Cover Story: The calendar says fall is right around the corner—even if the thermostat doesn’t agree. But locally, you can usually tell summer is over when festival season begins. The Pensacola Seafood Festival is one of those indicators. Read more.
News: Beggs Land Camp on the Clock
The homeless population at the Beggs Lane encampment runs the gamut of hard-working, minimum-wage earners to substance abusers to sexual predators. Dozens of stray dogs and cats, countless piles of trash and a smattering of dilapidated RV campers, boats and vehicles add to the ambience.
An EPA sign states in capital letters, “Escambia Wood Treating Company Superfund Site No Authorized Entry” and hangs on a fence at the back of the encampment. The contaminated county property is no place for human habitation. The EPA minced no words in telling the county anyone living there is unacceptable. Yet, just about 100 feet from the sign is a couple sitting in lawn chairs surrounded by all of their worldly possessions. Read more.
Music: The Best Golfing Rapper
Wyatt Coleman hasn’t named one of his own songs since “Hot Air Balloon” in 2021.
The Gulf Breeze musician and sound engineer lets his fans vie for the song titles and artwork through his MADEBYUS project—a name that harmonizes perfectly with his recording studio Made By Dubs. Because the rapper and singer-songwriter releases music monthly—at times, even weekly—fans have been handed a huge stake in the art. Read more.
Other Favorites:
Chris Watts
Escambia County selected Watts as the new Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief starting Monday, Aug. 19. Chief Watts joins EMS with more than 13 years of emergency medical service experience. As EMS Chief, Chief Watts’ duties will include managing the annual EMS budget, developing goals and objectives for EMS, planning and conducting research, ensuring compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, and complying with regulations, codes and standards. He has earned numerous certifications, including Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Burn Life Support.
Mayor D.C. Reeves has good reason to reconnect the neighborhood lost when Interstate 110 was built. Over 400 families were relocated.
RECONNECTING A LOST NEIGHBORHOOD On Sept. 12, Urban Design Associates will present draft principles created for the Hollice T. Williams Equitable Development Framework Plan.
