Author: Rick Outzen
At least Pensacola is not Detroit
The City of Pensacola shrank last decade, dropping 8 percent from 56,255 in 2000 to 51,923 in 2010. Detroit, Michigan saw its population drop a…
Sheriff Morgan halts trolley greetings
In a letter that was hand-delivered to Federal Judge Roger Vinson, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has agreed to stop thanking prospective jurors for their…
Young still pushing for aquarium
From William Young, III-Founder of Aquarium for Pensacola: Our economic strength and future lives, breathes and grows by virtue of our clean beaches and Gulf…
New Senate bill lets Escambia kids go to Santa Rosa schools
A bill that would expand the public-school provisions of the Opportunity Scholarship Program moved through committees in both Florida legislative chambers this week. Students would…
Escambia County opens employee clinic
Press release: Concentra, a subsidiary of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), announced today it has opened a new on-site medical center for Escambia County employees, their…
Ingram manure bill narrowly passes committee
Rep. Clay “What’s that Smell” Ingram’s bill to prevent local governments from placing restrictions on fertilizer use passed the House Community Affairs & Military Subcommittee…
Escambia School District needs to hire Eric Smith
Escambia County public schools need a CEO – Chief Education Officer. A great candidate is Eric Smith, the outgoing Florida Secretary of Education. Smith was…
Morgan had no impact on first Stallworth trial
The daily newspaper reports today that Attorney Michelle Hendrix, who represents Donnie Stallworth, a defendant charged in the 2009 murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings,…
Buzz: Thomas investigation to blame SRO
Buzz: Superintendent Malcolm Thomas is set to release March 24 the findings of his investigation on how he, his school district administration and Tate High…
From head of Minutemen Project
Got this gem from a Tea Party email blast: Steve Eichler, J.D. Executive Director of the Minuteman Project/MinutemanProject.com and Executive Director of the Tea Party/TeaParty.org…
Move over Wisconsin, Florida union bashing begins
The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that state lawmakers have proposed several bills that are nearly identical to those proposed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: SB…
Haridopolos stalls Senate ethics bill
Last year Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos co-sponsored a bill that would have cracked down on legislative voting conflicts of interest. This year, he had…
A few questions
GREETING JURORS: Have the federal judges surveyed their jurors to see if they were swayed by Sheriff Morgan thanking them for their service at the…
Buzz: Townsend wants out-of-district nominee
The Pensacola City Council is appointing its redistricting committee. Each current district should be represented on the committee that will decide the boundaries of the…
State budget cuts could hurt local economy by $35.1 million
Rick Scott’s proposed budget eliminates the Medical Needy Program and reduces hospital Medicaid rates. Sacred Heart Health System, the largest Medicaid provider in Northwest Florida,…
Badlands Part 3
Press release: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and The Cottage Hill Neighborhood Watch, along with several other agencies, will conduct an “Operation Clean Sweep†event…
DOE Secretary resigns
Statement from Eric Smith who announced his resignation as the Secretary of the Florida Department of Education: This past weekend, I informed the members of…
Education is the target for state budget proposals
In Escambia County, County Administrator Randy Oliver has got his board eyeing the Sheriff David Morgan’s budget as a way to balance their budget. In…
GOP double-talk
I find it ironic that Gov. Rick Scott professes that his budget cuts will create jobs and revive our economy, yet most local officials will…
Arrests Made in Turner Homicide
Press Release: A year-long investigation into the death 20 year old Donald Diego Turner has led to two arrests on the anniversary of the crime….
