News - Rick's Blog

StudioAmped Band Wins CMA Vocal Group of the Year

The Red Clay Strays from Mobile, Alabama, won “Vocal Group of the Year” at the 2025 CMA Awards. Last year, they won the “Emerging Artist…

Exclusive: Studer Palafox Assistance Program

—Studer Establishes Interest-Free Loan Program for Businesses Impacted by Palafox Construction— Quint Studer is setting up an interest-free loan program to help downtown Pensacola businesses…

All I Want Campaign Starts Strong

“All I Want” Holiday Promotion is having a great start for the first two weeks with $24,000 in receipts submitted, according to DIB Executive Director…

FPL Bills Will Drop Here, for a year

Immediate Impact: For typical residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt hours monthly: Northwest Florida (former Gulf Power area): Bills actually decrease from $143.60 to $141.36 in…

Achieve Escambia & the Uncomfortable Question Pensacola Must Answer

Achieve Escambia has quietly shut down its nonprofit and has asked United Way of West Florida to take over the initiative. And if you’re wondering…

United Way Launches Emergency Relief Fund for Families

As Northwest Florida begins to recover from the recent federal government shutdown, United Way of West Florida has stepped up to address a growing crisis…

African American Heritage Society Celebrated its 35th Anniversary in Style

A sold-out crowd of 200 attended the African American Heritage Society‘s black tie affair, which was dedicated to the late Dr. Christine B.J. Fulwylie, a…

Florida’s School Choice Expansion Collides with Funding Reality

— New Audit Reveals $398 Million Shortfall— Florida’s expansion of school choice programs has left the state nearly $400 million short and school districts scrambling…

Pensacola Shipbuilder Patti Marine Expands

Shipbuilding has been part of Pensacola’s economy for centuries. Patti Marine has completed construction of an 800-ton dry dock, which was funded with a matching…

Former UWF VP Named St. Cloud State President

Dr. Gregory Tomso, who has been on sabbatical leave from his job as the University of West Florida’s vice president of Academic Engagement and Student…

My interview with Wilmer Mitchell

Attorney and business leader Wilmer Mitchell passed away last week. Wilmer was one of my “windows” into Pensacola’s history. We would have lunch at Apple…

UWF Business 2025 HOF Class Inducted

The University of West Florida Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business inducted its 2025 Hall of Fame class on Nov. 17 at the UWF Conference…

When “I Do” Means “I Can’t Escape”: The Child Marriage Crisis That Shocked Florida

—Podcast: Ryan Wiggins on a Legislative Battle That Should Never Have Been— Between 2000 and 2015, Florida was the child marriage capital of the South….

PLT Withdraws From Escambia Children’s Trust

In a letter dated Oct. 20, the Pensacola Little Theatre (PLT) formally resigned withdraw from its Escambia Children’s Trust grant. PLT was in the last…

Local Nonprofits Sound Alarm: 60,000 Locals Relay on SNAP

—Government shutdown has left vulnerable families scrambling as safety net organizations warn they cannot meet demand alone— Sixty thousand residents across Escambia and Santa Rosa…

Mayor Reeves: Red Light Cameras Issue 26,000+ Citations; Police Chief Search Underway

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves provided an update on the city’s red light camera program and the search for a new police chief during his weekly…

Sheriff Chip Simmons: From Heartbreaking Tragedy to Record Drug Bust

In the latest episode of “(We Don’t) Color on the Dog,” Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons sat down to discuss some of the most challenging…

Audit Consultant Proposal Falls Flat

The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners engaged in a lengthy, at times contentious, discussion Monday morning over a proposal by Chair Ashlee Hofberger to…