The Escambia County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office recently reviewed the Pensacola-Escambia Promotion & Development Commission (PEDC) and related entities. This review raises questions about entity relationships and the flow of public funds…
Category: Escambia County
COW to hear ambitious plan to build four fire stations
At the Committee of the Whole tomorrow morning, Escambia County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger will present an ambitious plan to construct four new fire stations. This $34 million investment would fulfill her campaign…
Water Fluoride Ban Heading to DeSantis
Last December, we predicted that fluoride would become an issue in 2025. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, cited controversial studies that…
ECT/BCC consider funding Summer Youth Employment
The Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) has submitted a proposal to redirect nearly half a million dollars toward directly benefiting local youth through the County’s Summer Youth Employment Program. On March 14, 2025,…
Daily Outtakes: Carrying the Scars of Child Abuse
April marks Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when communities nationwide unite to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect while promoting strategies to create safer environments for our children. Though we…
Daily Outtakes: Escambia’s Not Ready for Prime Time Commissioner
Escambia County’s District 4 commissioner, Ashlee Hofberger, has misfired again. This time, it is on her design for an upgrade to the Pensacola Beach Toll Plaza. The design uses an Innisfree logo….
Top Stories: Week ended April 26, 2025
With the Florida Legislative Session winding down, state politics attracted the most readers to the blog. However, Inweekly’s feature story on Emily Ley and her legal battle over the Trump Administration’s tariffs…
Breaking: Tourism Big Loser in House Budget
Florida lawmakers are making significant changes to how tourism tax dollars are allocated, attempting to balance property tax relief with tourism promotion needs. The Florida House recently approved a $5.008 billion tax…
Florida Tourism Under Threat: House bill could damage our local economy
Tourism is the lifeblood of Florida’s economy, particularly in coastal communities like Pensacola. For decades, the Tourism Development Tax (TDT) has funded both promotion and infrastructure development. Now, House Bills 1221 and…
Council on Aging Senors Programs at risk due to DOGE layoffs
AmeriCorps Seniors Programs at Risk: Council on Aging Faces Funding Crisis The Council on Aging of West Florida is facing a serious funding crisis that threatens vital programs for seniors and children…
Florida’s appeal hits the skids; Pensacola may be the unicorn
According to Redfern, the flow of U.S. residents moving to Florida and other Sun Belt states slowed significantly in 2024. This marks a dramatic shift from the pandemic-era migration boom that saw…
Top Posts: Week ending April 19, 2025
Gov. Ron DeSantis coming to Pensacola for the first time since appointing five outsiders to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees generated several popular articles. However, readers loved hearing that…
County Housing program changes lives
For many long-term residents of Escambia County, their homes have become more than just places to live—they’ve become sources of stress and safety concerns. Structural issues can compound rapidly as houses age,…
Follow the Money: Foundation Chair admits ‘Mistakes were made’
The Hope Florida Foundation, a nonprofit organization tasked with fundraising for Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis’ welfare assistance initiative, has found at the center of a rapidly growing controversy. Under oath before…
Top Stories: Week ending April 12, 2025
Just when I thought things were calming down as we headed into Holy Week, news stories took off in several directions, and several attracted over 20K views. Two top stories showed how…
Influence of local state lawmakers noticed statewide
Our Northwest Florida delegation has proven remarkably effective this legislative session, each lawmaker bringing their unique strengths to Tallahassee. Rep. Michelle Salzman continues to be a fierce advocate for her District 1…
Daily Outtakes: Baptist, Bay Center, Attack on Unhoused
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves held his regular press conference yesterday, addressing several ongoing city projects and responding to a disturbing incident involving teenagers attacking an unhoused individual. City-County Recap Mayor Reeves described…
Breaking: UWF Board chair Scott Yenor resigns
UPDATE: Yenor Resignation Letter – here Tallahassee sources have confirmed that Boise State professor Scott Yenor has resigned from the University of West Florida Board of Trustees. Yenor was elected board chairman…
Escambia County, Pensacola Habitat to Host Homebuyer Workshop April 12
Are you dreaming of homeownership but worried about affordability? Escambia County and Pensacola Habitat for Humanity are joining forces to host a free homebuyer workshop focused on 14 newly constructed single-family homes…
ECUA receives grant for Beach water main
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) has received a $2 million state grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) through their Local Government Water Supply Pilot Grant program to support…
