By Jim Turner and Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida With Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a state budget and a flurry of other bills, the dust has settled on the 2025…
Category: Florida
DeSantis Vetoes Four Bills
On Friday, June 27, Gov. Ron DeSantis exercised his executive authority by vetoing four bills that had previously passed through the Florida Legislature. His reasons for the vetoes were concerns about government…
Daily Outtakes: Inside Dozier Boys Settlement
After decades of silence and suffering, 926 survivors of Florida’s notorious reform schools are finally receiving acknowledgment and compensation from the state. Last week, men who endured horrific abuse as children at…
DeSantis signs historic beach access bill
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1622 at Shunk Gallery Oyster Bar on Tuesday, delivering a long-awaited victory for beach access advocates who have fought for years to restore traditional public use…
Top Reads: week ended June 21, 2025
Escambia County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger and her $1.4 million architectural arch for Pensacola Beach drew the most attention, particularly her efforts to spin it. After the five-day survey, her conflation of the…
Podcast: Andrade discusses budget’s ‘war of attrition’
As chair of the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, State Rep. Alex Andrade oversaw the largest portion of Florida’s state budget. The Pensacola Republican characterized the final days of negotiations as particularly…
Andrade on $115B budget: Tax Cuts, Healthcare Reform, and Hope Florida
As Florida legislators prepare for tonight’s final budget vote, State Rep. Alex Andrade offered insights into what he calls a “fiscally conservative” $115 billion spending plan that prioritizes tax relief and government…
Top Reads: Week ended June 14, 2025
Readers followed closely the University of West Florida Board of Trustees and the Pensacola Beach Gateway debacle. UWF We posted Manny Diaz’s employment contract before any media in the state. Florida Education…
From Ole Miss Politics to Mysteries
A Conversation with Author Dr. Darden North In this podcast episode, I reconnected with longtime friend Dr. Darden North, a practicing gynecologist turned acclaimed mystery novelist. In this engaging conversation, the two…
From Republican to Democrat: David Jolly’s Bold Vision
Former Republican congressman David Jolly is making waves in Florida politics with his campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor. His recent appearance on “(We Don’t) Color On the Dog” podcast revealed…
Daily Outtakes: See UWF interim president’s proposed contract
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz will get a $319K pay increase if the University of West Florida Board of Trustees approves tomorrow the contract that Board chair Rebecca Matthews has proposed. The…
Oops, Hope Florida Foundation to amend tax return
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Hope Florida Foundation will amend its tax return to show the Governor’s Cup golf tournament made money. In April, after the Foundation released its Form 990, which covered…
Daily Outtakes: Andrade won’t back down on budget
State Rep. Alex Andrade isn’t backing off his position on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Hope Florida budget demands. As chair of the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, Andrade is wielding budget authority like…
Top Reads: Week ended June 7, 2025
The stories that attracted the most readers were the ones that the Pensacola News Journal either barely reported or ignored completely: County Clerk Pam Childers’ power play brings tourism to a halt,…
Jolly announces run for governor
Today. Former Republican Congressman David Jolly announced his campaign for Florida governor, becoming the first prominent Democrat to enter the 2026 race. The 52-year-old former Pinellas County representative and cable news commentator…
Andrade offers little hope for Hope Florida navigators
Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola), who heads House healthcare budget negotiations, is proposing to cut $2.5 million from the Hope Florida program—eliminating 20 Hope navigator positions and six additional positions in Veterans’ Affairs….
Andrade ultimatum: No Reports, No Salary [podcast]
Florida’s budget negotiations are heating up in Tallahassee, and State Rep. Alex Andrade isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to government waste. In a recent podcast interview, Andrade revealed his aggressive…
Breaking: DeSantis names Stasi Education Commissioner
As I reported on May 19, Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas the new Florida Commissioner of Education. Official Announcement TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his recommendation of Anastasios…
Breaking: Pensacola mayor endorses Byron Donalds for governor
At his weekly press conference, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves officially endorsed Congressman Byron Donalds for governor, adding another high-profile endorsement to Donalds’ campaign that already enjoys President Donald Trump’s backing. Speaking to…
Backroom Briefing: Stadium Money Benched
Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — It’s been nearly 20 years since Florida directly approved money for construction of…
