Category: State & National News
Democrats Sink, Davis Endorse Jolly
Alex Sink & incoming FL Senate Democratic Leader Tracie Davis endorse David Jolly for governor. The coalition keeps growing. ricksblog.biz
Demings Reveals Cancer Diagnosis, Suspends Run For Governor
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is suspending his gubernatorial campaign after being diagnosed with a…
Wiggins, Wilson Launch National Political Consulting Firm
Pensacola’s Ryan Wiggins joins Rick Wilson to launch Black Pearl Strategies—and their first target is Florida’s governor’s race.
Stazi Becomes Education Commissioner Given a Presidency
DeSantis’ education commissioner just landed the Polk State College presidency—and Pensacola State could be next in line for a political appointee.
Lawmakers Pass Property Tax Ballot Proposal; Mayor Reeves Discusses Impact
Florida lawmakers vote to gut local property taxes. Pensacola Mayor Reeves says the city could lose $6.4M/year—enough to close every park and community center.
Andrade Gives Update on Special Session
Florida lawmakers rewrote DeSantis’ property tax plan on Day 1—protecting school budgets, killing the trust fund, and rejecting a $5.5M ad campaign.
Sheriff Simmons Discusses Impact of Tax Cuts on ECSO
Sheriff Simmons: DeSantis’s tax plan could gut law enforcement funding — 92% of his budget is people, not programs. Here’s what it means for Escambia County.
Two Local Fallen Officers Added to National Memorial
Last week, the Pensacola Police Department, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office honored those in their agencies who died in service…
DeSantis, Perez Carry on Feud Amid Budget Battle
By Gray Rohrer and Ana Goñi-Lessan, The News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has grown frustrated at pieces of his agenda being thwarted by…
Lawmakers Open Special Session to Resolve Budget Stalemate
By Gray Rohrer and Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida Lawmakers convened a special session Tuesday to resolve a $1.4 billion difference between the…
FIRE Fires Off Second Letter to PSC
Free speech watchdog FIRE gives PSC until May 18 to restore funding for a student magazine blocked over LGBTQ content—or face a First Amendment lawsuit
How did the Florida Chamber Grade Our Lawmakers?
Florida Chamber grades NW Florida lawmakers: Boyles & Andrade earn A’s, Gaetz gets a B, Salzman pulls a C. See how your reps scored on business votes.
Legislature Approves DeSantis’ Congressional Districts
By Gary Rohrer, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE – Florida lawmakers approved a major redrawing of the state’s 28 congressional districts Wednesday, a move…
Democrats, Voting Rights Groups Challenge DeSantis’ Map
See you in court.’ Democrats, voting rights groups, and editorial boards are lighting up over DeSantis’s ‘Dummymander’—and lawsuits are already being promised.
DeSantis Delivers Redistricting Maps; Pensacola No Change
DeSantis wants Florida’s congressional map redrawn—race-neutral, controversial, and heading for a legislative vote THIS WEEK. Here’s what’s in the proposal.
DeSantis Rewards UWF Trustee Bailey w/Judgeship
DeSantis skipped a federal judge and 9 other qualified lawyers to put a UWF trustee on the bench. The network behind that pick is worth a close look.
Jolly Opens Pensacola Office, Following Chiles Formula
Jolly for Governor plants its first regional office on Pensacola’s iconic Palafox Street—echoing the grassroots spirit of Florida’s “Walkin’ Lawton.”
Andrade: DeSantis’s Fatal Flaws with Redistricting
DeSantis called a special session on redistricting—but a Pensacola lawmaker says the governor made two critical errors that put Florida in this mess.
Florida’s Redistricting Special Session Pushed Back as DeSantis Expands the Agenda
What was supposed to be a straightforward return to Tallahassee just got more complicated. The Delay Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation Wednesday postponing Florida’s…
Florida Unemployment Ticks Up to 4.5% in January—Escambia County Hit Hard
Florida’s unemployment rate climbed to 4.5% in January, a 0.2 percentage point jump from December, according to data released Wednesday by the Department of Commerce….
