tionships: A Black Man’s Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan.” The author visited Pensacola Feb. 10 to discuss his work, presenting a lecture at Pensacola State College.

A day prior to his local engagement, Da-vis phoned from the road to talk about why he decided to take on such a project.

“It needed to be done,” he said flatly.The Ku Klux Klan has long been shroud-

ed in the mystery provided by robes and hoods and secrecy. The group has been ex-plored by outsiders—even by black authors, in an academic sense—but Davis chose to get close enough to lift the veil himself.

“My secretary would call them,” the author said, explaining that he felt his voice might reveal his race. “I specifically instruct-ed her not to tell them I was black.”

Davis traveled the United States in pursuit of Klansmen. He hooked up with Roger Kelly, Imperial Wizard of the Invincible Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and the journey began.

“I interviewed people from California, down South, some people from Florida, up North, the Midwest,” Davis rattled off road-worn memories.

While the Ku Klux Klan has existed in some form since the mid-1800s, the group has been relegated in the cultural psyche to the violent days of the Civil Rights era in the South. But Davis found that the Klan remains active—flourishing in some instances—throughout the entire country.

“In fact, it’s even going on more now with a black president and immigration,” Davis said.

The author wasn’t professionally prepared for the mission. He wasn’t a psychologist or a journalist or even an author, yet. He had a Bachelor of Music from Howard University.

“You don’t necessarily have to have a degree in sociology,” Davis laughed.

But the author did have some first-hand knowledge of the KKK’s most notable quality: hate.

The son of a Foreign Service officer, Davis spent his early childhood years in Eu-rope and Africa. He hadn’t experienced the United States’ hotbed of racial tension until returning home at the age of 10.

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"It’s even going on more now with a black presi-dent and immigration."Daryl Davis

February 16, 2012 9

Davis got a taste of the hate during a parade in Boston. While carrying the Ameri-can flag for his all-white Cub Scout troop, the young boy was pelted with rocks, bottles and debris. When he was 15-years-old, the teen was told by another hate-based organiza-tion that he’d soon be shipped back to Africa. A few years after that, Davis said he was attacked by a racist cop.

The author went on to study music at Howard. He then enjoyed a successful career playing with music legends as B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Percy Sledge and Elvis Presley’s Jordanaires.

Davis still plays regularly today with his own Daryl Davis Band. But his musical en-deavors also share the stage with the author’s work on the KKK. He travels the country speaking to audiences about his experiences studying the Klan, as well as pushing his main takeaway: “That people can change.”

Davis views his work as a bridge of sorts—a pathway to repairing a rift as old as this country. He didn’t begin his work with such lofty intentions. The author only intended on gaining a better understanding of his subjects.

“I never sat out to convert anybody,” Davis said. “That was not my goal.”

While most of the author’s Klan en-counters were “cordial conversations,” there were a few heated exchanges and, after one incident, a court date. But then there were the other interviews, the ones that went into uncharted territory.

“When you sit down with someone one-on-one, that person becomes a hu-man being rather than some abstract object of hate,” Davis explained. “When they get home, they have to mull over the fact that this black person did not fit any of their stereotypes.”

Davis approached his subjects with a basic ques-tion: Why?

“What’s funny is, you ask a lot of people, ‘So, why do you think blacks are inferior?’ They say, ‘I don’t know, that’s just the way I was raised,’” Davis said. “Why? Why? They can’t answer you. It’s not just the way it is, it’s what you have in your head—you’ve broken the cycle that their ancestors had started.”

In a few instances, Davis’ interviews reached transcendental realms. Klansmen began to ques-tion their beliefs. Some handed over their robes and hoods to Davis, who keeps

them in his closet as trophies.“Some were matter-of-fact,” he said of the

handoffs. “Others, yeah, it was emotional.”Davis said the audiences attending his

lectures are usually positive. Sometimes a Klansman, or members of similar organizations, show up. Sometimes they shake his hand afterwards, other times they don’t.

“Ever y now and then someone will show up—a Na zi or what-ever—and they ’ l l l isten,” he said.

The author also continues to inter-

view members of the KKK. With a book out on the subject, his name is obviously known in Klan circles.

“Eventually word traveled and they know who I am,” Davis said, admitting that interviews play out differently now. “They’ll have answers already prepared for a black interviewer. They want to make themselves sound legitimate.”

The Klan’s overall message—or at least the public face of that message—has also been modified over the years. Lynchings are no longer palatable, and segregation doesn’t seem to be gaining any steam.

“They all have different spins,” Davis said. “Like, ‘We’re not haters and we’re not racists, we’re just proud to be white.’”

But Davis’ mission remains unchanged. Why?

“Nobody is going back to where they came from,” the author said. “Blacks are not going back to Africa. Whites are not going back to Europe. We have to get along.” {in}

“When you sit down with someone one-on-one, that person becomes a human being rather than some abstract object of hate.” Daryl Davis

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After their first meeting, Roger Kelly—Imperial Wizard of the Invincible Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan—agreed to pose for a photo with author Daryl Davis as long as “we don’t have to stand with our arms around each other.” Other Klansmen renounced long-held beliefs and handed over robes and hoods to Davis.

10 inweekly.net10

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February 16, 2012 11

The IN staff in general are bar people. We've been known to close the office at 4 p.m. on Fridays to get a jump start on happy hour. Some of our most productive staff meetings have involved a pitcher (and a few shots of 'Cuse Juice) at New York Nick 's . We even regularly make office bets where booze is the prize to be had (speaking of which, Joani, you still owe Rick a beer for the Republican Primary).

As a nod to our bar loving side, we created our annual Lush Guide. It 's one of our favorite issues to brainstorm and write every year and this year, it 's extra special because the gods of timing smiled us and let it fall on the same week as the booziest holiday of them all—Mardi Gras.

In honor of that coincidence, we're giving you some tips on surviving a marathon drinking day. You can thank us Sunday when you actually make it through the epic beach parade festivities. Plus, we've got words of wisdom straight from the mouths of your favorite local bartenders, a foodie's guide to cooking with booze and a quiz to test your knowledge of the local bar scene.

So read up and get ready for Mardi Gras weekend. Just remember—if you’re going to be drinking (and we know you are) do it at local establishments and be safe, okay? CHEERS!

TABLE OF CONTENTSI Will Take A ManhattanSurviving Mardi Gras MadnessName That BarHave Food - Need “Proof”

12141618

illustration by Samantha Crooke

12 inweekly.net12

You think you will, but what else is out there to choose from? What you drink, when you go to dinner or an event, is always a personal subject. It’s a status choice. A glass of wine or a beer, a martini or a Cos-mopolitan, carries a certain image you want to portray to others. Choose wisely because it is the only choice in life that you say aloud, sometimes shout, for everyone to hear.

Those who regularly partake in alco-holic beverages have something that they love and always order, maybe a favorite beer or liquor. If you are unfamiliar with the wares behind the bar, you might want to get some advice from an expert. IN decided to

seek the wisdom of some knowledge-able resident bartenders, and get their opinions about drink trends in 2012.

Three local area bartenders were asked the same three questions: What are the trends in alcohol choices this year? What will we all be drinking this year? And, what drink do you wish you would never have to make again?

First, we spoke to Michelle Knox, 29, bartender at The Fish House. She is a Pensacola native who, after spending some time traveling the world and living in New Jersey, decided to move back home. Knox has been tending bar for about six

years. At first blush, she may appear to be very young and could not possibly possess an extensive knowledge of libation trends–that judgment is so very wrong.

