Author: Rick Outzen
Physician arrested in sex predator investigation
On Thursday Jan. 2, deputies arrested Brian Mitchell Lee, 43, of Pensacola, for traveling to meet a juvenile for sex and using a 2-way device…
State owes Escambia County $1.7 million, says it cannot pay it
We keep hearing how much money the state of Florida has, thanks to the leadership of Rick Scott. In September, Florida had a projected surplus…
Evers has bill regarding utility vehicles
State Sen. Greg Evers (R-Okaloosa) is sponsoring a bill (SB 478) that will require drivers to slow down or move over a lane when approaching…
National Flag Football Championship begins today
Over 700 Collegiate Flag Football Players in Town for 3-Day tournament this weekend. The 2014 National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Flag Football Championship is being…
City Manager memo shows City knew that there was no assignment of Pitt Slip lease to The Fish House
It took some digging through the City of Pensacola archives on Fortis but we found a memorandum by City Manager Tom Bonfield to the city…
Benefit for homeless veterans and their families
What: Wine Tasting, Music & Art To Support the Home for the Holidays program for homeless veteran families When: 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014…
Hate crimes double in Pensacola
The Pensacola area saw the number of its reported hate crimes double in 2012 from the prior year, according to a report released Tuesday by…
Judge Johnson resigns
The Honorable Thomas E. Johnson, Escambia County Judge, has tendered his resignation from office for retirement to be effective Monday, March 31, 2014. Judge Johnson…
PNJ source for stories against former public defender and war hero suspended from practicing law
On Dec. 31, the Florida Supreme Court announced it has suspended Pensacola attorney Gene Polk for 90 days, followed by a three-year probation. He was…
Outtakes #1: UCF Nightmare Too Close to Home
The phone call was one I never thought I would get from my youngest daughter. “Dad, I’m okay. The campus security has the gunman. He’s…
Carmen Meet the Artists Luncheon RSVP deadline tomorrow
Carmen Meet the Artists Luncheon on Tuesday, January 7th at 11:30 a.m. Pensacola Opera and the University of West Florida’s Leisure Learning Society will co-host…
News story #1: Satoshi Forest
The Independent News has covered homelessness in this area for years. Jesse Farthing touched the hearts of many locals with this article on this unique…
News story #2: Failure to Serve
At September Escambia County Commission meeting, a half-dozen disabled citizens and bus drivers appeared before the commissioners to speak against the extension of the ADA…
News story #3: Talking Trash
Escambia County and Emerald Coast Utility Authority have squared off over the future of solid waste collection, recycling and disposal in the county. The battle…
IN cover #3: Not Invisible Anymore, The Reality of Rape in the Military
Sexual assaults in the military and how poorly the military command has handled them were big national stories. We found that the rapes were also…
Outtakes #4: Sucker USA
Despite concerns about what might eventually be developed on the site, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority voted this afternoon to take the next step…
News story #4: Calming the Chamber Storm
The Greater Pensacola Chamber imploded during the first half of 2013. Former Pensacola Mayor and House Majority Leader Jerry Maygarden was called in to restore…
IN cover #4: Get Out of Jail Free
This story by Jesse Farthing was largely ignored by mainstream media. An inmate at the Escambia County Work Release Facility checked himself out of lock-up…
Outtakes #5: How Do You Like Us Now
Last year, Escambia County Commissioner Wilson Robertson blasted the local media declaring we were the worst enemy of the county. Most of his ire was…
News story #5: When Love Is Not Enough
The summer of 2013 was too hot and too long for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The shooting of unarmed Roy Middleton in the driveway…
