Issue — May 14, 2026
A PSC president’s lasting legacy, DeSantis torches the Fair Districts Constitution, censored student journalists fight back, library hiring texts expose a cover-up, and your summer movie guide starts now. Here’s what you need to read this week.
News—PRofile
Dr. Ed Meadows’ Legacy
He arrived at a junior college in 2008 and leaves behind a premier state institution. Tom St. Myer’s profile of Pensacola State College’s outgoing president captures 19 years of transformation—and the student letter that says more than any résumé could.
When asked about his proudest accomplishment across nearly 19 years leading Pensacola State College, Dr. Ed Meadows didn’t cite buildings or grants or enrollment numbers. He pulled out a letter from a graduating student named Lori Rudd—a mother of nine who survived domestic violence, returned to school after 30 years away, and crossed the stage last spring as a Pirate. The résumé is staggering nonetheless. Under Meadows, PJC became PSC. The college added three baccalaureate degrees, eight Associate in Science degrees, three advanced technology diplomas and 61 career and technical certificates. It built the Molly McGuire School of Culinary Arts, the Baars Technology Building, a Commercial Truck Driving Training Center, an aviation maintenance facility at Pensacola International Airport, and more. PSC secured over $36 million in Triumph Gulf Coast funding. Nearly 8,400 donors gave $35.5 million to the foundation since 2008.“The college is definitely better today than it was 17, 18 years ago … The community is better, and I think Pensacola State has been a big part of that.” —Grover Robinson IV, PSC Associate VP of Government and Community Relations
His tenure was not without friction. Meadows submitted his resignation effective December 31 after the Board of Trustees deadlocked 4-4 on a performance-based compensation package—DeSantis appointees voting against, despite a positive review. Whether he serves out his final months is still an open question. Read Tom St. Myer’s full profile at inweekly.net.Opinion
Outtakes — Rick Outzen
Ignoring the State Constitution
In 2010, more than 3.15 million Floridians voted to end gerrymandering. They approved the Fair Districts amendments by 63%—embedding strict anti-rigging standards directly into Article III of the Florida Constitution. That fight took 1.6 million petition signatures and multiple court victories. Last week, DeSantis unveiled a new congressional map on Fox News—drawn by his own aides, handed to favored media before the Legislature saw it, then rubber-stamped in special session. The map reshapes 21 of Florida’s 28 congressional districts and could flip as many as four seats, potentially turning a 20-8 Republican advantage into a 24-4 demolition of competitive representation. The courts may yet intervene. Two lawsuits landed within days. But DeSantis has compressed the timeline deliberately—congressional qualifying runs June 8–12—to outrun judicial review and present a fait accompli. This column argues Floridians should not have to rely on judges to vindicate a mandate they delivered at the ballot box. Read the full columnWinners & Losers
| Winners
Joshua KhanGulf Breeze High School senior named inaugural 2026 Emerald Coast Youth Poet Laureate by Emerald Coast Writers at a commencement ceremony at the Pensacola Museum of Art. Younge DogbeThe UWF senior and U.S. Army veteran becomes the first UWF student to receive a Boren Scholarship—heading to the University of Ghana to study international and humanitarian logistics. Morette FamilyDesignated Pensacola State College Foundation Fellows after more than 26 years of volunteerism, leadership and philanthropic support—including a $100,000 gift to establish the Morette Family Endowed Scholarship. |
Losers
Spirit AirlinesGone. The airline’s demise is being blamed on a blocked JetBlue acquisition, spiking fuel costs tied to the Iran war, poor hedging and excessive debt. Mayor Reeves says the Pensacola airport impact is minimal—Frontier and Breeze have largely filled the gap. Bratt TikTok PrankstersA reported child abduction near Bratt Elementary turned out to be teens doing a TikTok challenge. The stunt triggered a full emergency response. ECSO is not amused. Sloth World OrlandoState prosecutors pursuing a criminal investigation after more than 30 of 61 imported sloths died from viral infections and organ failure. The attraction filed for bankruptcy. |
The Buzz
| Library Texts: The Policy That Never Was
During a May 7 commission meeting, the county attorney revealed that a 2011 board directive banning commissioners and aides from interfering in county hiring was never formally incorporated into any policy manual and never enforced. The disclosure came as commissioners confronted County Administrator Wes Moreno over the library director hire—and text messages showing Chair Hofberger’s aide Melanie Luna attended hiring interviews and mocked the board’s top pick. Moreno apologized for the “optics.” Hofberger said nothing publicly. |
PSC Censors Student Magazine
One week before Just Opposed—a student arts and culture magazine—was set to print, a PSC administrator invoked Florida’s Stop WOKE Act to kill it. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sent an urgent letter to President Meadows calling it a textbook prior restraint and warning that administrators who violate clearly established First Amendment law can be held personally liable for monetary damages. Students are exploring crowdfunding to publish anyway. |
| Perdido Key Customary Use
The Escambia County Commission voted 3-2 to open a public submission portal for beachgoers to document their historic access to Perdido Key’s dry-sand beaches—the first concrete step toward a potential Customary Use ordinance. Affidavits, photos, videos and documents can be submitted at myescambia.com/perdidokeybeaches through Aug. 28. |
Florida Chamber Report Card
Northwest Florida’s delegation gets mixed grades from the Florida Chamber of Commerce on its 2026 Legislative Report Card. Rep. Nathan Boyles leads at 93% (A), Rep. Alex Andrade close behind at 92%, Sen. Don Gaetz at 89% (B) and Rep. Michelle Salzman at 79% (C). Statewide average: 82%. |
Summer Preview
2026 Summer Movie Guide
Forget beach reads. Joshua Encinias breaks down the dark, loud and weird films headed to theaters from May through August—plus the one Pensacola screens are waiting to open for.
The summer kicks off May 15 with Obsession—a monkey’s paw chiller that won over Toronto last fall—and doesn’t let up until Jackass: Best and Last closes things out at the end of June. In between: Boots Riley’s shoplifting satire I Love Boosters, the inevitable The Mandalorian and Grogu, A24’s IKEA-nightmare horror Backrooms, the Wayans brothers reclaiming their throne with a new Scary Movie, and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey—starring Matt Damon as Odysseus—on July 17. The local angle: AMC Bayou 15 is reportedly hoping its revamped IMAX screen opens in time for The Odyssey. That would be something. The full release calendar—with opening dates, cast details and Encinias’s takes on what’s worth your time—is in this week’s issue at inweekly.net.Arts & Entertainment
By Dakota Parks
Painting the Misfits: Jaime Diffee at 309 Punk Project
The May Artist-in-Residence at 309 Punk Project paints possums giving thumbs-ups, armadillos in combat boots and cowboy-hat-wearing toads—creatures dismissed as pests who, in Diffee’s hands, become emblems of queer resilience and ecological importance. By day, Diffee works as preparator and curatorial coordinator at the Pensacola Museum of Art. By month, they’re inviting the community into their weird little world through workshops, wildlife sanctuary collaborations and a closing exhibit benefiting the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida. Night on the Tracks is Saturday, May 16, 5–11 p.m., along the Wright Street corridor. Closing exhibit: May 29 at 309 Punk Project.
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