Inweekly January 22 2026 Issue

HANDS ON CREATIVITY

winners & losers

winners losers

NASTASSIA CRENSHAW-ANGLIN Escambia

County has selected Nastassia Crenshaw-Anglin as its January 2026 Employee of the Month. The director's aide in the Human Resources Department was recognized with a proclamation during the Jan. 8 Board of County Commissioners meeting. Crenshaw-Anglin oversees administrative functions, including calendars for the HR Director and Deputy Director, manages accounts payable and budgeting and supports the department's four divisions. She coordinates training programs, team-building events and employee morale initiatives. Crenshaw-Anglin also trains summer interns in administrative skills and recently joined the county's Mental Health Ambassador initiative. Human Resources Director Nikki Powell said, "Nastassia is the heartbeat of our department. The support she gives behind the scenes is what makes it possible for HR staff to do our jobs well."

DON GAETZ On the session's second day, the Florida Senate unanimously passed Sen. Don Gaetz's Senate Bill 318, which makes sweeping changes to the state's universal school-choice program and addresses implementation failures identified in a 2025 Auditor General report. The legislation creates new safeguards to ensure scholarship funds actually reach intended recipients. "Instead of paying and chasing, now we're not going to pay until we know exactly where the student is," Gaetz said. The Florida House also has been looking at the issues, but a House bill has not been filed.

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD

The Santa Rosa County military base is the Navy's top pick in the small installation category for the CNIC 2026 Installation Excellence Award program. Naval Air Station Whiting Field was celebrated for its central role in meeting the Department of War's global mission by producing nearly 600 new aviators annually. The installation was lauded as a standard in community outreach and a leader in mission resiliency, safeguarding over 20,000 acres of land to protect aviation missions while advancing smartgrowth initiatives. The base also was awarded the 2025 Shore Battle Efficiency Award in the medium category. The Shore Battle "E" award recognizes Navy Installations as vital battle forces that are essential for generating and supporting combat capabilities worldwide.

MANNY DIAZ JR. The University of West Florida president-elect told his Board of Trustees the Somerset Academy campus school would be a small "pilot" for approximately 40-45 children of faculty, staff and students with philanthropic funding and no tuition. Somerset Academy's board minutes tell a different story. The minutes from its Oct. 14 meeting show directors approved opening a full private school on UWF's campus in January 2026—with no mention of limiting enrollment to UWF families or operating as a pilot program. Somerset University Preparatory Academy would accept state vouchers beginning in Fall 2026. The license agreement was signed Nov. 3, and the UWF trustees never discussed or voted on the arrangement. UWF never issued a request for proposals for the "pilot school." Diaz spent nearly a decade with Doral College, which provides dual-enrollment courses at Somerset schools. Somerset's principal previously served as Doral College's Dean of Students.

JOHN GUARD The senior counselor to Attorney General James Uthmeier had to settle for his third judicial choice after Gov. Ron DeSantis nominated him to the 2nd District Court of Appeal, after failing to secure a Florida Supreme Court seat. Guard's judicial prospects were complicated by his involvement in the Hope Florida Foundation controversy, where Medicaid settlement funds from insurer Centene were diverted to political advertising rather than charitable purposes during the 2024 election cycle. Guard, who signed the settlement, was subpoenaed over the scandal. Emails obtained by the media show he privately raised concerns and removed Attorney General office references from settlement drafts over 22 days of negotiations. President Trump's nomination of Guard for a U.S. District Court judgeship stalled last year and was not renewed.

CANNABIS REFERENDUM Both sides in Florida's recreational marijuana ballot initiative quickly appealed last week's split ruling from Leon County Judge Jonathan Sjostrom. He blocked the invalidation of 42,000 signatures from inactive voters, but upheld rejecting 29,000 from out-ofstate petition gatherers. Smart & Safe Florida (a group supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana for people 21 and up) now faces a Feb. 1 deadline requiring 880,062 valid signatures to get the referendum on the November ballot.

outtakes

By Rick Outzen

TRUST IN AN UNCOMMON WORLD

Once upon a time, most of us had a range of experiences in common. Everyone subscribed to the daily newspaper. Our televisions had three major networks, and our younger siblings were our "remote" that only had to switch between 13 channels. Radio stations had local, live news broadcasts.

When we gathered at school, work, the ballpark, church or the grocery store, we talked about the big news stories and our favorite shows. We had a common understanding of what was happening around us. We didn't have to agree, but that common ground connected us.

THE FRACTURING OF COMMON GROUND

Today, the Pensacola News Journal prints fewer than 4,000 copies daily. Few local radio stations have reporters. Our television viewing has expanded almost infinitely beyond 13 stations, and we don't rush home to watch the nightly news on ABC, CBS and NBC.

Our children's and grandchildren's school experience has also changed significantly. Most of us went to our neighborhood public schools for all 12 grades. We made lifelong friends, played sports, learned how to defend our ideas and handle bullies. We had good and bad teachers and coaches, but survived and still learned.

Today, it's increasingly common for children to attend charter schools, or be homeschooled with their siblings. They can dual enroll in college, rarely attend high school and start college as juniors. Their challenges seem almost entirely different from previous generations'.

The digital wave of the past two decades has changed the news industry. We have lost our commonality. In the 1970s, two-thirds of Americans trusted newspapers, TV and radio either "a great deal" or "a fair amount" to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. In my book on the Community Maritime Park referendum fight, I wrote about the roles of the Pensacola News Journal and WCOA radio.

In 2006, political battles were fought on the PNJ's opinion pages and in the letters to the editor. Those who disagreed with the daily newspaper's editorials called to complain on WCOA's "Pensacola Speaks" program from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. The town's two influencers were PNJ columnist Mark O'Brien and radio host Luke McCoy.

Today, the PNJ has neither daily columnists nor editorials. Cumulus owns WCOA, and the sta tion no longer has any reporters, live broadcasts, call-in shows or local hosts.

Sadly, Pensacola isn't an outlier, and people's confidence in the media has steadily declined. In 2025, Gallup found that 69% of Americans say they trust mainstream media either not very much or not at all—a complete reverse from the 1970s.

Overall, we have seen a shattering of faith in shared mainstream news sources. Many cannot name the anchors of the nightly news programs on the three major networks. Facts become harder to establish and disagreements more difficult to resolve. People have consolidated their trust within smaller circles.

The recently released Edelman Trust Barometer report surveyed more than 37,500 people across 28 countries. Only 39% of people globally say they get information weekly from sources with a different political leaning, showing that most are stuck in information and opinion silos.

More people gravitate to influencers on social media and podcasts for an understanding of reality that fits their belief systems, which leaves them more vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation.

The digital news organization Axios described this polarization of news as the "shards of glass" phenomenon: "information now flows through highly personalized channels and algorithms, rather than a common ecosystem."

Power in politics and the media has moved toward those who can mobilize loyal audiences— think Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson—rather than building broader, more diverse coalitions. Influencers build vast audiences by constantly feeding their communities the same ideas.

CONNECTING THROUGH THE SHARDS

How do the news media and leaders deal with these "shards?" We must not settle for one format, and we must realize that communicating information is more than sharing a reel on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or other social platforms. Likes and views aren't authentic connections.

We connect when we reach out across as many platforms as possible with facts and authenticity. Trust isn't rebuilt through algorithms; it's rebuilt one honest conversation at a time. {in} rick@inweekly.net

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TARGET TEEN MENTAL HEALTH

nity Health Needs Assessment reported that mental health services were the most difficult health service to obtain. Mental health services topped the list in both counties. The assessment found that financial barriers, such as high copays and lack of insurance, complicated access to care.

Northwest Florida mirrors the nation as a whole. More than 60% of adolescents with a diagnosis find it difficult to get proper treatment.

The ratio of mental health providers to residents in Escambia County actually tops the state average. There is one mental health provider for every 420 residents, compared to one for every 490 in Florida. Santa Rosa County ranks among the worst in the state with one mental health provider for every 950 residents.

According to the Community Health Needs Assessment, mental health ranked top three among the most important health issues for the two counties, along with obesity and culture of unhealthy living. Mental health ranked as the No. 1 health problem among employed respondents. Community leaders who participated in the assessment echoed that sentiment.

ELIMINATING OBSTACLES

Lakeview treated its share of teens in the past as inpatients and through its mobile response teams. Its therapists ride along with law enforcement to meet adults and adolescents affected by mental illness.

Mental illness affects nearly 20 percent of adults in the United States. A staggering percentage, right?