“It is the era of forgotten drinks, the World War I Sidecar, 1870s Manhattan, the 1806 Old Fashioned and the Pre-Civil War choice, Sazerac [a classic New Orleans drink],” Knox said about the current drink trends. “They are your grandparents’ cocktails.”

“Simple ingredients are key,” she added. “ The elegance of using simple ingredients can become complex and deep. Cucumber and mint are some of those ingredients.”

According to Knox, alcohol choices are throwbacks to a forgotten time as well. There has been an increased popularity of rose and cucumber infused gin.

Michelle Knox / photo by Samantha Crooke

I WILL TAKE A MANHATTAN

by Kate Peterson

“I am always on the lookout for creative cocktail creations Michelle Knox, Bartender at The Fish House

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February 16, 2012 13

The newest trend, called a molecular mixology, is something she studied and saw up close while spending a summer in Spain.

“Molecular mixology is really time-consuming to make all the parts,” Knox said. “It takes a lot of prep work and space. You make the bar your kitchen. The flavors are developed hour by hour, to cre-ate an edible cocktail. It is both amazing and delicious.”

Another trend Knox noted was organic spirits. They are very popular and tasty.

IN tried a special drink Knox prepares with Hendrick’s Gin. She uses gin, St. Ger-main elderflower liquor and sparkling water. It was a cool, refreshing cocktail and cer-tainly something you spend time drinking.

The other Knox special is a varia-tion of a Kiss in the Dark. Her version is called a Kiss in the Moonlight. She starts with a chilled martini glass, gives it a dry vermouth rinse and then adds Bombay Gin and blood orange liquor. It was potent and warming—the kind of drink where you know you’ve had a drink.

Knox hopes to make “anything with Blue Curacao in it” in the future.

“I am always on the lookout for creative cocktail creations and currently I have been watching the Ken Burns docu-mentary series ‘Prohibition,’ using names of figures and key words to name new drinks,” Knox said. “It is a great series for all barkeeps to learn from.”

Next up we have Rob McConkey, 41, sommelier for The Wine Bar on Palafox. McConkey was instrumental in opening the location about a year ago, and still serves as leader behind the bar.

McConkey notices that dessert wines have begun to trend.

“There is a popularization of des-sert or sparkling wines like Moscato and Prosecco, from a strange source, rap lyrics have introduced it to a wider audience,” McConkey said.

“Dessert wines used to be something wine lovers turned their nose up to, but now it is more socially acceptable,” McConkey said. “The wine we will all be drinking is Ries-ling and there has been a

resurgence of pinot noir, a warmer climate invites the attraction to both.”

McConkey wishes to never make a wine spritzer again, so don’t ask.

Bartender Brian Dun-can, 34 , works at Hopjacks. While Hopjacks is primar-ily a much sought-after beer establishment, we found out they know more than just beer. Duncan has been at Hopjacks for about four years and a bartender for 10.

For Duncan, the trend-ing drink is also the last thing he wants to make.

“The trend is flavored vodkas, the newest is Fruit Loops,” Duncan explained. “As for what we will all be drinking, a Razzle Dazzle. It has hush-hush ingre-dients, some muddledfruit and alcohol. What drink do I wish I would never have to make again? That would be a Razzle Dazzle.” {in}

““There is a popularization of dessert or sparkling wines like Moscato and Prosecco, from a strange source, rap lyrics have introduced it to a wider audience.” Rob McConkey, Sommelier for The Wine Bar on Palafox

“The trend is flavored vodkas, the newest is Fruit Loops."Brian Duncan, Bartender at Hopjacks

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14 inweekly.net14

March may be known for the “madness” of the NCAA basketball tournament, but for residents of the Gulf Coast the real madness starts in February with Mardi Gras.

While Mobile claims to have invented it, and New Orleans claims to have perfected it, Pensacola’s own version of Mardi Gras definitely brings the ruckus to downtown and the beach. Mardi Gras is about more than catching beads, though. It’s about celebrat-ing the indomitable spirit of the Gulf Coast with a massive amount of day drinking.

With the myriad of events and parades, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and worn down by the festivities. For the intrepid partier who wants to do Mardi Gras the way it’s meant to be done, there are several key ways to

keep celebrating from morning until the break of dawn.

Drinking during Mardi Gras is like an Olympic sport. People need to prepare for it well in advance, and know the limits of their abilities. Oftentimes people who aren’t heavy drinkers treat Mardi Gras like they’re

celebrating “Stones Saturday” with Mick and the boys. They try to impress their friends by slamming as many beers and shots as fast as possible. Surviving Mardi Gras is not a sprint—it’s a very drunken marathon. No one is impressed by a per-son who leaves the bar at 5 p.m. to go take a nap in their car. For this reason, you need to treat drinking for Mardi Gras like any other competition. This will require preparation.

“How do you get to Carnie Hall?” asks Austin Enfinger, while drinking at the down-town Hopjacks. “You have to practice. Start drinking when you wake up and don’t stop until you pass out. You have to condition your liver for the abuse.”

Doing shots of liquor is an important part of any good Mardi Gras celebration. The

mistake people make is doing them at the end of the night after drinking all day. This will result in nothing but catastrophe.

A proper Mardi Gras party means starting off by doing shots

with a proper toast. Don’t be a hero, though. It’s okay to do a mixed shot, like

a Red Snapper or a Lemon Drop. For those made of sterner stuff, however, nothing gets a day started like a straight shot of Jamison whiskey. Word of warning: while it’s tempt-ing to spread the cheer around, do not buy a round of shots for strangers. They prob-ably won’t remember it or you later, and

your wallet won’t thank you in the morn-ing. However, if the person is attractive or seems interested in you then that rule can

and should be ignored. Needless to say, drinking for 12

or more hours can be expensive. It’s important to find cheap drink specials early so you’ll have enough money later when your judgment is impaired and an expensive import beer seems like a good idea. If you’re planning on attend-ing the parades, be sure to go out a few hours early and hit up happy hour deals. It’s also beneficial to find a dive bar and drink some cheap PBRs before you head up to Seville and try to impress people by drinking pricier Heinekens.

Eating properly is also important. While it’s easy during Mardi Gras to roll out of bed, pop open a Budweiser

and head out for the parade, beer does not count as a proper meal. You need to fortify the stomach for the battle ahead. Hit up a local restaurant, order something greasy and filling, chug a big class of water and start the day off with a full stomach and a fortified liver. Be sure your phone is charged, too. There are a lot of people at the parades—you don’t want to spend hours drunkenly stag-gering around the beach because you can’t find your friends or your car.

Surviving Mardi Gras

MAD-NESS

by James Hagan

"Start drinking when you wake up and don’t stop until you pass out. You have to condition your liver for the abuse.”Austin Enfinger

February 16, 2012 15

“Chug water like it’s your favorite Mardi Gras drink,” suggests Whitney Dalton while tending bar at the downtown Hopjacks.

“Also, stick with the buddy sys-tem so you don’t lose yourself.”

Mardi Gras is supposed to be fun. For this reason, go out and have a

good time, but be responsible and don’t ruin anyone else’s good time. Don’t pick a fight or an argument, don’t be rude, and if you’re too

drunk to drive (and because it’s Mardi Gras you probably will be), have a designat-ed driver or call a cab. Act smooth and handle your liquor like Ryan Gosling in “Crazy Stupid Love.” Don’t be a sad,

angry lush like Nicholas Cage in “Leaving Las Vegas.” Be Baby Goose, and not Ghost Rider.

