Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons opened 2026 with a positive announcement, one that should please residents concerned about public safety: the number of homicides fell last year from 32 to 18, a…
Category: Escambia County
Why Sources Trust Us: The Major Stories We Broke in 2025
When I started my newspaper 27 years ago, I talked with publishers, editors and reporters with successful alt-weekly newspapers around the country. They said that Gannett would be a tough competitor and…
10 Legal Issues to Watch in 2026
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Alligator Alcatraz. Guns. Social media. Legal battles about those and myriad other Florida issues remain unresolved heading into 2026. Here are 10…
Subcontractors Sought for Reverb by Hard Rock Hotel
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 147-key hotel, including a 325-space parking podium,…
County Takes Over Paratransit Services on Dec. 22
From Escambia County: This notice applies to current approved Transportation Disadvantaged and ADA Complementary Paratransit Service clients who have rides scheduled with ITL starting Monday, Dec. 22. Escambia County Area Transit has…
Escambia County Delivers in FY 2024-2025
Escambia County’s annual report for fiscal year 2024-2025 showcases a wide-ranging effort to improve infrastructure, respond to emergencies, and address homelessness across the region’s 320,000-plus residents. Read annual report. Emergency Response Through…
TaxWatch Report: Local Tax Burden Less Here
Florida TaxWatch has released its 2025 “How Florida Counties Compare” report, and the data reveal that Escambia and Santa Rosa counties fare favorably compared to the state average and counties with similar…
Escambia County Fights Hunger One Jar at Time
Local donors contributed 4,214 jars of peanut butter to this year’s statewide Peanut Butter Challenge—more than any other Florida county—helping stock food pantries before the holidays with protein-rich, shelf-stable food that families…
Hangout 2026 Cancelled, Gulf Shores Insisted on Country Music
Gulf Shores’ marquee music festival—Hangout Fest that was rebranded last year as Morgan Wallen’s Sand in My Boots Festival— will skip 2026. City officials and AEG executives confirmed the cancellation this week,…
Red Alert: Has Childers Killed Tourism?
Earlier this year, we broke the news that County Clerk Pam Childers was withholding reimbursement for invoices totaling over $1 million for Visit Pensacola and tourism marketing. Some invoices dated back to…
Running for Office in Escambia County: A Guide for Candidates with Supervisor Robert Bender
—Pre-Filing vs. Qualifying: Understanding the Difference— Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender held a workshop this week for prospective candidates considering runs for local office in 2026, walking attendees through the…
Sheriff Simmons: Unusual Brinks Robbery
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons joined the “(We Don’t) Color On the Dog” podcast this week to discuss a holiday weekend that saw an unusual theft, along with his agency’s plans for…
“Keep the Wreath Green” Fire Safety Campaign Kicks off 12/1
Escambia County Fire Rescue, in collaboration with the Pensacola Fire Department, launched its annual “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign Monday, Dec. 1. While a joyous time of year, cold weather,…
Florida Blue Foundation Funds Mental Health Program at Studer Children’s Hospital
Studer Family Children’s Hospital has received a four-year grant from the Florida Blue Foundation to establish a new mental health support program for children and families facing serious health challenges across Northwest…
SOE Candidate Workshop Next Week
The Escambia County Supervisor of Election’s Office is offering a candidate workshop to prepare candidates for qualifying for office in the 2026 election cycle. The workshop is aimed at those seeking to…
Operation Nottingham: Sheriff Simmon on Major Fentanyl Trafficking Bust
An eight-month investigation into a major drug trafficking organization operating across Northwest Florida culminated last week with 15 arrests and the seizure of nearly 15 pounds of fentanyl, 58 pounds of methamphetamine,…
Point-in-Time Count Volunteers Needed
Opening Doors Northwest Florida and Escambia County are seeking volunteers to participate in the 2026 Point-in-Time Count, an annual event that collects valuable information to help individuals experiencing homelessness in the community….
The Value of Investigative Reporting
In 2015, we noticed the rising number of deaths in the Escambia County Jail since the county had taken control of the facility and since the jail explosion. From Nov. 1, 2014,…
Top Reads: Week Ended Nov. 22, 2025
The local economy trended this week. Shipbuilding City On Monday, we broke the news that the City of Pensacola has applied to Triumph Gulf Coast seeking $86 million to help finance construction…
This Week in Pensacola: Audio Version
I stepped up my podcast interviews this past week, and both the individual episodes and the reels performed well. I have put together the interviews into one long-form audio version. The interviews…