Yet adolescents have that number beat. More than one in five adolescents is diagnosed with a mental or behavioral health condition, according to a report by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Anxiety ranked first among the diagnoses, followed by depression and behavior problems.

There is no shortage of everyday pitfalls for adolescents. Factors contributing to the 5-plus million adolescents with mental health diagnoses include cyberbullying, changes in sleeping and eating habits, social withdrawal, poor school performance and substance use.

Teenagers need help, and Lakeview Center is offering an olive branch for those living in Northwest Florida. Lakeview serves as Northwest Florida's safe haven for adults and adolescents affected by mental illness, offering over 60 behavioral healthcare programs ranging from outpatient counseling and psychiatry to residential treatments for substance abuse. Its newest offering is the Teen Intensive Outpatient Program. The fully virtual treatment option supports adolescents ages 12-17 who experience emotional, behavioral, academic or substance-use challenges.

"Adolescent care is such a vital part of our community," said Dustin Perry, director of residential services at Lakeview. "We do a lot of treatment with adults, and the way that we can prevent treatment with adults is by [target-

becoming in life."

The program eliminates travel barriers for adolescents, meeting virtually from 5-8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The Wednesday meeting includes a family group session from 7-8 p.m. The program allows adolescents to join at any time. Perry said an ideal group size is six to eight adolescents. Each participant will complete a six-to-eight-week cycle based on their individual needs.

"We really wanted to be able to meet the kids where they were at, right?" Perry said. "We don't want to take them out of school. School's so important. If they play some sports after school, we don't want to take them out of that. We wanted to really meet them where they were and have some time to go home, maybe eat some dinner, talk to family, and then give the family an opportunity to come in and provide some family services as well."

DIGGING INTO ISSUES

Perry said that the word "intensive" aptly describes the program. Intensive outpatient programs usually last 10 to 12 weeks, but Lakeview is confident adolescents will learn coping strategies, emotional regulation skills and healthy decision-making in six to eight weeks.

"The intensive piece is that we're going to go and really dig into some quick issues in a very short period of time by doing the intensive—the nine hours a week," he said.

The program provides structured, evidence-based therapies including cognitive be -

for the program include adolescents who:

•Struggle with depression, anxiety or emotional regulation

•Experiment with substance use or vaping

•Have difficulty at school or home

•Need structure and support with behavior or impulse control

•Want to build healthier coping skills

•Stand to benefit from intensive support

"We didn't want to limit this only to substance use or only to mental health, but we really wanted to meet the teens and give them an opportunity to really engage in services," Perry said. "So we'll talk about anxiety, we'll talk about depression, we'll talk about substance misuse, vaping, issues with school bullying, all the things that really encompass teen life."

GOVERNMENT PRIORITY

This marks the first time Lakeview is offering an outpatient program specifically for adolescents. Perry credited state and federal funding for creating the opportunity.

"Funding through this state and federal government comes in waves, and they'll go, 'We're really big into kids at this point, and we're really big into substance use, and we're really big into mental health,'" he said. "And so at this point, it seems like the federal government and the state are really focused on community-based services, which is a fantastic need."

The creation of new mental health programs comes at an opportune time. Respondents in the 2025 Escambia-Santa Rosa Commu -

"We just thought, we're making all this headway with the opiate crisis, right? We're starting to see a reduction in deaths," Perry said. "We're making headway with getting information out about mental health in the community. So if we don't hit the kids now, those kids are going to be adults who have these same problems that we're trying to prevent. So we're just trying to prevent when we see an opportunity to meet that need."

Perry is confident Lakeview will better meet that need by making its program so accessible for adolescents. The program eliminates both travel and financial concerns. Lakeview will not charge a copay for the program.

"With an adolescent, you've got to work around family schedules. You've got to work around school and practices, and you've got to make sure that the insurance is going to pay for the service. All the things that really create some barriers," Perry said. "We want to make this as easy as possible. We're trying to make it so that if you've got Medicaid, if you've got no insurance, you can just walk right in and we'll get you taken care of."

To register for the Teen Intensive Outpatient Program, Lakeview asks that you call (850) 469-3500.

"They'll get you set up with an appointment," Perry said. "Usually, within a couple of days, you'll meet with one of our master-level clinicians. She will go through the process with the family, the adolescent, ensure that all the communication is working, the technology's working, and then we'll get into those groups." {in}

Diaz said he had been approached "for sort of a pilot school in some space we have with our School of Education," and he later confirmed that the company that approached him was Somerset Academy.

"We had conversations with those folks and reached an understanding of a shared use agreement for a private non-tuition school to start as a pilot on the campus," he said. "And originally, they had a sense of urgency. They wanted to come in in January, and obviously, that timing didn't work. But I think what we're looking at is possibly for the fall."

As Inweekly reported last month, Somerset's website advertised something called Somerset University Preparatory Academy, whose address is in Building 85 on the UWF campus. The semester tuition was listed as $3,750, with a $100 registration fee.

However, the page has since been scrubbed. Gone are the headers "A Private Elementary School location on the beautiful University of West Florida Campus," "Opening January 2026" and a message from the principal.

SAILING TV DEAL

nounced last week a two-year extension of their U.S. television partnership, marking the high-performance sailing championship's first multi-year broadcast agreement in the country.

For Pensacola residents following American Magic's development at the Port of Pensacola, the expanded coverage means greater visibility for the high-performance sailing world, of which Pensacola is now a part. SailGP announced earlier this month that the American Magic High Performance Center at the Port of Pensacola will serve as the official training hub for all SailGP teams.

The television deal will deliver more than 50 hours of SailGP coverage annually across CBS Sports platforms during the 2026 and 2027 seasons. CBS will air highlight packages on key weekends, while the CBS Sports Network will provide live coverage of multiple racing days.

The extension follows record-breaking viewership in 2025. November's "Race to Abu Dhabi" broadcast drew 3.469 million viewers—the mostwatched sailing race in U.S. history, surpassing the previous record of 3.266 million for the 1992 America's Cup on ABC. Globally, SailGP reached nearly 215 million viewers last season, averaging 18 million per event.

"This landmark multi-year extension with CBS Sports is a powerful endorsement of SailGP's continued growth in the U.S. and the momentum of the championship globally," said Sir Russell Coutts, SailGP co-founder and CEO. "CBS Sports has been an outstanding partner since day one."

SailGP, co-founded by Larry Ellison and Coutts in 2018, hosts an annual global championship in iconic cities worldwide, featuring close-toshore stadium racing. CBS Sports has broadcast SailGP in the U.S. since 2019.

For Pensacola, the deal's significance extends beyond viewership numbers; it validates high-performance sailing's commercial viability as American Magic continues establishing its operations at the Port of Pensacola.

For more information, visit sailgp.com.

Children's Trust has suspended funding to New World Believers following a Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) investigation into the nonprofit's mental health program, officials announced this week. The suspension halts payments on a three-year, $1.7 million grant for the organization's H.O.O.P.S. program while state investigators examine the youth services operation.

Trust Executive Director Lindsey Cannon told board members that the decision came after learning founder Rodney Jones had been suspended from the organization due to the pending DJJ investigation. The Trust received notification Jan. 5 of a leadership change at New World Believers, followed quickly by news of the state investigation into the Healthy Opportunities and Options Promoting Success program.

"When we look at this from a legal perspective, our first job here is to protect children," Cannon explained to the board. "And if I can't 100% say to you all that these kids are safe and there's no safety risk to them, then I think we did the right thing by just taking a pause."

The suspension revealed additional compliance problems beyond the DJJ investigation. Trust officials discovered the organization failed to meet background screening requirements for staff working with vulnerable youth. Board Attorney Megan Fry outlined multiple potential contract breaches, including failure to maintain certificates of insurance and possible violations of child abuse reporting requirements.

The H.O.O.P.S. program serves at-risk youth aged 11-18 through comprehensive wraparound services, including mental health counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy and case management. As of November 2025, New World Believers had received $901,972 of the approved grant funding.

Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May, who serves on the Trust board, pressed for clarity on the suspension grounds, noting the organization's community visibility. Through questioning, he established the suspension rested on three

DJJ investigation, material changes in operational control and background screening violations.

Chair Dr. Rex Northup noted that Rodney Jones's credentials were written into the contract, raising questions about service delivery in his absence.

Despite the funding suspension, New World Believers indicated it would continue serving program participants. The suspension remains in effect pending completion of the DJJ investigation and resolution of compliance issues. Trust officials are awaiting updated background screenings, documentation of the leadership transition and various administrative records before considering reinstatement of the grant.

