Rick's Blog

Escambia owes tourism agencies $1.3M and won’t pay it. TDC’s David Bear explains why the checks aren’t coming — and who’s left holding the bag.

Runners-up finally get their spotlight, D4 politics turn nasty, and Pensacola sailors bring home a trophy last seen in 1973. Your weekly wrap is here.

Meta’s paying $18B for harming kids online—but attorney Ned McWilliams says the fine is a joke. The real fix? New limits on minors’ screen time.

UWF stuns No. 16 Southern Illinois 34-31 in FCS debut before a record crowd—wild 4th-quarter finish, a fumble, a pick, and history made.

Congressman bans Jelly Roll from the Panhandle over a Trump fat joke. Rick’s response? Invite him to Pensacola. Here’s the itinerary.

4th Annual Rock4Vets 5K hits Maritime Park Sept 5! Run, walk, or cheer for NW Florida veterans. Join the 250 Crew & help fund the mission.

53 years in the making: Pensacola Yacht Club’s women’s sailing team just brought the Knost Trophy home. Here’s how they did it.

Sansing dealerships gift $100K to Rally Foundation as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month kicks off — plus a Sept. 1 candlelight vigil in Pensacola.

Gulf Winds Credit Union is becoming TruWorth — and buying a bank. CEO Daniel Souers tells Rick Outzen what changes and what won’t.

Jolly says Florida would elect a Dem governor tonight — and he’s promising to ban data centers statewide, same fight Escambia’s fighting now.

Leaked grand jury report: DeSantis admin misused $10M in Medicaid settlement cash to fight pot legalization. No charges. Read the money trail.

America’s #1 beach becomes a battleground. Beach Brawl returns Sept. 25-27 — three days of elite athletes, free spectator seats, zero qualifiers.

Mayor Reeves eyes Wahoo Stadium for soccer instead of a new $70M venue. Study results due in October. Find out what’s happening.

Pensacola lands $50M+ for ACW Superfund cleanup. Phase one soil work starts December, but $19.6M of phase two still isn’t funded but more grants in the works.

UWF’s first D-I football game is Thursday vs. a Top 16 team. Broadcaster Will Kennedy breaks down the QB battle & more on podcast.

FloridaWest shares impressive stats: 206% of its investment goal, $185M in capital, 600 new jobs and a $5.28 return per $1 invested. More prospects in pipeline.

Gulf Winds Credit Union is becoming TruWorth — and buying Madison County Community Bank. Here’s what the $1.7B deal means for local banking.

FSU, Mississippi State, South Alabama, LMU & UWF are all coming to the Bay Center this fall. Three games, one huge season for Pensacola hoops.

The mayor’s office released this list after my podcast interview with Mayor D.C. Reeves: 1. Academic & Educational Institutions University of West Florida (UWF) (including…

53 stakeholders. 3,700 jobs. One city of 55,000. Mayor Reeves on turning year-long job training into weeks before Pensacola’s shipbuilding boom