Finally, to properly enjoy Mardi Gras you just need to relax and have fun. The parades can oftentimes be campy, and you’re going to spend hours calling for beads from people dressed in ridiculous outfits, but that’s the fun of it. Mardi Gras is an indelible Southern tradition that separates the South from our stuffier Northern brethren. Grab some beads, have a nice stiff drink and have a good time at the parades. See you there. {in}

Act smooth and handle your liquor like Ryan Gosling in “Crazy Stupid Love.” Don’t be a sad, angry lush like Nicholas Cage in “Leaving Las Vegas.”

“Chug water like it’s your favorite Mardi Gras drink.”Whitney Dalton, Hopjacks Bartender

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Every bar has regulars. Some more colorful than others, but regulars all the same.

In doing our "research" for this issue, we also noticed that we kept hearing conversation regulars at certain bars too. Again, some more colorful than others. We decided to compile our favorite overheard quotes into a little quiz so you can try and name the local bar we overheard them in. So take your best shot. And remem-ber, nobody likes a cheater so don't skip down and read answers right away.

NAME THAT BAR

Have you been to the bathroom yet? You have to go to the bathroom and tell me about it, ok?

Do you want to keep your glass?

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I've never seen so many beers on tap! So many fancy choices… what to pick? Give me a PBR I guess.

Is it just me or does it smell like tofu and PBR in here? That guy is really Irish, huh?

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Who's that guy in all the photos with the famous people?

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This place is so huge, I can't find you. Which room are you in?

1. The Azalea Lounge, 2. Pensacola Bay Brewery, 3. McGuire's, 4. Sluggo's, 5. The Islander, 6. The Elbow Room, 7. Paddy O'Leary's, 8. Hopjacks, 9. Seville Quarter, 10. New York Nick's

18 inweekly.net18

by Ashley Hardaway

The holidays are over. New Year’s has come and gone and, by now, most likely so have your resolutions. But some things still linger around—sometimes for years, like that bottle of amaretto you never remem-ber buying, but has remained in the back of your liqueur cabinet (i.e. shelf) for as long as you can remember. There’s also some Baileys you got during your hot chocolate phase, a dusty brandy bottle your aunt brought last Christmas and something resembling beer.

At times like these it’s best to think of your liqueur cabinet as an extension of your spice rack. Most alcohol is distilled from organics and botanicals anyway, so they’re already like spices and each can impart its own unique qualities into the right type of food. Need (pardon the pun) proof? Then read ahead.

Breakfast:Amaretto French Toast with Brandy Butter

A friend of mine bought a bottle of amaretto a while ago to make her famous amaretto cheesecake. One year and four cheesecakes later the bottle is still more than three-fourths of the way full. And since amaretto sours don’t really do it for us, we’re adding it to our brunch rotation.

Amaretto French ToastIngredients:6 tablespoons amaretto4 eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup milk12 slices of cinnamon raisin or challah bread1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Butter (for cooking)

Directions:Heat up non-stick

skillet over medium-high heat. In a bowl, mix all ingredients except bread. Melt some butter in the skillet. Take one piece of bread and dip it in the egg mixture until soaked through. Cook in the buttered skillet until golden on both sides. Serve with maple syrup and brandy butter.

Brandy ButterIngredients:12 tablespoons, unsalted butter, room temperature3/4 cup sugar4 tablespoons brandyDirections:

Beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add brandy and blend until combined. Serve at room temperature.

Lunch:Abita Turbodog Braised Duck “Muf-faletta” with Olive Salad & Walnut AioliCourtesy of Chef Chris Voorhees (Blue Wahoos)

It being right before Mardi Gras and shortly after the Super Bowl, undoubt-edly you should be able to locate a beer somewhere on your premises. And if all this talk of Mardi Gras is making your stomach grumble for some classic Crescent City food, then Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ Chef Chris Voorhees has got you covered.

Abita Turbodog Braised DuckIngredients:1 tablespoon olive oil5 duck leg-thigh quarters1 1/2 yellow onions, chopped1 medium carrot, chopped1 stalk celery, chopped1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped8 ounces of dried apricots2 quarts Abita Turbodog1 quart duck stock

Directions:Brown duck in oil; remove from pan. Add

onions, carrots, celery and apricots; stir until slightly caramelized. Add beer, duck stock and fresh thyme. Bring to a simmer; add duck. Cover pan and braise in oven at 300° until duck is fall-off-the-bone tender. The best way to tell when it’s done is to look for the meat and connective tissue to pull away from the bottom of the leg bone. Remove from heat; transfer duck and braising liquid to a plastic container to begin cooling in the refrigerator. Make sure to cool the duck in the braising liquid as this will keep the duck nice and moist. Once cooled, remove duck from braising liq-uid and pull the meat off of the bones. Strain the liquid and freeze for later. Waste nothing!

Olive SaladIngredients:¼ cup pitted green olives¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives ¼ cup pickled vegetables (cauliflower, car-rots, celery and red peppers)2 large pepperoncini2 tablespoon capers1 small clove garlic1 teaspoon fresh oregano2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice2 tablespoon olive oilA few grinds of black pepperKosher salt to tasteDirections:

Drain all wet ingredients. Place all ingredients except olive oil in the food pro-cessor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add olive oil, cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours for the best results.

Walnut AioliIngredients:½ cup toasted walnut halves1 small clove garlic2 egg yolks1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice1 teaspoon cider vinegar1 cup extra virgin olive oil¼ cup walnut oil1 teaspoon kosher salt½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:In a food processor add the walnuts,

garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice and cider vinegar. Combine the olive oil and walnut oil and mix well. With the processor running and all ingredients well combined slowly drizzle in the oil until the mixture emulsifies and resembles a slightly loose mayo. Right before you turn off the processor, add the salt and pepper to incorporate. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate.

◀ Pensacolians will probably recognize Chef Voorhees' name for the positive accolades he received while he was the Executive Chef at Elise Coastal Dining. After graduating from the Scotts-dale Culinary Institute, he worked in Seattle, Los Angeles and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, before moving to Pensacola with his wife and young son. Soon, Pensacolians will be able to enjoy his culinary gems again; as the Blue Wahoos stadium plans to have on-site and off-site catering abilities as well as special event packages and some pretty spectacular venues that will be available year-round. For more information re-garding hosting stadium events contact Shelley Yates at 934-8444

by Ashley Hardaway

HAVE FOOD-

NEED “PROOF”

February 16, 2012 19

To assemble the muffaletta, first find some nice muffaletta bread from your lo-cal bakery. Slice the bread and spread the walnut aioli over the top and bottom halves as desired. Generously arrange the pulled braised duck meat, followed by the olive salad. Slice and enjoy with a cold Abita Turbodog. Sharing is optional.

Dessert:Chocolate Shiraz Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream IcingCourtesy of Chef Kurtis Krum (The Wine Bar, Boardwalk location)

Finally, don’t just assume that red wine in your cabinet can only be used for savory sauces and deglazing. The following cupcakes are a rich, decadent mélange of espresso and chocolate accented with Shi-raz. The final result is so good, you’ll never go without wine in your cabinet again.

Chocolate Shiraz Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream IcingCupcakes:Ingredients:2 cups sifted all-purpose flour1/2 cup melted dark chocolate1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 pound butter1 1/2 cup sugar2 eggsPinch of cinnamon1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 1/4 cup Shiraz

Directions:With an electric mixer, paddle the but-

ter and sugar together until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add this to the butter and sugar mixture while continu-ing to blend. Add the wine and the vanilla extract. Finish by mixing in the melted chocolate. Bake at 350 degrees, until firm (about 25 minutes).

