(Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida) BY BRANDON LARRABEE THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA So far, the legislative effort to review lobbying firms’ compensation reports hasn’t appeared to find…
Remembering 9/11/01
When the airliners crashed into the Twin Towers, we were having a sales meeting. The television was on CNN in another part of the office. An editor ran into the room calling…
WUWF report gives clues to the future of DeepFlex
WUWF radio has a segment on DeepFlex and its future at the Port of Pensacola. In June 2014, the city announced that DeepFlex agreed to build a $52-million flexible pipe manufacturing and…
PLT opens ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ on Sept. 18
Press release: What do an evil queen, a cursed king, a prince who can’t marry, and a princess who can’t sleep have in common? If you think you know all of your…
Body cam video conflicts with statements by Chief Alexander
In his press release, Chief David Alexander gave this description of the incident inside Allen Chapel AME Church: “Officer Darling waited outside the sanctuary and spoke with a female who stated she…
Public records give a fuller picture of Allen Chapel incident
Before he issued his statement on Sunday about the Allen Chapel incident, Chief David Alexander didn’t contact Pastor Freddie Tellis or Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan to learn all the facts. According…
Florida Taxi vs. Uber battle, Round 2
CAB COMPANIES LAUNCH INSURANCE CHALLENGE IN UBER WAR BY DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Taxicab companies in Broward County and Tallahassee filed their second lawsuit against the state in as…
Body cam video from Allen Chapel incident
The body cam videos from the Allen Chapel incident. You can hear the pastor asking the officer to have a seat: The supervisor arrives – waiting in the foyer for the…
Hayward: ‘We do not want to slow down the bridge process’
Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward told Inweekly this morning that he had no intention of slowing down the construction of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. He had asked for an aesthetic review of the…
Allen Chapel pastor speaks out
Yesterday morning, I interviewed Rev. Freddie Tellis, pastor of Allen Chapel AME Church. This past Sunday, a Pensacola Police Officer, with her hand on her holstered pistol, interrupted the service at his…
Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival announces invited International artist Alan Weston
Press release: Pensacola’s Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival got a mention in the August/September issue of International Artist magazine thanks to this year’s Invited International Artist Alan Weston. Weston is a British realist…
Big Brothers Big Sisters announces 2014-2015 Military Big of the Year
Press release: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida announces Petty Officer First Class Fredrick “Josh†Amerine as 2014-2015 Military Big of the Year. He was presented the Ron Mobayed award at…
Meanwhile, taxi companies sue state over Uber, Lyft
BY DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA Taxi companies in Tallahassee and Broward County are suing the state over app-based transportation services, alleging that Florida officials aren’t requiring Uber and Lyft…
Blue Wahoos named Southern League Organization of the Year
Also Tommy Thrall, Ray Sayre and Dan Shugart honored. Press release: The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced the Pensacola Blue Wahoos as the Don Mincher Organization of the Year….
Matt Gaetz has competition of Senate seat
Bay County Commissioner George Gainer has opened a campaign account to run for the seat that will be vacated next year by state Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, setting up a Republican primary…
Sarasota deregulates all taxis, paves way for Uber
Yesterday, Sarasota city commissioners unanimously voted ended its months-long debate as to how to regulate Uber, and instead, voted to strip existing regulations on taxicabs. Read more. The Pensacola City Council held…
Political maneuver by Mayor Hayward could have put new bay bridge at risk
On News Talk 1370 WCOA’s “Pensacola Speaks,” State Senator Don Gaetz yesterday said that attempts to redesign the Pensacola side of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge by Mayor Ashton Hayward and his…
Escambia County issues statement on Sept. 1 jail death
Escambia County is releasing the identity of the inmate found unresponsive in his cell as 45-year-old Shawn Jordan (DOB: 11/4/1969). Jordan had been in jail since August 16, 2015 on $1,000 bond…
Coast Guard marker to be dedicated Sept. 19
Press release: Veteran Coast Guardsmen from around the nation are gathering in their old homeport of Pensacola during the weekend of September 18 to dedicate a State of Florida Historical Marker that…
Move over Trump, make room for Pensacola’s Renaissance mayor
Sara Warner, publisher of California Courts Monitor, had a profile of Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward published today on the Huffington Post website. Hayward is praised for his pro-business stance and for overseeing…