UWF PILOT

SCHOOL The University of West Florida Board of Trustees, maybe unknowingly, has entered into a licensing agreement with Somerset Academy, Inc. to operate an educational facility on campus, primarily serving children of UWF faculty, staff and students.

The four-year agreement, effective Nov. 3, 2025, grants the Miami-based charter school operator use of approximately 6,464 square feet in Building 86, including six classrooms, bathrooms, administrative space and a playground area.

Under the financial terms, Somerset will pay UWF $500 per enrolled student annually, with enrollment calculated each Oct. 1. Payment is due by Dec. 31 or within 30 days of invoicing. This performance-based fee structure means UWF's revenue will fluctuate with student enrollment rather than receiving fixed rent payments.

The agreement is signed by UWF Vice President of Finance and Administration Daniel Lucas on behalf of the UWF Board of Trustees, but the board never voted on the agreement.

The license agreement was mentioned during a UWF Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 8, when trustees interviewed Interim President Manny Diaz before voting to forward his name to the Board of Governors to become the university's next president.

Diaz insisted that Somerset would not operate as a charter school on the campus.

"Now to be clear, that is not a charter school," said Diaz. "That's a private, philanthropically funded small school. You probably have space for about 40, 45 students that would be filled by the kids of our faculty, staff and students, because the demand is there."

When asked about the Somerset web page, he said, "So just because there's a link for a school, which we talked about opening that pilot school for applications, doesn't mean it's a charter school. It's not. We can't authorize a charter."

Diaz continued, "Let's talk about truths, right? Let's not make things up. The facts are that this organization has both private, virtual and brick and mortar schools that are both charter and private. And in this case, what they approached us with is, 'We know we can't do a charter, but we have philanthropic funding that would be no tuition for your faculty, students and staff, kids.' And that's how it's been approached."

He wrapped up the discussion with: "At the end of the day, what I want to clear up here is some people are trying to make this out as if the institution is granting something to somebody. It's the other way around. This is a benefit to the institution. We're not spending money. We're going to take in revenue and benefits for faculty, students and staff, and I'm never going to apologize for that."

CRA DEAL The Escambia Children's Trust is moving toward resolving a longstanding tax dispute with the City of Pensacola, with the city proposing to use the funds to establish four new childcare centers serving children from birth to age five.

Board attorney Megan Fry told trustees at their recent meeting that the city has agreed to remove all penalties and interest from the disputed Community Redevelopment Agency funds. The proposed interlocal agreement will also offset any settlement amount by funds the

city already receives through its current Parks and Recreation grant with the Trust.

"All penalties and interests have been removed, and the city has committed that those will not be due under any proposed interlocal agreement," Fry said. "Additionally, there will be a partial set off to any amounts paid under a proposed interlocal agreement for the current grant obligation to Parks and Rec."

Executive Director Lindsey Cannon said the city plans to locate the childcare centers in cityowned buildings, addressing a major barrier to expanding childcare services in the community.

"They have buildings, which is a major problem with childcare, but we have the operational type of funds that would be within our scope," Cannon explained. "I think they're looking at that more in a partnership of what they can bring to the table and then what we can do to help fill in those gaps."

However, County Commissioner Lumon May pressed for specifics about the proposal, noting the city has not yet identified where the centers would be located or provided detailed programmatic plans.

"I'm just not familiar with any deliverables that they're doing," May said. "If they say expand—expand where?"

Cannon confirmed the programs would be entirely new, not expansions of existing services, but acknowledged she's still waiting on detailed proposals from the city.

Trust officials hope to finalize the agreement by February, ending a dispute over whether the Trust owes the CRA tax dollars while potentially expanding early childhood services in Pensacola.

PATRONIS STAYS PUT The News Service of Florida reported last week that after a decade in the U.S. House, Republican Congressman Neal Dunn, who currently represents District 2, announced he will not seek another term in November.

"The time has come to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City and spend more precious time with my family and our beloved grandchildren," Dunn said in a post on X. Dunn, a physician who was first elected in 2016, represents a sprawling North Florida district that includes areas such as Panama City and Tallahassee.

Locals speculated that our congressman, Jimmy Patronis, might shift to District 2 because he grew up in Bay County. His family has lived for multiple generations and built Captain Anderson's, a long-running and well-known seafood restaurant in Panama City.

When reached by phone, Congressman Patronis emphatically said he had no plans to give up his D-1 seat and run for Dunn's seat.

"I'm very happy in Congressional District 1 and have no interest in seeking D-2. I've already filed my paperwork to run for reelection," he said.

MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

The 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment, quietly released by Achieve Healthy EscaRosa in Feb -

ruary 2025, provides insights into the region's most pressing health concerns. Unfortunately, few local healthcare leaders are talking about the report.

The assessment, which surveyed over 2,600 residents and nearly 100 community leaders, identified four critical health priorities that demand immediate attention: obesity, mental health issues, substance abuse and access to healthcare.

Santa Rosa County residents generally reported better health outcomes, with the county ranking among Florida's healthiest. Escambia County, meanwhile, faces more challenges, ranking in the lower-middle range for health outcomes statewide. The gap in perceived community health between the counties is notable—only 50% of respondents rated their community's health as "good" or "very good" in 2024, down from 62% in 2021.

A stunning revelation is that mental health services are seen as the most difficult healthcare service to obtain. Both residents and community leaders ranked mental health at the top of their concerns, with 18.2% identifying it as critically difficult to access. This shortage is compounded by workforce challenges; Escambia County has one mental health provider for every 420 residents, while Santa Rosa faces an even more severe shortage at 950:1.

Drug abuse topped the list of unhealthy behaviors concerning both residents and leaders, with 16.4% identifying it as their primary concern. The data shows drug overdose deaths remain alarmingly high, with Escambia County recording 47 deaths per 100,000 residents— significantly higher than the state average of 31. White individuals were 1.6 times more likely to die from overdoses than Black individuals, highlighting the need for targeted intervention strategies.

The report identifies significant barriers to healthcare access. The top four obstacles residents face included long wait times (21.4%), doctors not accepting new patients (17.4%), insurance not being accepted (14.1%) and inability to afford copays or deductibles (12.3%)

While community leaders identified lack of health insurance as the primary barrier (ranked #1), residents placed it sixth on their list, suggesting a disconnect between perceived and actual challenges.

The 2025 assessment introduced the concept of "culture of unhealthy living," which ranked second among health problems. This broad category encompasses poor eating habits, lack of exercise and other lifestyle factors that contribute to obesity. The adult obesity rates are at 35% in Escambia and 31% in Santa Rosa—both exceeding the state average of 28%.

The assessment identified several external forces impacting community health: inflation and affordability challenges, resource limitations, healthcare provider shortages, poor public transportation and widespread misinformation about health topics. All are heavy lifts, which may explain why few community leaders have publicly discussed this report. {in}

LOT 5 MARITIME PARK- SUBCONTRACTOR INFORMATIONAL MEETING

Corporate Contractors Inc. (CCI) will be holding a Project Information Meeting for interested subcontractors and suppliers for Lot 5-Maritime Park. A 247-unit apartment complex and 146-key hotel including a 325 space parking podium to be constructed at Maritime Park in 2026. The meeting will provide an overview of the project elements including construction trades, scheduling, logistics and highlight participation opportunities. This meeting is intended for interested subcontractors and suppliers in Escambia and Santa Rosa Countycommunities – though interested subs and suppliers throughout the greater Florida and southeastern US are encouraged to attend. CCI anticipates final bidding with plans and specifications to begin in late January.

Additional informational meetings will be held on the below dates from 8AM-10AM: Monday February 2, 2026

Meetings will be held at: Maritime Place- 350 West Cedar St. (1st FL) Pensacola, FL 32502

For additional information, please contact CCIPensacola@cciwi.com

To learn more about Corporate Contractors, Inc. (CCI), visit cciwi.com

New Year's resolutions are overrated. You can start fresh any time you want, including a few weeks into the new year. And if your 2026 goals involve learning new skills, making new friends or just putting your phone down, First City Art Center's adult classes are an excellent starting point.

First City Art Center (FCAC) has been doing community outreach in Pensacola since 1999 and is the area's only public glassblowing studio. Molly Harrington, director of administration, believes that with more than 30 class options on offer, FCAC has "something for everyone."

"Our instructors are very kind and welcoming and very inclusive," she said. "People get intimidated, but I tell everyone, 'You can come in never having even touched or seen [the art style] in your life, or maybe you've been working with it for years and years, and you're still going to have a good experience.'"

