Politics - Rick's Blog

Trump still leads GOP presidential field

The latest Fox News poll shows Donald Trump leading the GOP presidential field nationally with 25%, followed by Ben Carson at 12%, Ted Cruz at…

For betterment of the city: Mayor, investigate tower lease

In a face-to-face interview with Shannon Nickinson of the Studer Community Institute, Mayor Ashton Hayward said he wants to put past mistakes behind him and…

Mayor provides answers about his former COO

The News Journal asked eight questions of Mayor Ashton Hayward about his former Chief of Operations, Tamara Fountain,(Editorial: Mayor Hayward responds). He provided written answers…

Emails, Phone Calls and Sunshine

Last Monday, Mayor Ashton Hayward announced through a press release that his Chief Operations Officer had resigned. He said Eric Olson, his City Administrator, would…

Nichols had clearance from her boss and legal department

In a comment posted earlier this morning, Melanie Nichols, president of the North Hill Preservation Association, wrote that she had clearance from both her supervisor…

Jeb Bush coming to Pensacola Aug. 26

Former Florida Governor and 2016 GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush will host a Town Hall meeting at the Pensacola Bay Center on Wednesday, Aug. 26….

Levin sends letter supporting Hayward, calling coverage of city hall ‘destructive’, deserving of ‘negative stupidity’ award

Attorney Fred Levin sent late yesterday a letter to the News Journal and Inweekly in support of Mayor Ashton Hayward and requesting that we print…

And the walls come tumbling down

The PNJ is reporting that Pensacola City Councilman Charles Bare will call for a vote of no confidence in city administrator Eric Olson to be…

Sallis signs voting conflict form

Planning Board member Scott Sallis has signed a Form 8B – Memorandum of Voting Conflict. It is for the vote that occurred on July 14….

What is Hayward’s role in ‘outrageous and chilling’ behavior of his City Administrator

Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, told Inweekly that City Administrator Eric Olson crossed the line when he called the boss of Melanie…

Backroom briefing: Jury still out on Justices and Legislature

Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida By BRANDON LARRABEE AND JIM TURNER THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA In the ongoing case of…

Olson and the email trail that indicates Nichols was targeted

City Administrator Eric Olson did not send a mandate to his department heads about how to reply to emails sent from government accounts until July…

Bill proposed to overhaul Florida medical marijuana laws

From The News Service of Florida: More than a year after lawmakers approved allowing limited types of medical marijuana to be sold in Florida, a…

Planning board members say they relied on city staff

Planning Board member Scott Sallis read a written statement into the record at the Aug. 11 board meeting. He said that he voted on the…

Medical marijuana signatures piling up

From The News Service of Florida: Backers of a ballot proposal to legalize medical marijuana are moving toward getting a key Florida Supreme Court review,…

PNJ editorial blisters Olson for bullying, Hayward for his silence

The News Journal asked the First Amendment Foundation about City Administrator Eric Olson ordering city employees to not read emails from government accounts. FAF President…

City Hall: The Wobbly Wheel of Pensacola

Pensacola is an exciting place to live. Downtown Pensacola is booming and more development is on the way. The YMCA of Northwest Florida this morning…

Lt. Gov. Lopez-Cantera objects to U.S. embassy opening in Havana

Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who is running for the U.S. Senate, issued this statement: â€œThe Obama Administrationâ€™s refusal to invite pro-democracy leaders to Fridayâ€™s…