Espresso Buttercream IcingIngredients:1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract1 ounce of espresso (cooled)

Directions: Using the whisk attachment of a

stand mixer, whip the butter on medi-um-high speed for f ive minutes, stop-ping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is incorporated before adding more. Once all the sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed. Whip until f luf f y (about one minute). Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated. {in}

All Hail the KingJan. 6 is the beginning of King Cake

season and, thus, the end of New Year’s diets for many. Sadly, this magical time

will soon be coming to an end, but there’s still time to begin your King Cake tasting tour this weekend. Pick your favorite and

be sure to let us know whose you liked the best!

The following places are the indepen-dent businesses that have King Cakes:

Adonna’s Bakery 114 S. Palafox 696-2227

Adonna’s offers made-to-order King Cakes (call ahead to reserve). They also have many Mardi-Gras themed pastries

available all day.

Cupcake Emporium4350 Bayou Blvd., #3 332-6371Call ahead to reserve one of their

house-made King Cakes and while you’re picking it up be sure to check out their

“Mardi Gras Beads”—massive cake truffles (try the red velvet) that have

been iced and rolled in edible glitter. The result: a dessert so shiny and tasty you’ll

wish you could wear them.

Five Flags Deli & Bakery1124 W. Garden St. 607-7791

With the most assortments of flavors available, the house-made brioche King Cakes at Five Flags can keep you busy all week. Call ahead to reserve or see what they have on hand when you arrive. Fla-vors: Traditional, apricot cream cheese, chocolate on chocolate, traditional with

chocolate, coconut and pecan.

J’s Bakery2014 N. 12th Ave. 432-4180J’s Bakery offers traditional and

cream cheese. They’ll reserve you one if you call ahead, or you can drop in and

hope they haven’t sold out.

Jerry’s Cajun Café6205 N. 9th Ave. 484-6962

Jerry’s is getting their King Cakes from the famous Gambino’s bakery out of New Orleans. Try all four flavors: Tra-ditional, Cream Cheese, Blueberry and

Chocolate Brownie.

Dolce221 E. Zaragoza St. 469-9600If it’s possible you’re all caked-out

at this point, then break with tradition and celebrate Fat Tuesday with Dolce’s

amazing King Cake gelato. This ingenious concoction is made with a cream cheese flavored base in which King Cake pieces are folded in. It’s finished with ribbons of cinnamon and topped with the tradition-al Mardi Gras colored sprinkles. Sacrilege

never tasted so good.

food news & events

20 inweekly.net20

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February 16, 2012 21

THURSDAY 2.16JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8 a.m. through Mar 9. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 Col-lege Blvd, Bldg 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu.‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAE-OLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php.‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. through Mar 2. Artel Gallery, 223 Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org.‘STUFF I MADE’ 10 a.m. through Mar 2. Artel Gallery, 223 Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org.‘ALL NATURAL’ 10 a.m. through Mar 15. TAG at UWF, Bldg 82, 11000 University Parkway. 474-2696 or tag82uwf.wordpress.com.‘WELCOME TO MARGARITAVILLE’ MARGAR-ITA TASTING 2 p.m. Margaritaville Beach Hotel, 165 Fort Pickens Rd., Pensacola Beach. 916-9755 or margaritavillehotel.com.WINE TASTING AT AWM 5 p.m. Aragon Wine Market, 27 S. Ninth Ave. 433-9463 or aragon-winemarket.com.HIP HOP BEER BUFFET 6 p.m. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. 434-9060 or handlebarpensacola.com.HERB CLASS AT EVER’MAN 6 p.m. $2 for non-members. Ever’man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden St. 438-0402 or everman.org.VEGAN DINNER AT EOTL 6 p.m. End of the Line Café, 610 E. Wright St. 429-0336 or eotlcafe.com.WUWF ACOUSTIC MUSIC SERIES 7 p.m. $20, reser-vations requested. Hilton Emerald Coast Ballroom, 12 Via de Luna., Pensacola Beach. 473-7428 or wuwf.org.PENSACOLA ICEFLYERS VS. LOUISIANA ICE GATORS 7 p.m. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 or pensacolaciviccenter.com.

FEBRUARY 21

Fat Tuesday FeastIn celebration of Mardi Gras, The Fish House will be offering a New Orleans-in-spired three-course fixed price menu for $35. Here's what's cooking: red beans and rice with grilled Andouille sausage, black-ened mahi-mahi over a Tasso and Fontana risotto with crispy fried Tabasco onion hay and white chocolate pecan bread pudding with a bourbon caramel sauce for dessert.

NOLA's favorite cocktail, the Hurricane, will also be readily available for just

$5. goodgrits.com

a r t , f i l m , m u s i c , s ta g e , b o o k s a n d o t h e r s i g n s o f c i v i l i z a t i o n . . .

Arts & EntertainmentWEEK OF FEBRUARY 16-23

FEBRUARY 20

Singers and Madrigals

The University of West Florida Department of Music presents the Singers and Madrigals in their annual Black History Month Concert, Monday at 7:30 p.m. It's free to attend, but you

must reserve a ticket beforehand. 857-6285.

In just eight days, Jerry Seinfeld will be standing on the Saenger stage pointing out the frustrating and often hypocritical facets to life. Whether or not you were able to score tickets to the sold-out shows, there’s no reason you can’t celebrate the “master stand-up comic” coming to our city. And since this is the Lush guide, pop in your Seinfeld DVDs (or watch basic cable long enough to stumble on a re-run) and take a swig, sip or shot at commonplace Seinfeld moments.

To start off the game, take a drink when you hear the famous bass line and see the super 1990s graphic appear. You get another if the episode starts with Jerry doing stand-up, two if it doesn’t—which is rare. Take one drink when a shot of the “Restaurant” is shown, when a character drinks coffee or when Jerry answers his buzzer.

When Kramer busts through the door or Elaine pushes someone take one drink. Two drink instances may occur when George’s or Jerry’s parents make an ap-

pearance, a celebrity makes an appear-ance, someone on the show is dumped or when we get to see Jerry squint his eyes at his sworn enemy, Newman.

Go ahead and take three drinks if you come across an episode with Elaine’s parents or Kramer ’s mom, if George isn’t wearing a shirt or if Kramer mentions his friend Bob Sacra-mento. And if George goes on a rant about velvet, his baldness, a girlfriend breaking up with him or anything else, just drink ‘til it ’s over. {in}

See the SeinsBy Jennie McKeon

JERRY SEINFELD AT SAENGERWHEN: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24WHERE: 118 S. PalafoxDETAILS: pensacolasaenger.com

happenings

It's Carnival

Y'all! It's time to let the

good times (and the parades) roll—Mardi

Gras weekend is finally here. Turn to page 22 for more on

all the Mardi Gras parade and events

you can't miss.

PAGE

22 inweekly.net22

Only during Mardi Gras is it perfectly normal to throw things at people, eat sugary cakes and wear clashing colors—purple, which symbolizes justice, green for faith and gold for power. Every year more and more people crowd downtown Palafox, making each Mardi Gras bigger and better than ever.

Watching and develop-ing that growth is Pensacola Mardi Gras, Inc. President Danny Zimmern. He’s participated in Mardi Gras events in Pensacola for that past 25 years. This is his tenth year with Pen-sacola Mardi Gras Inc.

“It’s really grown,” Zimmern said of Pen-sacola’s Mardi Gras. “It was pretty much just one weekend and a pub crawl on Fat Tuesday. Now, it’s expanded into a season starting with The Twelfth Night on Jan. 6.”