Most of FCAC's classes are six weeks long (meeting once a week), but some are one-day workshops or two-week sessions. The timing is 9-5-friendly, with the majority of options set outside traditional work hours, and even a few on Saturdays. Mediums taught include ceramics, drawing, painting, glassblowing and sewing. Skill levels from beginner to advanced are welcome, and the six-week sessions restart throughout the year, so it's never too late to

HANDS-ON CREATIVITY at FIRST CITY ART CENTER

By Elizabeth Royappa

join. Well, almost never—classes typically do fill up completely, so Harrington says you should try to register about one month before your target session begins. The first 2026 sessions are currently underway and many are full, and the ones starting in late February are getting there.

When asked her opinion on what class is the most underrated, Harrington answered "sewing" without a beat. "People don't know about that one as much, but everyone who takes it absolutely raves about it," she said. Sewing class projects in the past have included a tote bag, pajama pants and a pair of shorts. In fact, students across mediums often get to take home items that they've made themselves. The ceramics and pottery classes (which teach methods like wheel-throwing and hand-built sculpture) tend to yield especially impressive results.

"We have about 300 pottery students alone every single week," Harrington said. "So there is absolutely incredible work coming out of that kiln every day. I personally like the busts and sculptures that people do; I think they're really cool and they tend to be very intricate. Someone [recently] did a bust of their dog."

Ceramic mugs, bowls, plates and other useful houseware items are always popular undertakings. Glassblowing students also have the freedom to create and take home a wide range of colorful, functional pieces.

Participants regularly walk away with new connections, too. "Honestly, when people ask me like, 'What kinds of things do you do in Pensacola to make friends?' I always recommend the classes here, because I see so many friendships bloom from people meeting in class," Harrington said.

"It's just a sense of camaraderie; you want to encourage other students and you want to be encouraged, so it creates a positive environment [where] you want to be friends with your fellow students."

"I really would say that we serve all different ages, all different demographics," Harrington said of the average class makeup. "You come here and you will see teenagers to seniors, people from all different walks of life … It's a very chill environment and I think people who come here feel very comfortable because it doesn't feel like it's made for a certain type of person."

One of the staff's favorite student success stories is Erika Young's; Young is currently an FCAC ceramics instructor, but she started out as a student. "She loved the classes so much that now, not only is she an instructor for us, but she has her own pottery business and she does private classes out in the community as well," Harrington said. FCAC's instructors are "a good mix of career artists and people who have a different 9-5 and also teach in their spare time," she added. "It's not hard to fit in."

For community members who'd like to take classes but find the cost prohibitive, FCAC is open to offering scholarships on a case-bycase basis if asked. And the educational programs are expanding overall—FCAC is currently repurposing their gallery area to create more classroom space on campus.

At the end of the day, "we're not here to critique anyone's work," Harrington said. "This is all about you getting in there and just playing with mud, doing what you need to do and getting out of it what you need to get out of it … We're here to hopefully help you have some fun for a few hours a week." {in}

FIRST CITY ART CENTER CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

WHAT: Pottery, glass art, painting, drawing and sewing classes for adults of all experience levels.

WHERE: First City Art Center, 1060 N. Guillemard St.

WHEN: The next six-week sessions start in late February; two-week sessions and one-time workshops also available. Registering about one month in advance is recommended.

COST: Workshops start at $100 for non-members.

DETAILS: firstcityart.org

Arts & Entertainment

art, film, music, stage, books and other signs of civilization...

'This

is a Big Opera'

A cast singing their roles, an orchestra in the pit, a chorus of vocalists, a behind-the-scenes crew, stage management moving set pieces, quick costume changes, hair and makeup— every production Pensacola Opera puts on is a symphony of components coming together, explained Artistic Director Corey McKern.

Musical pun intended.

"The challenge with every theatrical production is just getting everything together and all of the collaboration that has to happen in order to get the final product to the stage musically," McKern said. "This is a big opera."

McKern's referring to Pensacola Opera's upcoming production of the well-known "La traviata"—also representing their "truest" grand opera production recently, following the more contemporary "Three Decembers" and preceding "Oklahoma!" in March. One of the songs, "Brindisi" (also known as "Libiamo ne' lieti calici"), is a famous drinking song often featured in commercials and movies.

"When we think of operas that are wellknown, it's for a reason," McKern said. "Simply put, the music for this opera is just so beautiful

and touching, and you can hear all of the emo tions and drama in the music … these pieces become so well-known because they're so perfectly crafted, and there's not a single phrase of music that doesn't serve to forward the motion of the story and tell about the emotions that characters are feeling."

The plot follows Violetta, a courtesan in Paris who is dying of tuberculosis, McKern said. As her health declines, she meets and falls in love with Alfredo, whose family issues come between them.

The Pensacola Opera website sums it up well as a story of love, sacrifice and societal constraints. And the costumes assembled by Pensacola costume designer Glenn Breed will match that level of drama.

"He builds these costumes and fits them specifically to the singers, and they're very ornate and elaborate," McKern said. "There's always a sparkle to them. It's just really exciting because everybody on stage—the principals, but also our chorus, who is all volunteer—they get to wear these incredible costumes as well. For some of the chorus members, that's one of the highlights, because they just look so incredible. There's always a lot of color

and movement, and it's just really exciting the first time you see the costumes on everybody."

The music is exciting and challenging, too— perhaps most for Bizhou Chang, the soprano playing Violetta. She's a former studio artist with Pensacola Opera. It's a "marathon of a role," with Chang on stage almost the entire night, McKern said.

The production will feature other familiar faces, too, such as Andrew Morstein (tenor) as Alfredo, who performed in "Lucia di Lammermoor" a few seasons ago, and Dennis Jesse (baritone) as Alfredo's father Giorgio. This will mark Jesse's 15th role with the company.

As the conductor, the production holds challenges for McKern, too. Operas by Giuseppe Verdi and others from the Romantic Period incorporate a lot of push and pull, he said.

"There's a lot of flexibility in how, if a singer needs to take a breath here, we have to be able to—with the orchestra—give them time for those kinds of things," McKern said. "There's a lot of expressive moments where the singers might want to speed up a little bit through something, or they might want to hold a high note a little extra longer. So that's the biggest challenge; the flexibility and

all of the nuance that comes with the Romantic Period operas is difficult for everybody, and it's my job to kind of make sure we coordinate that."

But when everything comes together, it's one of the most immersive art forms.

"It's like watching a movie, but on steroids," McKern said. "It's so big and exciting, and there's so many things happening when you see it all come together. Then you also sit there in the audience and you realize, you're a person, you're a human in this theater, and the other 1,000 people in the theater with you are all experiencing this together. That's the magic of live theater. There's nothing like it."

McKern referenced studies that when you're watching live theater, your heartbeat syncs up with people around you. And with just two live performances of "La traviata," people are in for a rare experience, he added.

"The night that you come is the only time it's going to happen exactly like that," McKern said. McKern encourages people to continue trying out opera even if they didn't enjoy it the first time, because there is so much variety. "La traviata" is a great first opera, or one for people who've been to 100 operas, he said. And while it's sung in Italian, he wants to remind people it will have English supertitles—lines the characters are saying projected above the stage to help you follow the story.

"When you come to the theater, just to reemphasize, these singers are not using microphones," McKern said. "There's no microphone on stage. It's not hidden in the set or anything. So the music from the orchestra is live as you're hearing it, and the music from the singers on stage is live and unamplified. It's just the power of that and knowing that we all have the same instrument—everybody has a voice inside of them—and these people on stage have trained their voices to do very special things, but it's the same anatomy. It's the same vocal cords we all have. I've always been fascinated by that … Go into it with an open mind and let yourself be swept away by the beautiful music and the story." {in}

PENSACOLA OPERA'S PRODUCTION OF VERDI'S "LA TRAVIATA"

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25

WHERE: Pensacola Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St.

COST: Tickets start at $37.55

DETAILS: pensacolaopera.com

NONPROFITS & FUNDRAISERS

SAVE OUT SHELTERS CELEBRATION

Fundraiser for spay and neuter services 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 at Bayview Park, 2001 E. Lloyd St.

PENSACOLA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WOMEN BUILD KICKOFF

Join Women

Build 2026 at their open house inside one of the Habitat homes built during Women Build 2025. Stop in anytime between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 at 6229 Louisville Ave. Event is free, but RSVP is encouraged at secure. qgiv.com/for/womenbuildopenhouse2026/ event/2026womenbuildopenhouse.

