The election – both at national and local levels – overshadowed much of what happened in our community in 2024. Some stories get buried under the avalanche of higher-profile articles that gain oxygen from other media. Here are a few that I think got overlooked:
Mystery of Bergosh Texts Solved
Last year, Escambia County learned former County Commissioner Doug Underhill’s aide, Jonathan Owens, had given the attorneys for Dr. Laura Edler, who was in litigation against the county, records from Commissioner Jeff Bergosh’s cell phone stolen off the county’s server. In early August 2023, Owens said on the radio that an anonymous source had left a thumb drive in his county office.
The county’s IT director, Bart Siders, investigated the breach. Owens said he told Siders, “I said a thumb drive showed up in my office when I was still working at the county, and lo and behold, it had all Commissioner Bergosh’s text messages on it.”
In March, the Florida Commission on Ethics found the probable cause that Owens violated Florida law and has launched a full investigation.
The State Attorney’s Office investigated this past year and gave Siders immunity. Under oath, Siders – the IT director who investigated the breech – told the state attorney’s offic that after Bergosh complimented Siders and his staff for helping him with his phone during a public meeting in February 2023, he received a telephone call from someone who said he wanted to remain anonymous but was making a public request for the data downloaded from Bergosh’s phone. Even though the caller did not identify themselves, Siders recognized the voice was Jonathan Owens. Siders provided Owens a complete copy of the information downloaded from the phone. This took place in a parking garage adjacent to the county office building.
It’s uncertain how the State Attorney’s report will impact the ethics investigation of Owens, but Commissioner Steve Stroberger appointed Owens to the planning board for helping defeat Bergosh. Corruption, lying and dirty politics still exist in Escambia County and are sometimes rewarded.
FloridaWest Reboots
In July, Brian Hilson, CEO of FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance, resigned and moved to the Birmingham area. It was reported his departure was due to apressing need to be with aging family members and to provide support to his wife, Windy, who is their caretaker. However, Hilson took another job as the Bibbs County (Ala.) Chamber executive director.
The FloridaWest board turned to a familiar face to run its day-to-day operations on an interim basis. Rick Byars was named interim CEO. He previously served as board president and chaired the executive committee that oversaw operations during the gap between former CEOs Scott Luth and Brian Hilson.
In November, Chris Platé accepted the CEO position. He brings nearly 30 years of experience in economic development to FloridaWest, serving the past 25 with the Monroe-Union County Economic Development Commission.
OTHER POSTS:
Pensacola’s Turbine Factory Lands Big Contract
GE Vernova, GE’s renewable energy spinoff, will supply 674 wind turbines for Pattern Energy’s SunZia Wind Project, with manufacturing across facilities in Pensacola, Florida and three other states. The project, backed by $11 billion in financing, includes both the wind farm and a transmission line to deliver power to western U.S. markets.
An infant dies every 12 days
The Sun Sentinel began a series that looks at Florida’s high infant mortality rate – “Born to Die.” Over the past decade, Escambia County has averaged one infant dying every 12 days before the baby reaches its first birthday. The racial split is: White 39%, Black 49%, and Other 12%.
EPA plan for American Cresote site blasted
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General has determined the EPA’s oversight and implementation of institutional controls for the clean-up of the American Creosote Works Inc. Superfund site on J Street near the Pensacola Yacht Club and Sanders Beach are not sufficient to prevent potential exposure to contamination.
PNJ paid print distribution tumbles to less than 5K
In October, the Pensacola News Journal published its United States Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation. The report shows the newspaper’s print runs only averaged 6,548 copies from August 2023 through July 2024. Only 4,928 copies were sold, which explains why it was cheaper for Gannett to mail the newspaper instead of using carriers.
Remarkable thank you so much, Rick