This year, Palafox will be closed to cel-ebrate Fat Tuesday, Feb. 21—your last chance to indulge before you have to give up your favorite vices for Lent.

Pensacola Mardi Gras, Inc. has seen an increase in applicants signing up for parade festivities with an estimated 5,000 individuals signed up to participate in the grand parade. Six new krewes will also be added to the mix. And the krewes, Zimmern said, are what make the parade.

“It starts with the krewes,” he said. “With the time and energy they put in their floats they are having as much fun or more than everyone.”

But it’s not just good beads and moon pies they’re after. Krewes not only want to be a part of the fun, but they want to do some good for the community.

“It’s a whole lot more than beer, it’s an out-let to have fun and contribute to social change,” Zimmern said of the Mardi Gras krewes.

Artis Hardwick and his Krewe of Blues have the look of a “soul man,” complete with black suits and fedoras. The krewe is only two years old, yet they have done two food drives, given 10,000 diapers to Gulf Coast Kid’s House, served at soup kitchens and delivered food for Appetite 4 Life.

“It’s a lot more fun being a part of a krewe—it’s another family,” Hardwick said. “We do a lot for the community and the fun part comes after, when we celebrate what we’ve done.”

Whitney Fike and her Krewe of Hip Hug-gers dress in 1960s-era costumes complete with go-go boots and peace signs. They spread peace and love at local nursing homes. Decked out in their outfits, the coordinated members perform a choreographed number.

Kelly Blackwell and the Krewe De Marginaux—a newbie krewe—will be parading down Palafox for the first time this year.

“I truly love this group of people,” Blackwell said. “They are fun, young and young at heart.”

The krewe is still in the deciding stages of what they want to do for the community. They’ve thought about cystic fibrosis, because of a member’s son, which everyone is in sup-

port of. Blackwell also points out she’d like to raise money for downtown improvement projects, specifically in the Belmont and Devilliers area.

Even though Blackwell and the rest of the krewe are new to Pensacola Mardi Gras, they already feel like family.

“The camaraderie among friends and family is something that contributes to our lives in so many ways, enriching them and making them full of adventure,” Blackwell said. “You work together as a team during preparations and then you get to celebrate as a team, which is really just another family.”

For Fike, joining a krewe was a no-brainer. Born and raised in Pensacola, she has always been involved with Mardi Gras activities.

“I was raised around King Cakes, beads and all that jazz,” she said.

Pensacola’s Mardi Gras aims to keep a family friendly atmosphere present with each

event. This year, Sacred Heart Hospital is sponsoring a family viewing area during the Grand Parade. There will be no alcohol, but there will be bounce houses and a face painter.

Last year, the police estimated about 100,000 people spread out downtown for the Grand Parade. This year should be no different. Zimmern is excited about the growth of Pensacola’s Mardi Gras, especially the big Fat Tuesday.

“We’re going to send Mardi Gras out with a bang,” Zimmern said. “—and then get some rest.”

When the party’s over, be sure to donate your Mardi Gras beads to ARC Gateway. Through Pollak Industries, adults with devel-opmental disabilities will sort and repackage the beads to sell to krewes next year. The revenue helps sustain programs and gives vocational training and job opportunities to adults with developmental disabilities. Drop-off locations can be found on ARC Gateway’s website, arc-gateway.org. {in}

by Jennie McKeona&e

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

2.16 MILTON MARDI GRAS PARADE Parade route starts at Milton

High School, travels south on Stewart Street, east on Berryhill Street and south on Willing Street. The parade will end behind the Santa Rosa County Courthouse. For more information, visit mainstreetmilton.org.

2.17 KREWE OF LAFITTE ILLUMI-NATED PARADE The parade

will be on Spring Street, between Main and Garden streets. Post-parade party will be at Will Call’s Ready Room.

2.18 MARDI GRAS PARTY AT SEVILLE Celebrate the entire

day at Seville Quarter. Start the day with the pre-parade party at 11 a.m. After the parade, head back to Seville for the post-parade dance party in the Phineas Phogg’s room. 130 E. Govern-ment St. For more information go to sevillequarter.com or call 434-6211.

2.18 MARDI GRAS STREET & DANCE PARTY AT SABINE SANDBAR

From 1 to 5 p.m. get down at Sabine’s dance party with Boogie Inc. From 7 to 11 p.m. enjoy live music by Tim Spen-cer and Tim Morgan. 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd. For more information visit dalesbigdeck.com.

2.18 NAVARRE KREWE OF JESTERS PARADE The Navarre Beach

parade will start at 1 p.m. at the intersec-tion of Arkansas and Gulf boulevards and will travel east to the county park at the end of Gulf Boulevard. The Navarre Bridge will close at about 12:30 p.m. The parade’s theme this year is Military Past, Present and Future and is dedicated to Army Pfc. Matthew Colin, a Navarre resident killed in Afghanistan Nov. 16, 2011. For more infor-mation, visit navarrekreweofjesters.com.

2.18 PENSACOLA’S GRAND PARADE Lineup will start on Spring Street

at 10 a.m. and the parade will begin at 2 p.m., rain or shine. South Palafox will close around noon and the entire parade route will close around 1 p.m. The parade is expected to end at 6 p.m., and streets will open shortly after. For more informa-tion go to pensacolamardigras.com.

2.18 2ND ANNUAL PARDI GRAS Cryptic Productions and FreQ.

Factory will host this event featuring DJs, live painting and local arts and crafts. The event is for ages 18 and up only and tick-ets are $10 at the door. Presale tickets are available until Feb. 18 for $8. Dolce Vita, 309 S. Reus St. For more information and to purchase tickets visit 2ndannualpardi-gras.eventbrite.com or call 429-0908.

UPCOMING MARDI GRAS EVENTS

“It’s a whole lot more than beer, it’s an outlet to have fun and contribute to social change.”Danny Zimmern, Pensacola Mardi Gras, Inc. President

February 16, 2012 23

EUGE GROOVE W/ DREW DAVIDSEN 7:30 p.m. Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox. 595-3880 or pensacolasaenger.com.SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. 432-2042 or pensacolalittletheatre.com.‘STEEL MAGNOLIAS’ 7:30 p.m. $12, reserva-tions recommended. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Rd., Pace. 221-7599 or panhandlecommunitytheatre.com.PHINEAS PHOGGETTES 10 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.live musicHOME GROWN NIGHT 5 p.m. Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.THE DAVENPORTS 6 p.m. The Leisure Club, 126 S. Palafox. 912-4229 or tlcdowntown.com.COMMON THREAD 6 p.m. The Grand Marlin, 400 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 677-9153 or thegrandmarlin.com.LUCAS CRUTCHFIELD 6 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fishhouse.goodgrits.com.CHARLIE ROBERTS 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 312 E. Government St. 469-1001 or hubstaceys.com.KARAOKE WITH BECKY 7:30 p.m. Sabine Sandbar, 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 934-3141 or dalesbigdeck.com.TIM SPENCER 8 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 932-2211 or sandshaker.com.DUELING PIANOS 8 p.m. Rosie O’Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.DJ MR LAO 8 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.JOHN BARBATO 9 p.m. Florabama, 17401 Per-dido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.COLLEGE DANCE NIGHT 9 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

FRIDAY 2.17JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8 a.m. through Mar 9. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 Col-lege Blvd, Bldg 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu.

‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAE-OLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php.‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. through Mar 2. Artel Gallery, 223 Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org.‘STUFF I MADE’ 10 a.m. through Mar 2. Artel Gallery, 223 Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org.‘ALL NATURAL’ 10 a.m. through Mar 15. TAG at UWF, Bldg 82, 11000 University Parkway. 474-2696 or tag82uwf.wordpress.com.JAZZ LUNCH ON PALAFOX 11:30 a.m. $9.95 plus cash bar. 600 South’s Atrium and Bar, 600 S. Palafox. 432-4111 or newworldlanding.com.WINE TASTING AT DK 4:30 p.m. Distinctive Kitchens, 29 S. Palafox. 438-4688 or dk4u.com.WINE TASTING AT SEVILLE QUARTER 5 p.m. Palace Café at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Govern-ment St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.WINE TASTING AT CITY GROCERY 5:15 p.m. City Grocery, 2050 N. 12th Ave. 469-8100.WINE TASTING AT EAST HILL MARKET 5:30 p.m. 1216 N. Ninth Ave.KREWE OF LAFITTE MARDI GRAS BALL 7 p.m. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 or pensacolaciviccenter.com.SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. 432-2042 or pensacolalittletheatre.com.‘STEEL MAGNOLIAS’ 7:30 p.m. $12, reserva-tions recommended. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Road. 221-7599 or panhandlecommunitytheatre.com.KREWE OF LAFITTE LIGHTED PARADE 8 p.m. Downtown Pensacola along Palafox and Garden. 436-7638 or pensacolamardigras.com.SWING DANCING 8:30 p.m. American Legion, 1401 Intendencia St. $5. 437-5465 or pensacolaswing.com.MARDI GRAS WARM-UP PARTY WITH TRUNK MONKEY 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 932-2211 or sandshaker.com.PHINEAS PHOGGETTES 10 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.live musicLEAANNE CRESWELL & RICK WHALEY 2 p.m. Bama Dome, Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.JACK ROBERTSON 6 p.m. Bama Dome, Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.

CARNIVORES AT GRACE, DYING WHALE, WHY WE FIGHT 6 p.m. $5-$7. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tar-ragona St. 434-9060 or handlebarpensacola.com.DREAM VIPERS 7 p.m. Paradise Bar & Grill, 21 Via de Luna Drive., Pensacola Beach. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com.BUD SMITH 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s at the Point, 5851 Galvez Rd. 497-0071 or hubstaceys.com.BARBARA FAIRCHILD 7 p.m. Chumuckla’s Farmers’ Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Rd., Pace. 994-9219 or farmersopry.com.KARAOKE WITH BECKY 7:30 p.m. Sabine Sandbar, 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 934-3141 or dalesbigdeck.com.SATISFACTION-A ROLLING STONES EXPE-RIENCE 7:30 p.m. $10. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. 607-6758 or vinylmusichall.com.DESTIN ATKINSON 8 p.m. The Leisure Club, 126 S. Palafox. 912-4229 or tlcdowntown.com.REDDOG 8 p.m. Five Sisters Blues Café, 421 W. Belmont St. 912-4856 or fivesistersbluescafe.com.DUELING PIANOS 8 p.m. Rosie O’Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.DJ MR LAO 8 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.HOLLY SHELTON AND DAVID SHELANDER 8 p.m. Ragtyme Grille, 201 S. Jefferson St. 429-9655 or ragtyme.net.THE BLENDERS 8:30 p.m. Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 312 E. Government St. 469-1001 or hubstaceys.com.THE ROWDIES 9 p.m. The Deck at The Fish House, 600 S. Barracks St. 470-0003 or fish-house.goodgrits.com.KATAGORY 5 9 p.m. LiliMarlene’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.JAMSTAIN 9:30 p.m. Hopjacks Pizza Kitchen & Taproom, 10 S. Palafox. 497-6073 or hopjacks.com.RYAN B’S BOWLING BUDDIES 9:30 p.m. Tentstage, Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.HUNG JURY 10:30 p.m. Bama Dome, Flo-rabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.

happenings

Euge Groove

2.18 MARDI GRAS AT SAND-SHAKER Head to Sandshak-

er Lounge & Package to party and enjoy live music by The Mainstream, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. On Fat Tuesday join the Krewe of Wrecks for the Coma Procession. The pub crawl begins at Sandshaker at 6 p.m. and ends at Paradise Bar and Grill, where you can watch the shoebox float competition. 731 Pensacola Beach Blvd. More information at sand-shaker.com.

2.19 KREWE OF WRECKS PARADE ON PENSACOLA BEACH The

parade begins at 2 p.m., rain or shine, at Via de Luna and Avendia 10 and travels to the Gulfside Pavilion. For more information, visit kreweof-wrecks.com.

2.19 PERDIDO KEY MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL AND CAJUN COOK-

OFF The Mardi Gras festival will be held at the Villagio Plaza located at 13700 Perdido Key Dr. There will be live entertainment, vendors and, of course, beads. For $5 you can sample food from the Cajun Cook-off. For more information, visit visitperdido.com.

2.20 KREWE OF WRECKS’ RED BEANS AND RICE LUN-

CHEON Join the Krewe of Wrecks on Casino Beach at 11 a.m. The red beans and rice is on the krewe, but you’ll have to buy your own drinks. For more information, visit kreweof-wrecks.com.

2.21 FAT TUESDAY Palafox will be closed from Garden Street

to Government Street, and Govern-ment will be closed from Palafox Street to Tarragona Street at 4:30 p.m. The street party will be from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. The king and queen of Mardi Gras will be announced at 6:30 p.m. There will be a live band, DJ and all bars and restaurants will be open. For more information go to pensacolamardi-gras.com.

2.21 FAT TUESDAY AT HUB STACEY’S At 6 p.m. head to

Hub Stacey’s downtown for the Fat Tuesday Party with Charlie Roberts. 312 E. Government St. For more information visit hubstaceys.com or call 469-1001. {in}

UPCOMING MARDI GRAS

EVENTS

24 inweekly.net24

happenings

The Lemonheads

for more listings visit inweekly.net

SATURDAY 2.18JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH EXHIBITION 8 a.m. through Mar 9. Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts, Pensacola State College, 1000 Col-lege Blvd, Bldg 15. 484-1851 or pensacolastate.edu. ‘A ROADTRIP THROUGH FLORIDA ARCHAE-OLOGY’ 10 a.m. DARC, 207 E. Main St. 595-0050, ext. 107 or flpublicarchaeology.org/darc.php.‘RETURN TO BLACK AND WHITE’ 10 a.m. through Mar 2. Artel Gallery, 223 Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org.‘STUFF I MADE’ 10 a.m. through Mar 2. Artel Gallery, 223 Palafox. 432-3080 or artelgallery.org.‘ALL NATURAL’ 12 p.m. through Mar 15. TAG at UWF, Bldg 82, 11000 University Parkway. 474-2696 or tag82uwf.wordpress.com.CAMELIA GARDEN TOURS AND PLANT SALE 9 a.m. UWF Camelia Garden, 619 N. Baylen St. and 823 N. Baylen St. 324-5022 or uwf.edu.LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MEETING 9 a.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Ave. 432-9743.DISCOVERY SATURDAY ‘WORLD OF HELI-COPTERS’ 10 a.m. Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Blvd. 453-2389.2012 MARDI GRAS PARTY AT SEVILLE 11 a.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Gov-ernment St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE NA-TIONAL SEASHORE 11 a.m. Naval Live Oaks Visi-tor Center, 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway. 934-2600.MARDI GRAS STREET & DANCE PARTY 1 p.m. Sabine Sandbar, 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pen-sacola Beach. 934-3141 or dalesbigdeck.com.GRAND MARDI GRAS PARADE 2 p.m. Down-town Pensacola along Palafox and Garden. 436-7638 or pensacolamardigras.com.