ANIMAL ALLIES FLORIDA BINGO Animal

Allies Florida hosts bingo twice monthly at Beef 'O' Brady's, 1 New Market St., Cantonment (on Nine Mile Road near Pine Forest Road). The cost is 10 rounds of bingo for $10, with cash prizes for winners. Food and drinks are also available for purchase. For more information, visit facebook.com/animalalliesflorida.

ANIMAL ALLIES CAT AND KITTEN ADOP -

TION Visit Pet Supermarket 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every first and third Saturday of the month at 6857 N. Ninth Ave. to meet your furever friend. Visit aaflorida.org for details.

CARING & SHARING MINISTRY FOOD

DRIVE The Gloria Green Caring & Sharing Ministry is attached to the Historic St. Joseph Catholic Church, 140 W. Government St. The ministry feeds the homeless 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays. The ministry's food pantry opens 10 a.m. and also has clothing. Food donations needed are pop-top canned goods, Beanie Weenies, Vienna sausage, potted meat, cans of tuna and chicken and soups. Clothing donations needed include tennis shoes for men and women, as well as sweatshirts and new underwear for men in sizes small, medium and large. Call DeeDee Green at (850) 723-3390 for details.

ARTS & CULTURE

FILM SCREENINGS Pensacola Cinema Art screens multiple films most weekends at 220 W.

Garden St. Tickets are $10 cash only. Visit pensacolacinemaart.com for their complete schedule.

PAJAMA PAWTY AT COASTAL CAT CAFÉ

Get comfy and unwind with adoptable cats. For $20 you can enjoy an hour of kitty play time, snack and a hot drink of your choice. Event is 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 at Coastal Cat Café, 1508 W. Garden St.

GULF COAST CULTURE SERIES: SOUTHERN GOTHIC PHOTOGRAPHY Renowned curator, photographer and writer Richard McCabe will speak at the Pensacola Museum of Art. McCabe, curator of photography at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans since 2010, examines how Southern Gothic traditions of mystery, melancholy and beauty are captured through photography. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22. The speaker will go on at 6 p.m., and a Q&A will follow at 7:30 p.m. Register online at uwf.edu/gulfcoastculture.

CULTURAL ART DISCUSSION WITH COLLECTOR DON PARTINGTON The African American Heritage Society hosts a lecture on cultural art 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 at Coulson House, 200 Church St. in Historic Pensacola. Cost is a $25 donation. Details at africanamericanheritagesociety.org.

BAGELHEADS OPEN MIC Free open mic featuring stand-up and anything comedy adjacent 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 at Bagelheads 916 E. Gregory St. All experience levels welcome.

FRIENDS OF THE WEST FLORIDA PUBLIC LIBRARY WINTER BOOK SALE The book sale is at the downtown library, 239 N. Spring St. Hours are 3-7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25 ($7 bag sale). Admission is $5 or free to members on Friday, and free the rest of the weekend.

VERDI'S LA TRAVIATA Pensacola Opera performance dates are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets are $31-$126. Purchase online at pensacolaopera.com.

MAGIC AT THE GORDON: AN INTIMATE EVENING OF CLOSE-UP MAGIC Magician Nathan Nickerson blends sleight-of-hand, mentalism and storytelling. 7-9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 at The Gordon, 306 N. DeVilliers St. Tickets at nathannickerson.com/magicatthegordon.

PLT HOUSE MANAGER AND USHER

TRAINING Volunteer training opportunity Saturday, Jan. 24 at 400 S. Jefferson St. Choose from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. or 2-4 p.m. Details at pensacolalittletheatre.com.

GROWN-UP BOOK FAIR AT ODD COLONY

Shop book local bookstores and authors, '90s yearbook photobooth, "cafeteria" food treats, craft and vintage market and more. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. or 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE! Show is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Saenger Theatre, 118 S. Palafox St. Tickets and information at pensacolasaenger.com.

COMEDIAN GABRIEL RUTLEDGE: DON'T

READ THE COMMENTS TOUR Show starts at 7 P.M. Tuesday, Jan. 27 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Award-winning comedian Gabriel Rutledge—seen on Comedy Central, Laughs on FOX and Amazon Prime—live at The Handlebar. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

PAINT NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY Hosted by the Traveling Painter 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28 at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Tickets at thetravelingpainter.org.

MARDI GRAS CANDLE DECORATING

CLASS Event at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28. Cost is $35 per person and includes materials. Tickets available at thebejoyfulboutique.com.

IMPROVABLE CAUSE PRESENTS: CHEESE FOR THE TABLE Show starts at 7 P.M. Wednesday, Jan. 28 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. An hour of improv where everything connects. Your suggestion becomes scenes, characters and stories that weave together into something we didn't see coming either. Each show is completely unique. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

JANUARY BOOK CLUB: THE HANDMAID'S TALE Join Coastal Cat Café for a cozy evening talking about books and cuddling adoptable cats. Cost is $20. The book club will discuss "The Handmaid's Tale" 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 at 1508 W. Garden St. Spots are limited. Secure yours at coastalcatpcola.com.

CLOSING EXHIBITION WITH ANNA KOHLWEIS 309 Punk House Artist in Residence will present her work from her month-long residency with acoustic songs, sounds and poetry 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30 at 309 N. Sixth Ave. Details at facebook.com/309punkproject.

HEROES OFF DUTY COMEDY TOUR Show is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 at Saenger Theatre,

118 S. Palafox St. Tickets and information at pensacolasaenger.com.

2026 SECOND LINE TUESDAYS Join the Second Line celebrations on Palafox Street during Mardi Gras season. Upcoming dates are 5 p.m. Jan. 27 and Feb. 3, 10 starting outside Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, 123 S. Palafox St. Details at pensacolamardigras.com/events.

A HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY: STORYTELLERS, TRICKSTERS AND FORTUNE TELLERS The Art Gallery at the University of West Florida presents "A History of Photography: Storytellers, Tricksters and Fortune Tellers." This exhibition is viewable in The Art Gallery at UWF's Center for Fine and Performing Arts (Building 82) from Thursday, Jan. 8, through Thursday, Feb. 5, with a closing reception on Feb. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. Details at uwf.edu/cfpa.

CHOICES YOU MAKE Currently on view at Artel Gallery, 223 S. Palafox St. through Feb. 13 featuring artists Mary Cooper Portera, Destiny Doss, Carlotta Succi and Nicolas Crogh.

MICHELLE JONES: SEVEN SISTERS Inspired by Greek mythology and the jungle-like landscape of the Gulf Coast, Michelle Jones presents lush, vividly colored landscapes using mixed media. Exhibit on display through May 1 at the Switzer Gallery at Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd. Details at visualarts.pensacolastate.edu.

THRIFT STYLE New exhibit at Pensacola Museum of History explores the reuse of feed sacks to make clothing and other household objects. View the exhibit and explore the museum, located at 330 S. Jefferson St. Details at historicpensacola.org.

FIRST FRIDAY AT BLUE MORNING

GALLERY Visit Blue Morning Gallery, 21 S. Palafox St., 5:30 p.m. every first Friday of the month for a reception with wine, live music and occasional artist demonstrations. Visit bluemorninggallery.com for details.

PENSACOLA HERITAGE FOUNDATION

LECTURES Learn Pensacola/Northwest Florida history through interesting, informal lectures every other Tuesday at The Wright Place, 80 E. Wright St. Doors open at 11 a.m. and lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. The lecture starts at noon and lasts one hour. Lecture cost is $5 for non-members and is free to members. Lunches are $12. For reservations, call (850) 380-7759.

PENSACOLA ROSE SOCIETY Monthly meetings are normally 6 p.m. the second Monday of the month at the Pensacola Garden Center, 1850 N. Ninth Ave. Visit pensacolarosesociety.org for more information.

BTB COMEDY Watch live standup comedy in open mic style 7 p.m. Mondays at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Follow BTB Comedy on Facebook for updates.

SCRIPTEASERS Join writers at Pensacola Little Theatre, 400 S. Jefferson St., for Scripteasers every month. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for details.

PALAFOX MARKET Palafox Market 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The event features local farmers, artists and crafters on North and South Palafox streets at Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand. For updates, visit facebook.com/ downtownpensacola.

CABARET DRAG SHOWCASE AT AMERICAN LEGION POST #193 Don't miss Cabaret Drag Showcase every second and fourth Saturday at the American Legion Post #193, 2708 N. 12th Ave. Doors open 8 p.m. Showtime is 10 p.m. For more information, contact show director Taize Sinclair-Santi at taizesinclairsanti@gmail.com.

