— New Audit Reveals $398 Million Shortfall— Florida’s expansion of school choice programs has left the state nearly $400 million short and school districts scrambling for fund during the 2024-25 school year,…
Pensacola Shipbuilder Patti Marine Expands
Shipbuilding has been part of Pensacola’s economy for centuries. Patti Marine has completed construction of an 800-ton dry dock, which was funded with a matching $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department…
Former UWF VP Named St. Cloud State President
Dr. Gregory Tomso, who has been on sabbatical leave from his job as the University of West Florida’s vice president of Academic Engagement and Student Affairs, has been named the 26th president…
My interview with Wilmer Mitchell
Attorney and business leader Wilmer Mitchell passed away last week. Wilmer was one of my “windows” into Pensacola’s history. We would have lunch at Apple Annie’s, and Wilmer would regale me with…
UWF Business 2025 HOF Class Inducted
The University of West Florida Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business inducted its 2025 Hall of Fame class on Nov. 17 at the UWF Conference Center. “The Lewis Bear Jr. College of…
When “I Do” Means “I Can’t Escape”: The Child Marriage Crisis That Shocked Florida
—Podcast: Ryan Wiggins on a Legislative Battle That Should Never Have Been— Between 2000 and 2015, Florida was the child marriage capital of the South. Over 16,000 children—some as young as 10…
PLT Withdraws From Escambia Children’s Trust
In a letter dated Oct. 20, the Pensacola Little Theatre (PLT) formally resigned withdraw from its Escambia Children’s Trust grant. PLT was in the last year of its three-year Out-of-School-Time grant, which…
Local Nonprofits Sound Alarm: 60,000 Locals Relay on SNAP
—Government shutdown has left vulnerable families scrambling as safety net organizations warn they cannot meet demand alone— Sixty thousand residents across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties depend on SNAP benefits to put…
Mayor Reeves: Red Light Cameras Issue 26,000+ Citations; Police Chief Search Underway
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves provided an update on the city’s red light camera program and the search for a new police chief during his weekly press conference, revealing that one intersection accounts…
Sheriff Chip Simmons: From Heartbreaking Tragedy to Record Drug Bust
In the latest episode of “(We Don’t) Color on the Dog,” Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons sat down to discuss some of the most challenging and significant law enforcement operations in recent…
Audit Consultant Proposal Falls Flat
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners engaged in a lengthy, at times contentious, discussion Monday morning over a proposal by Chair Ashlee Hofberger to hire a consulting firm to conduct a…
UWF Women’s Basketball Makes History with Disney Showcase
The University of West Florida women’s basketball team is off to a promising 2-0 start, but an even bigger story is unfolding this week as the Argos prepare to break new ground…
FOP Endorses Goss for Pensacola Police Chief
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #71 has thrown its full support behind Deputy Chief Erik Goss to become the next leader of the Pensacola Police Department, citing his 27 years of…
Mayor D.C. Reeves Unveils Vision for Port of Pensacola
The Port of Pensacola is about to undergo its most dramatic transformation in generations, and Mayor D.C. Reeves shared the details in the latest episode of “(We Don’t) Color on the Dog.”…
Hope Florida Disappears From AHCA Contract
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has amended its contract with Sunshine State Plan, Inc. for its Statewide Medical Managed Care Program. The amendment, dated Oct. 10, has removed Hope Florida,…
Pensacola Board Rewrites PBS, DEI Discussions
The Pensacola State College District Board of Trustees meets tomorrow. The agenda has significantly amended minutes for the minutes of its Sept. 16 workshop concerning the discussion of ending WSRE’s affiliation with…
City Seeks $86M for Massive Shipbuilding Project at Port of Pensacola
The City of Pensacola has submitted an application to Triumph Gulf Coast seeking $86 million to help finance construction of a major shipbuilding facility at the Port of Pensacola. The $250 million…
Hofberger Promotes Agenda Item, Overlooks Tax Increase
Escambia County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger scrambled yesterday to send out the attachment that her District aide, Melanie Luna, failed to include in a late Friday afternoon email. Background: The agenda item is…
Property Tax Discussion on Commissioners’ Agenda for Monday
After 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the media received an email from District 4 County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger’s office: Good afternoon, Please see the attached press release from the Escambia County District Four…
Exclusive: See the Latest Hard Rock/Reverb Renderings
The Inspired development team and Hard Rock officials visited Mayor D.C. Reeves and city officials to discuss adjustments to their Reverb project at Community Maritime Park. The developers behind the Reverb by Hard…