BLUE JACKET JAMBOREE 5 p.m. $20, perfor-mance by The Springs, auction and Pork Dinner included. Northview High School, 4100 W. Highway 4. 327-6681.REVELERS OF ARIOLA MARDI GRAS BALL 7 p.m. Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory St. 432-0800 or pensacolaciviccenter.com.SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE 7:30 p.m. Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St. 432-2042 or pensacolalittletheatre.com.‘STEEL MAGNOLIAS’ 7:30 p.m. $12, reserva-tions recommended. Panhandle Community Theatre, 4646 Woodbine Rd., Pace. 221-7599 or panhandlecommunitytheatre.com.MARDI GRAS PRE-PARTY WITH THE MAIN-STREAM 9 p.m. Sandshaker Lounge, 731 Pen-sacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 932-2211 or sandshaker.com.PHINEAS PHOGGETTES 10 p.m. Phineas Phogg’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.live musicLEAANNE CRESWELL & RICK WHALEY 12 p.m. Bama Dome, Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.TBA 2:30 p.m. Bama Dome, Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.JACK ROBERTSON 6 p.m. Bama Dome, Florabama, 17401 Perdido Key Dr. 492-0611 or florabama.com.COL. BRUCE HAMPTON, HELLO CRESCENDO 7 p.m. $10-$12. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. 434-9060 or handlebarpensacola.com.TIM SPENCER & TIM MORGAN 7 p.m. Sabine Sandbar, 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., Pensacola Beach. 934-3141 or dalesbigdeck.com.DREAM VIPERS 7 p.m. Paradise Bar & Grill,

21 Via de Luna, Pensacola Beach. 916-5087 or paradisebar-grill.com.SAWMILL BAND & GUESTS 7 p.m. Chumuckla’s Farmers’ Opry, 8897 Byrom Campbell Rd., Pace. 994-9219 or farmersopry.com.KRAZY GEORGE KARAOKE 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s Downtown, 312 E. Government St. 469-1001 or hubstaceys.com.KARAOKE WITH MARK ESKEW 7 p.m. Hub Stacey’s at the Point, 5851 Galvez Rd. 497-0071 or hubstaceys.com.

THE LEMONHEADS 8 p.m. $12-$15. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox. 607-6758 or vinylmusichall.com.TRUNK MONKEY 8 p.m. Bamboo Willie’s, 400 Quietwater Beach Rd., Pensacola Beach. 916-9888 or bamboowillies.com.DUELING PIANOS 8 p.m. Rosie O’Grady’s at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. 434-6211 or sevillequarter.com.

February 16, 2012 25

SRI LANKA has, as an “unwritten symbol of pride and culture,” the world’s highest per-capita rate for eye-donation, according to a January Associated Press dispatch from Colombo. Underpinning this national pur-pose is the country’s Buddhist tradition that celebrates afterlives. “He’s dead,” said a rela-tive of an eye recipient about the donor, “but he’s still alive. His eye can still see the world.” Doctors even report instances in which Sri Lankans consider giving up an eyeball while still alive, as a measure of virtue. A new state-of-the-art clinic, funded by Singapor-ean donors, is expected to nearly double Sri Lanka’s eyeball exports.

THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS Melissa Torres was a passenger in an April 2011 auto accident in Texas City, Texas, in which the five people involved were reported “uninjured” by police, and indeed, Torres was released from the Mainland Medical Center emergency room after a routine evaluation (for which she was billed $4,850). In fact, records from April 2011 until September showed her balance as $4,850. However, in December, Mainland learned that Torres had made an insurance claim against the driver and settled it for $30,000. The hospital quickly “updated” her balance to $20,211 and filed a claim against the settlement.

• Hospitals, of course, are obligated to render emergency care to anyone who needs it, even to undocumented immigrants and irrespective of ability to pay. However, various state laws, such as New York’s, also prohibit hospitals from releasing a patient who has no safe place to be discharged to. A January New York Times report noted that New York City hospitals currently house about 300 of those “continuing care” patients, with many in the five-year-long range and one patient now in his 13th year. (In some states, even, the laws’ wording permits “pop drops,” in which adult children leave “ailing” parents at a hospital when the children decide they need a break.)

• A November Comtel airlines charter flight from India to Birmingham, England, stopped in Vienna, Austria, to refuel, but the pilots learned that Comtel’s account was overdrawn and that the airport required the equivalent of about $31,000 for refueling and take-off charges, and thus, if the passengers were in a hurry, they needed to come up with the cash. After a six-hour standoff, many of the 180 passengers were let off the plane, one by one, to visit an ATM, and eventually a settlement was reached.

JUST CAN’T STOP HIMSELF Paul Roths-child, 40, was facing a Dec. 9 court date in Lake County, Ill., on a charge of indecent so-licitation of a minor—a charge that could have sent him to prison for five years. Apparently oblivious of the imminent danger, Rothschild was arrested on Dec. 7 after a months-long campaign to entice another minor girl to engage in sex.

THE FORCE IS NOT WITH YOU In No-vember, Rickie La Touche, 30, was con-victed in England’s Preston Crown Court of killing his wife in a rage over her having allegedly destroyed the Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker memorabilia that he had collected since childhood. And in January, a judge in Portland, Ore., ordered a 45-day jail sentence, plus mental evaluation, for David Canterbury, 33, after he attacked Toys R Us customers with a lightsaber in each hand. And in February in Brooklyn, N.Y., Flynn Michael expanded his search for his stolen $400 custom-made lightsaber. “I guess that’s the joke,” said Michael, self-pityingly. “Some Jedi I turned out to be.”

LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS Not Ready for Prime Time: Mostafa Hendi was charged with attempted robbery of the We Buy Gold store in Hendersonville, N.C., in December, but clerk Derek Mothershead stopped him. As Hendi reached for the money, Mothershead punched him in the face, momentarily knocking him out cold. He held Hendi down with one hand and called 911 with the other, and as the two waited for police, Mothershead handed Hendi cleanser and paper towels and ordered him to clean up his blood off of the floor.

• Needed to Think It Through Better: Car salesman Frank Ready was showing his inventory to Pedro Prieto and Yordan Llauger at his lot in Austin, Texas, in De-cember, and they had settled on a Nissan Maxima for around $9,000. “They asked if I took Visa,” Ready told KVUE-TV. “I said, ‘Yeah.’” The next day, Prieto and Llauger returned with 90 $100 Visa gift cards. Natu-rally, Ready called police, who later found at least 28 counterfeit credit cards on the pair and charged them and a third person with fraud and identity theft. THE JESUS AND MARY WORLD TOUR (ALL-NEW!) Recent Public Appearances of Jesus and/or the Virgin Mary: Wiltshire, England, June (Jesus in candle wax drip-ping from a church’s pulpit). Anderson County, S.C., July (Jesus on a Walmart receipt). Kinston, N.C., June (Jesus’ body on a cross formed by kudzu on a telephone pole). Orpington, England, December (Je-sus on a sock). Fortitude Valley, Australia, January (Jesus on a tomato that had re-mained in an office refrigerator a little too long). Yuma, Ariz., August (Mary in a dried mango slice). Blue Springs, Mo., December (Jesus on crayons melted for a science class project (“(W)hat better sign to get than (one) right in front of you?” asked the student’s mother.). {in}

by Chuck Shepherdnews of the weird

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

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

© 2011 Chuck Shepherd

26 inweekly.net26

Leadership Pensacola: Producing Committed LeadersLeadership Pensacola Explores Regional EconomicsBy Jennifer Allen McFarren, Programs and Events Manager, Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

Pensacola is poised for growth. The Leadership Pensacola Class of 2012 spent a full day exploring our local economy; good, bad and indifferent. The day began with an objective overview of our local economy by Dr. Rick Harper from the University of West Florida’s Office of Economic Development and Engagement. Highlighted in his discussion was how Pensacola’s demographic makeup is reflected in our industry. By far, the Military is the largest employer in our area. Other major economic drivers and areas for significant growth are the Port of Pensacola and the Pensacola International Airport.