SPIRITS OF SEVILLE QUARTER GHOST TOUR AND LUNCHEON Dine inside Pensacola's oldest and most haunted restaurant and investigate the spirits with actual paranormal equipment at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Tickets are $12 and include a voucher toward Seville Quarter's menu. Tours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays and 2-4 p.m. Sundays. Make an appointment by calling (850) 941-4321.

AFTER DARK: SEVILLE QUARTER GHOSTS, MURDER, MAYHEM AND MYSTERY TOUR AND DINNER After Dark Paranormal Investigation and Dinner happens inside one of Pensacola's most haunted restaurants with real ghost-hunting equipment 6-8 p.m. Sundays. Listen as your guide weaves tales of ghosts, debauchery, murder, mayhem, paranormal activities, history and more related to Seville Quarter and downtown Historic Pensacola. After your ghost tour, enjoy dinner at Seville Quarter Palace Café, 130 E. Government St. Reservations are required. Call (850) 941-4321. Tickets are available at pensacolaghostevents.com.

FOOD + DRINKS

FUNDAMENTALS: SUSHI Cooking class is 6-8 p.m. Friday Jan. 23 at Pensacola Cooks Classroom, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Suite C. Cost: $60 per student. Sign up at: pensacolacooks.com/ cooking-classes.

COASTAL COUNTY WINTER DARK BEER FEST Three-day festival celebrating dark beer. There will be live music, games and activities and featured flavors including banana split stout, Mexican chocolate cake stout, Nitro Coffee Baltic porter and more Jan. 23-Jan. 25 at Coastal County Brewing Co., 3041 E. Olive Road. Details at coastalcountybrewing.com/events.

THE DINNER DETECTIVE: TRUE CRIME MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW Dinner show is 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 at Hilton Garden Inn, 8 S. Ninth Ave. Tickets available at thedinnerdetective.com.

MARDI GRAS COCKTAIL COMPETITION

Event is 6-9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26 at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details at facebook. com/perfectplainbrewingco.

FAMILIES COOK: PIZZA MAKING Cooking class is 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27 at Pensacola Cooks Classroom, 4051 Barrancas Ave., Suite C. Cost: $60 per student. Sign up at: pensacolacooks.com/cooking-classes.

RAMEN NIGHT Ramen night with Globetrotters Street Food 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Details at facebook.com/oddcolony.

GREAT SOUTHERN RESTAURANT WEEK

Visit Great Southern Restaurants during Winter Restaurant Week Jan. 26-Feb. 1 with three-course offerings for $33 starting 5 p.m. nightly. Visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com for menus and more.

DOWNTOWN HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE

QUARTER Drink specials and laid-back vibes are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. every weekday throughout the entire Seville Quarter complex with $2 off all liquor drinks and $1 off all beer and wine. Must be 21 or older. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

MEN'S NIGHT AT WISTERIA From 3 p.m. to close Mondays, guys can play free darts and enjoy $6 craft tallboys. There are more than 150 craft beers to choose from at Wisteria, 3803 N. 12th Ave. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

BAR BINGO AT SEVILLE QUARTER Bar

Bingo is 8 p.m. Mondays at Apple Annie's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials include $2.50 Miller Lite bottles and $3.50 Bomb shots. Bingo is free to play with prizes, giveaways and bar tabs up for grabs for winners. Visit sevillequarter.com for details.

FIGHTER GAME NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Gamers unite 5 p.m.-close Mondays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

BINGO NIGHT AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS Play a game (or two) of bingo 6-8 p.m. Mondays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. For more information, visit calvertsintheheights.com.

MONDAY NIGHT SPAGHETTI SESSIONS

Visit V. Paul's Italian Ristorante, 29 S. Palafox St. every Monday from 5–9 p.m. for live music and spaghetti and meatballs from the Monday night menu.

DOUBLE MONDAYS AND SIN NIGHT Enjoy

Double Mondays 8 p.m.-midnight and SIN Night 11 p.m. to close at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

MARTINI NIGHT AT THE KENNEDY Every Tuesday, The Kennedy, 1 S. Palafox St., hosts Martini Night, featuring all martinis from the menu for $10 from open to close (4-11 p.m.).

75-CENT OYSTERS AT ATLAS Enjoy 75-cent oysters 5-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. For more information, visit greatsouthernrestaurants.com.

MUSIC BINGO Test your music knowledge 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at Wisteria, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Take part in half-price bottles of wine and $5 canned cocktails. Visit wisteriatavern.com for details.

POKER NIGHT AND BINGO AT O'RILEY'S Visit O'Riley's Irish Pub for poker at 6:30 p.m. and bar bingo 8-10 p.m. Tacos are on special

Tuesdays at 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

LUNCH AT THE DISTRICT The District Steakhouse, 130 E. Government St., is open for special lunch seatings the third Friday of the month. Enjoy a $5 martini or house wine. Seatings are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are accepted but not necessary. Details are available at districtsteaks.com.

DOLLAR NIGHT Enjoy Dollar Night 8 p.m.midnight Tuesdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

TUESDAY TRIVIA AT PERFECT PLAIN Visit Perfect Plain Brewing Co. for trivia nights 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays at 50 E. Garden St. Visit perfectplain. com/upcoming-events for details.

LATIN NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER

Get on your feet with a social Latin dance—no partner required—and Latin music 7-9 p.m. every Wednesday at Phineas Phogg's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Drink specials and music from DJ DavidC continue after the dancing. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night is 8 p.m.-midnight Wednesdays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Food trucks are on site. Details are at orileystavern.com.

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

TRIVIA AT CALVERT'S IN THE HEIGHTS

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

COLLEGE NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER

College night is 8 p.m. Thursdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Ages 18 and older are welcome. Free beer pong tournament begins at 10 p.m. Drink specials include $2 bar drinks, $3.50 Fireball shots for ages 21 and older. Cover is $5 for ages 21 and older and $10 for ages 18-20. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

SIPPIN' IN SUNDRESSES LADIES' NIGHT

AT FELIX'S Pop-up shops, pink drink specials and live music are 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar, 400 Quietwater Beach Drive.

PITCHERS AND TAVERN TRIVIA Get deals on pitchers 8 p.m.-midnight at O'Riley's Tavern. Trivia is 8 p.m.; SIN Night starts 1 a.m. Thursdays at 3728 Creighton Road. Visit orileystavern.com for details.

WEEKLY SINGO AT PERFECT PLAIN

BREWING CO. Music Bingo Thursdays is 7-9 p.m. at Perfect Plain Brewing Co., 50 E. Garden St. Details are at facebook.com/perfectplainbrewingco.

POOL TOURNAMENT Pool tournaments begin 8 p.m., and Tequila Night is 8 p.m. to midnight Thursdays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

a&e happenings

DOLLAR NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S Dollar Night with a DJ starts 8 p.m. Thursdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

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

THURSDAY BIERGARTEN TRIVIA NIGHT

Gary's Brewery Trivia Night is back by popular demand 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at 208 Newman Ave. Test your trivia skills with a glass of beer or wine. Arrive early to grab a spot. For more information, visit facebook.com/garysbrew.

FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR AT SEVILLE QUARTER Visit Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. every Friday with cold drinks, hot food and great vibes in the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter. Happy hour begins 11 a.m. Fridays with drink and food specials.

SEVILLE QUARTER'S FLIP MY QUARTER

Seville Quarter is flipping the script—and a few quarters—with its brand-new happy hour promotion, Flip My Quarter, 6-8 p.m. every Friday throughout the Seville Quarter entertainment complex. When you order a domestic draft beer, well liquor cocktail or house wine, tell the bartender to "flip my quarter." When they flip it, call it in the air. If you call it right, your drink is free.

BIG BEER NIGHT Drink specials are 8 p.m.midnight, and SIN Night is 1 a.m. to close Fridays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

FEISTY FRIDAY NIGHTS Enjoy a DJ 9 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

TGI FIREBALL FRIDAY Drink specials are all day Fridays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. SIN Night starts at 11 p.m. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

FISH FRY FRIDAY Half off fish n' chips is 11 a.m.4 p.m., and live DJ is 9 p.m. Fridays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

JAMESON SPECIAL Enjoy $5 Jameson Irish Whiskey all night Saturdays at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.

MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION NIGHT AT SEVILLE QUARTER From 8 p.m.-midnight every Saturday, members enjoy $3.50 Crown & Drown cocktails at Phineas Phogg's inside Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

WEEKLY SATURDAY BRUNCH Brunch is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SHAMROCK SATURDAY Shamrock Saturday is 9 p.m., and SIN Night starts 11 p.m. Saturdays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

B.A.R.E. NIGHT (BAR AND RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE NIGHT) Sunday nights at Seville Quarter belong to hospitality industry. Head to End O' the Alley at Seville Quarter 7 p.m. every Sunday for B.A.R.E. Night. Not a member yet? Stop by and sign up for your B.A.R.E. Card, and start enjoying the benefits immediately.

FREE POOL AND BAR BINGO AT O'RILEY'S

TAVERN Enjoy free pool all day and play bar bingo 8 p.m. Sundays at O'Riley's Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. Details are at orileystavern.com.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT CAFÉ SINGLE FIN

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

SEVILLE SUNDAY BRUNCH Sunday brunch is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Palace Café and Courtyard inside Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. with soup and salad bar, a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, mimosas and champagne specials. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

SUNDAY BILLIARDS Rack 'em up in Fast Eddie's Billiards Room at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Gov-

ernment St., with drink specials and a laid-back, air-conditioned atmosphere.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AND KARAOKE O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St., hosts brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. Karaoke begins at 8 p.m. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

SUNDAY BRUNCH AT ATLAS OYSTER HOUSE Sunday Brunch is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays at Atlas Oyster House, 600 S. Barracks St. View menus at atlasoysterhouse.com.

SIN NIGHT AT O'RILEY'S SIN Night is midnight to close Sundays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Visit orileyspub.com for details.

KARAOKE AND SIN NIGHTS AT SIR RICHARD'S Karaoke is 9 p.m.-1 a.m., and SIN Night is 1 a.m. to close Mondays and Thursdays at Sir Richard's Public House, 2719 E. Cervantes St. Visit sirrichardslounge.com for details.

ON AIR LIVE BAND KARAOKE Live out your rockstar dreams 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St., hosted by Craig Stahl. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

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

happenings

KARAOKE AT SEVILLE QUARTER Karaoke is nightly Wednesday-Sunday at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Enjoy drink specials and a no-judgement zone where everyone is welcome to the mic. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

KARAOKE AT THE HANDLEBAR Karaoke starts 9 p.m. Wednesdays at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Visit thehandlebar850.com for details.

KARAOKE AT WISTERIA Karaoke starts 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Wisteria Tavern, 3808 N. 12th Ave. Details are at wisteriatavern.com.

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

SUNDAY KARAOKE WITH KJ NICK Sunday Funday karaoke is 8 p.m. Sundays at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.

KARAOKE AT O'RILEY'S DOWNTOWN Karaoke is 8 p.m.-midnight Sundays at O'Riley's Irish Pub, 321 S. Palafox St. Details are at orileyspub.com.

KARAOKE AT MUGS & JUGS Karaoke is 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Sundays at Mugs & Jugs, 12080 Scenic Highway. Visit mugsjugsbar.com for details.

LIVE MUSIC

DELTA HATE, GIMMICK., SERRATED FL, STRIKEFORCE AND COMMAND VOICE

Show starts at 6 P.M. Thursday, Jan. 22 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

FLOSSTRADAMUS Show is 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Details and tickets at vinylmusichall.com.

MARIGOLD'S APPRENTICE, KATIE DINEEN, LUNAR PARQUE, MOURNING GLORIES AND OTHER Show starts at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

LOW SEASON, THE GLORIOUS FLAWS AND MARC GANANCIAS Show starts at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

BLUE WIDOW, GLSNR AND MORNING

TRIPS Show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

STRINGS FACULTY RECITAL UWF Dr. Grier

Williams School of Music presents UWF Strings Faculty Concert 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26 at 11000 University Parkway, Bldg. 82. Tickets are free and can be secured at uwf.edu/cfpa.

FLOZONE Show starts at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

REVEREND HORTON HEAT FEATURING NIK FLAGSTAR AND HIS DIRTY MANGY

DOGS Show starts at 6 p.m. and again at 9:30 P.M. Saturday, Jan. 31 at The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. More info available at thehandlebar850.com.

MOZART MADNESS Show is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 at First Baptist Church of Pensacola, 500 N. Palafox St. Tickets available at pensacolasymphony.com.

MONDAY NIGHT BLUES AT SEVILLE

QUARTER

The Blues Society of Northwest Florida brings blues to Florida 7 p.m. Mondays at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Food and drink specials start at 8 p.m. Details are at sevillequarter.com.

PENSACOLA PICK NIGHT AT ODD COLO -

NY Music pickers of all levels are invited to play 7-9 p.m. every last Monday of the month at Odd Colony, 260 N. Palafox St. Bring your acoustic instrument and jam. Visit facebook.com/oddcolony for details.

TUESDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT SEVILLE

QUARTER Enjoy smooth jazz with Melodious Allen and The Funk Heads on Tuesday nights at Lili Marlene's in Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Visit sevillequarter.com for more information.

ROSIE O'GRADY'S DUELING PIANO SHOW

Watch the famous dueling piano show 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Rosie O' Grady's at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Doors open at 7 p.m.

OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARY'S BREWERY

Open mic night is hosted by Renee Amelia 6 p.m. every other Wednesday at Gary's Brewery, 208 Newman Ave. Visit facebook.com/garysbrew for details.

VIBE IRIE REGGAE: LIVE IN THE COURT-

YARD Enjoy Vibe Irie Reggae band 4-10 p.m. Sundays at the End O' the Alley Courtyard at Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St.

LIVE MUSIC AT CALVERT'S Listen to live music 5-8 p.m. Sundays at Calvert's in the Heights, 670 Scenic Highway. Visit facebook.com/calvertsintheheights for details.

FITNESS + RECREATION

OCEAN HOUR CLEANUPS Ocean Hour cleanups are 8:45 a.m. Saturdays. On Jan. 24 the sites are Park East and Casino Beach. Ocean Hour provides bags, gloves, grabbers and buckets. For more information, visit oceanhourfl.com.

PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS HOME GAMES

Pensacola Ice Flyers home games are located at Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St. Tickets start at $12 and are available at pensacolabaycenter.com. The next upcoming home games are 7:05 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31.

free will astrology

WEEK OF JANUARY 22

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): Master astrologer Steven Forrest understands you Aries people well. He says that the riskiest strategy you can pursue is to constantly seek safety. It's crucial for you to always be on the lookout for adventure. One of your chief assignments is to cultivate courage—especially the kind of brave boldness that arises as you explore unknown territory. To rouse the magic that really matters, you must face your fears regularly. The coming months will be an ideal time for you to dive in and celebrate this approach to life.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): You are an ambassador from the material world to the realm of spirit—and vice versa. One of your prime assignments is the opposite of what the transcendence-obsessed gurus preach. You're here to prove that the flesh is holy, pleasure is a form of prayer and the senses are portals to the divine. When you revel in earthy delights, when you luxuriate in rich textures and tastes and scents, you're not being "attached" or "unspiritual." You're enacting a radical sacred stance. Being exuberantly immersed in the material world isn't a mistake to overcome but a blessing to savor. May you redouble your subversive work of treating your body as a cathedral and sensual enjoyments as sacraments.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Everything that's meant for you is trying to find its way to you. Here's the problem: it can't deliver the goods if you're in constant motion. The boons trying to reach you are circling, waiting for a stable landing spot. If you keep up the restless roaming, life might have to slow you down, even stop you, so you'll be still enough to embody receptivity. Don't wait for that. Pause now. Set aside whatever's feeding your restlessness and tune into the quiet signal of your own center. The moment you do, bounties will start arriving.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): Artist Louise Bourgeois said, "I am what I do with my hands." I will adapt this declaration for your use, Cancerian: you are what you do with your feelings. You are the structures, sanctuaries and nourishment you create from the raw material of your sensitivity. It's one of your superpowers! I understand that some people mistake emotional depth for pas-

By Rob Brezsny

sive vulnerability. They assume that feeling everything means doing nothing. But you prove that bias wrong. You are potentially a master builder. You can convert the flood waters of emotion into resources that hold, protect and feed. I hope you will do this lavishly in the coming weeks.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Admiring writers often say that the Balinese people have no traditional word for "art." Making things beautiful is woven into everyday life, as if everything should be done as beautifully as possible. I aspire to carry out this approach myself: infusing ordinary actions with the same care I'd bring to writing a story or song. Washing dishes, answering emails and walking to the store: all are eligible for beauty treatment. I highly recommend this practice to you in the coming weeks, Leo. It's true that you're renowned for your dramatic gestures, but I believe you also have an underutilized talent for teasing out glory from mundane situations. Please do that a lot in the coming weeks. For starters, make your grocery list a poem.