Following Dr. Harper, Mayor Sam Jones of Mobile and Mayor Ashton Hayward of Pensacola provided an economic comparison of the two cities they represent. Mobile is widely known for attracting large, international manufacturing companies such as Austal and ThyssenKrupp. The impact that those two companies have on Pensacola is large; when a company of that size locates to a city along the Gulf Coast, they locate their suppliers within a 100 mile radius. Pensacola is primed to serve that purpose and reaps the benefit. Herein lies a prime example of the importance of regional collaboration. Mayor Hayward spoke of the implications that Southwest Airlines will have on Pensacola and the role it will play in business development and tourism. Overall, both Mayors’ spoke of the mindset they share on regional collaboration; a welcome and much needed perspective.

With our AA baseball team kicking off its inaugural season in a few weeks, the class thoroughly enjoyed a tour of the Maritime Park. Quality of life is directly tied to opportunities for economic development and this park and stadium play a major role in that advance. Perhaps the most enlightening aspect of the tour was the presentation that prefaced it. Class members were exposed to

the nearly 200 year history behind the property and were impressed with the transformation.

The three legged stool of our local economy as explained to the class was defense, health care and tourism. Although well represented in a panel of experts that addressed the class, one other industry quickly emerging in our area is technology. Moderated by the Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Economic Development, Scott Luth, the panel was comprised of: Julian MacQueen of Innisfree Hotels, Hazel Wiggington of H2 Performance Consulting, Terry Scruggs of the Chamber’s Tourism Department, Tad Ihns of Avalex Technologies, Debbie Calder of Navy Federal, Mike Hicks of Hixardt and Craig Dalton of the Chamber’s Armed Service Department. Crucial information for our local leaders came from this panel. The class was enlightened on why companies do business in Pensacola, what could make Pensacola more attractive for relocating corporations and the struggle of current businesses. The quality of Pensacola’s workforce was discussed in differing opinions. Tad Ihns highlighted a lack of qualified engineers in our local workforce, while Debbie Calder touted Pensacola’s ability to fill Navy Federal with a quality labor pool. Although both companies have differing needs, class members left with an understanding of their point of view. The overarching theme that came about was the effort of collaboration that has surfaced between the Chamber, city and county in regards to poising Pensacola for growth.

Closing the day was Dr. Ken Ford with the Institute of Human and Machine Cognition, a not-for-profit research institute of the Florida University System. Pensacola is incredibly lucky to have this institution located in the heart of our city. Their line of work encompasses everything from the research of humanoid robots to natural language dialogue systems. “My favorite part of the day was listening to Ken Ford, CEO and Founder of IHMC,” said Whitney Fike. “Having him in town to showcase things that he and IHMC have accomplished in Pensacola is astonishing. The research facility that we have in downtown Pensacola is changing

things around the world, in our town. Such a wonderful presenter and I have a new appreciation for technology in Pensacola.”

The day was planned and led by Leadership Pensacola Alumni Frank White (11), Laura Kirby (04), Amie Remington (11) and Patrick Rooney (01).

LeaP Class 2012Kim Aderholt, Nigel Allen, Autumn Beck, Judson Brandt, Jason Broxson, Cyd Cadena, Mike Craney, LaRitza Crear, Ed Cronley, Mark Davidson, Bradley ‘Beej’ Davis, Jr., Courtney Dell, Eric Doelker, Michael Dollen, Lee Elebash, Lisa Esser, Elizabeth Fayard, Whitney Fike, Dion Guest, Pamela Hatt, Marla Hecht, Rosanna Henley, Samantha Hill, Keith Hoffert, Jr., Kevin Hoffman, Brian Hooper, Kristin Hual, Erin Hynek, Mari Josephs, Garrett Laborde, Robbie Lofty, Kristin Longely, Chad McCammon, Steve Ooms, Julie Orr, Perry Palmer, Justin Pierce, Creagh Proctor, Terri Ramos, Sunny Ricks, Chris Ritchie, Kevin Robbins, MaryEllen Roy, Ted Roy, Kelly Russ, Blake Schaeffer, Steve Schickel, Holly Smith, Kathy Summerlin, David Tuyo, Andy Waltrip, Benjamin Zimmern, Jack Zoesch.

Upcoming EventsMarch 8, 2012 Quality of LifeThe class will examine the positive and negative aspects of our community’s quality of life. They will discuss the meaning of

quality of life for the various socio-economic groups in Northwest Florida while exploring the importance of cultural organizations and activities in the life of the community.

April 12, 2012 Leadership & EthicsThe class will discuss interrelationships among leaders in the community. They will identify the risks, rewards and challenges of leadership and the bond between leadership and ethics.

May 11, 2012 Closing Retreat The class will reflect on the LeaP curriculum and explore lessons learned during the past year. They will explore new indi¬vidual and team challenges at the high ropes course at Adventures Unlimited and are encouraged to apply the LeaP experience to a future course of action.

More InformationFor more information on Leadership Pensacola, please contact Jennifer Allen McFarren at 850.438.4081 or visit www.pensacolachamber.com/LeaP.

Nominations for the Leadership Pensacola Class of 2013 are now open: www.leapnominations.com.

For more information about how to contribute to Operation HOPE, visit www.givehopepensacola.com.

LEADERSHIP PENSACOLAA program of the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

February 16, 2012 27

Good Eats: Jordan Valley Café! Definitely a break

from stereotypical lunch items and a great place to relax outside if you’re on lunch.  

Retail Therapy: For shopping, nothing is better than

being able to hit up the Silver Sands Factory Stores and then hit the beach afterwards. From Calvin Klein to Lacoste, I know I can get a good deal out there and it’s a weekend drive to get away.

Watering Holes: UWF Argo Galley is my favorite way to

end a school semester and burn my last Argo bucks before they expire.

Nightlife: Holla Nights at Hopjacks!

Great music, dozens of beer choices and good pizza can’t go wrong when you’re starting out your night. Afterwards, bar hop your way down Palafox through many of the other venues.

Outdoors: You can either catch me

playing Beer Shoes on Pensac-ola Beach or Tennis at Bayfront Park. East Hill is full of parks if you’re ever looking for an after-noon stroll.

Arts & Culture: Besides one of the many art

festivals going on downtown, Fort Pickens is one of my favorite

places to bike through and tour if you’re able to fit it in your schedule. On top of that, the University of West Florida has kept up with The Historic Pensacola Village in the heart of downtown Pensacola. I’ll usually stop by Dolce! Gelato, Coffee & Confections after spending an afternoon out there to cool down.

Never Miss Events/Festivals: If you’re visiting Pensacola, you can’t

leave without checking out Gallery Night and Bands on the Beach in the summer. Besides those events, I recommend checking out what Vinyl or Sluggo’s has on the books too, because you can usually catch a good con-cert there if you’re looking for an outing. {in}

my pensacola

Do you want to tell us how you see our city? Email Joani at joani@inweekly.net for all of the details.

Mark AlvarezDay Job: Legal Assistant Pensacola Resident Since: 2009

Bands on the Beach

Hopjacks

Independent News | February 16, 2012 | inweekly.net