in ruins, Libra, but I suspect you may have been exploring exciting locations while shunning mundane ones that actually hold your answers. What do you think? Is that possible? Just for fun, investigate the neglected, ignored and boring places. Try out the hypothesis that a golden discovery awaits you in some unfinished business or a situation you feel an aversion to.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Your capacity for intensity is your superpower. I love it, I celebrate it and I hope to keep nurturing it in you for as long as we're both here. But not everything deserves the full force of your passionate engagement. Some things are meant to be touched lightly, held loosely and released easily. The question isn't whether to feel deeply—that's who you authentically are—but whether to act on every deep feeling as if it were sacred revelation. Some emotions are weather patterns passing through, not permanent truths requiring upheaval. These are especially key understandings for you to act on during the coming days.

er. So find a way to benefit from the contrasts, dear Capricorn. Let shadows teach you how to fully appreciate the illumination.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): You are a spy from the future. Thank you for your service! I love to see your boldness as you smuggle innovative ideas into a present that may or may not be ready for them. Your feelings of alienation are sometimes uncomfortable, but they are crucial to the treasure you offer us. You see patterns others miss because you refuse to be hypnotized by consensus reality. Keep up the excellent work, please. May you honor your need to tinker with impossibilities and imagine alternatives to what everyone else imagines is inevitable. You are proof that we don't have to accept inherited structures as inevitable.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Some American Indigenous cultures have "potlatch" ceremonies. These are elaborate gift-giving rituals where hosts gain prestige by generously and freely bestowing their riches on others. Circulating wealth, instead of hoarding it, is honored and celebrated. Is that economically irrational? Only if you believe that the point of resources is individual accumulation rather than community vitality. Potlatch operates on a different logic: the purpose of having stuff is to make having stuff possible for others. I invite you to make that your specialty in the coming months. Assume that your own thriving depends on the flourishing of those around you.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Sufi poet Rumi wrote about a "treasure in ruins." He meant that what we're searching for may be hidden in places where we would rather not look. Your life isn't

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): As I have promised you a million times, I will NEVER exaggerate. And though you may wonder if the statements I'm about to make are excessive and overblown, I assure you they are not. The fact is, dear Sagittarius, that everything you have always wanted to enhance and upgrade about togetherness is now possible to accomplish, and will continue to be for months to come. If you dare to dismantle your outmoded beliefs about love and deep friendship—every comforting myth, every conditioned response, every inherited instinct— you will discover new dimensions of intimacy that could inspire you forever.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): In Renaissance painting, "chiaroscuro" refers to the use of strong contrasts between light and dark. It's a technique that enhances the sense of depth. I believe your life may be in an intense chiaroscuro phase. As your joys grow bright, your doubts appear darker. As your understanding deepens, your perplexity mounts. Is this a problem? I prefer to understand it as an opportunity. For best results, study it closely. Maybe your anxiety is showing you what you care about. Perhaps your sadness is a sign of your growing emotional pow -

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Your unconscious mind is extra communicative, dear Pisces. Hooray! Take advantage! Pay attention to weird images in dreams and songs that linger in your head. Be alert for seemingly random thoughts as they surface. Bypassing logic, your deep psyche is trying to show you ripe secrets and provocative hints. Your duty is to be receptive. So keep a journal or recording device by your bed. Notice which memories rise up out of nowhere. Be grateful for striking coincidences. These are invitations to tune in to meaningful feelings and truths you've been missing.

HERE'S THE HOMEWORK: Give yourself the biggest compliment you can dream up. {in}

freewillastrology.com newsletter.freewillastrology.com freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com BrezsnyAstrology@gmail.com © 2026 Rob Brezsny

UPDATE In the 1970s, the United States made a half-hearted effort to join the rest of the world in using the metric system. You know how that story ends. But one highway between Tucson, Arizona, and Nogales, New Mexico, is hanging on. Interstate 19 still displays mile markers and distances in kilometers, Central Oregon Daily News reported. "It's just kind of a cool little quirky fact about us," said Alejandro Aguilar, who lives in Tubac, Arizona. Now, the U.S. Department of Transportation has declared that "When you're driving in the United States, it should be unmistakably American." As a result, that stretch of interstate may get new signage, although the Arizona DOT has not received direction from the feds. Teacher Elaine Webber isn't on board. "Show me the harm. How many accidents have happened? How many people have been harmed by this?"

NOPE The musical duo Bootleg Rascal kicked off their new tour in Brisbane, Australia, on Jan. 10 with a sweet-turned-awkward moment, Metro News reported. Carlos Lara said their manager had informed them that someone wanted to propose on stage during the third song, and sure enough, a man climbed up to take the microphone. He called his partner, Jamie, to the stage and told the crowd they had seen the band two years before and it was their favorite band. "And I thought today, why not, maybe today is the time," the man said. Then he got down on one knee ... and that's when it all went wrong. The woman started shaking her head and trying to pull him back up, then ran off the stage. Lara said, "I don't think I've ever felt that awkward on stage in my life." The spurned boyfriend stayed on his knee until someone in a Scooby-Doo costume ran up to help him get on his feet and hugged him. Lara said they checked in with him after the show, and he was "definitely searching for a few beers." They gave him some free merch so he wouldn't go away completely empty-handed.

BRIGHT IDEA In Duffel, Belgium, on Jan. 2, police were conducting a sobriety checkpoint when a car crept up to the officers, Oddity Central reported. The driver seemed unusually short and young, which follows because he was, in fact, the 12-year-old son of the front-seat passenger, his dad. "I had drunk too much and so I entrusted the car to my son to drive home," Dad told the police. Mom and two siblings were in the back seat. The boy was fined for driving without a license; Dad was charged with entrusting the car to someone not fit to drive it. After the traffic stop, Mom drove the rest of the way home.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME Brazilian bodybuilder Arlindo de Souza, 55, passed away on Jan. 13, the Daily Mail reported. De Souza became known as the Brazilian Popeye after injecting mineral oil and alcohol into his biceps, resulting in huge, bulging muscles that measured 29 inches around. He had been hospital -

By the Editors at Andrews McMeel

ized since December for renal failure. Ironically, the injections didn't make him any stronger. De Souza said he had stopped the injections about 10 years ago, adding, "I advise no one to take this oil."

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION As if there aren't more pressing issues in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul has taken on ... dancing in restaurants. The New York Post reported that in Hochul's Jan. 13 State of the State address, she promised to direct the State Liquor Authority to create "a new hybrid restaurant-tavern license," according to her policy book. Under this license, bars and taverns would automatically have the right to showcase dancing, which has been prohibited under earlier licenses. "It creates new opportunity by cutting through red tape," said Restaurant Association CEO Melissa Fleischut.

SHOP TILL EWE DROP Shepherd Dieter Michler had no real answers for why 50 members of his flock split from the 500-sheep herd and made their way into a Penny supermarket in Burgsinn, Lower Franconia, Germany, on Jan. 5. Shoppers and employees quickly took to higher ground, climbing atop the conveyor belts of the checkout lanes to make way for the ovine interlopers, who left broken bottles, droppings and strewn products in their wake when they were eventually removed from the store. Michler told the Main-Post newspaper that he suspected the wandering sheep became distracted by acorns as he led the herd across the industrial area, and, after losing contact with the rest of the group, meandered into the store's parking lot.

PETTY THEFT Arianna Moss, 29, coveted a coworker's 40-ounce light blue Stanley insulated cup, The Smoking Gun reported—so much that she "was observed on video surveillance looking at a cup numerous times" before nicking it and hiding it in her lunchbox. Moss told a witness earlier in the day that the cup "would be great to hold my breast milk." She quit her job three days after the incident in late December and was arrested on Jan. 11, charged with petit theft under $100. She was released on $150 bond. The Stanley cups retail for about $45.

SMOOTH REACTION On Jan. 7 in Phoenix, a passenger in a Waymo self-driving car had to make an unplanned exit, KPHO-TV reported. The car drove onto the tracks of the light-rail system and continued toward an oncoming train on the adjacent track, stopping just before the train got close to it. The passenger, shown on video from a bystander, ran away from the car. A Valley Metro spokesperson said, "Light rail operations staff responded to the scene and Waymo was contacted." They said the scene was clear within 15 minutes. {in}