Representatives from Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) announced the start of the Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA), a study of the routes, schedules and amenities that ECAT provides. Designed to evaluate the system’s…
Redistricting trial takes mysterious turn
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida Just before a judge cleared the courtroom so a GOP operative could testify in secret, lawyers for groups challenging the Legislature’s 2012 congressional map…
Jail Explosion costs county over $5.4 million in May alone
The emergency purchase orders resulting from the April 29 jail explosion have cost Escambia County to date: $5,435,054. Those does not include the cost of replacing vehicles under the Department of Corrections…
Main Jail without hot meals and laundry
My sources inside the Main Jail have shared how much more things have deteriorated in the Main Jail since Central Booking and Detention exploded on April 29. Yesterday’s gas leak has closed…
Escambia County Responds to Main Jail Gas Leak
Around 8:00 this morning, Thursday, May 29, a person preparing food in the kitchen of the Escambia County Main Jail, 2935 North L Street, detected a natural gas odor. The kitchen was…
BP law firm agrees to keep income from case away from son of Supreme Court Justice Scalia
An attorney friend passed on this 2013 article on possible conflicts when U.S. Supreme Court Justices hear cases involving law firms that have their family members on the payroll. The Court did…
Scalia may have conflict on hearing BP appeal
Last Thursday, attorney Mike Papantonio said on Ed Schultz’s television program that Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito must recuse themselves from hearing BP’s appeal on whether it should pay…
City website ranked as third most transparent site in Florida
The First Amendment Foundation has ranked the city of Pensacola’s website, cityofpensacola.com, third out of 47 cities in its recent report card on local government website transparency. The First Amendment Foundation evaluated…
Inspector General confirms delays in medical care at VA facility
The Office of Inspector General has issued an interim report of the ongoing review at the Phoenix Health Care System (HCS). While the review is still underway, OIG has substantiated that significant…
County Road Camp is hell for those injured in jail blast
Commissioner Lumon May has been handling dozens of calls from the families – white and black – of those prisoners caught in the April 29 explosion at the Central Booking and Detention…
Disaster Grants Won’t Affect Social Security or Taxable Income
Senior citizens in Escambia, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties who sustained losses during the recent severe storms and flooding need not worry that applying for federal and state disaster aid…
BP must continue to pay business claims
The U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans rejected yesterday the BP’s request to maintain a temporary halt on payments to businesses that can’t prove they were directly damaged by its 2010…
Accountability system did not work for Escambia County third graders
In May 2012, 19 percent of Escambia’s third-graders scored in reading a 1 — the lowest score — and 9 percent scored a 5 — the highest score. In math, 52 percent…
A.B.C. Beverage Tastings schedule set
Press Release: Atlas Oyster House is proud to present our next installment of Atlas Beverage Classes (A.B.C.). This semester we will be focusing on handcrafted beers as well as featured spirit brands…
Quayside Art Gallery: ‘Awestruck 2014,’ opens June 12
Feature Artist Show: “Awestruck 2014” The annual artist reunion of Diane Brim and Marilyn Givens displays abstract paintings and pottery familiar to local residents and visitors to the area. Diane Brim’s most…
Escambia County third-graders have not gained any ground in five years
The school year 2008-2009 was the last group of third graders who attended class under former Superintendent Jim Paul. Escambia County third-graders did as well as the state averages in reading and…
Credit unions join forces to finance another Innisfree hotel
Press Release: Navy Federal Credit Union and Pen Air Federal Credit Union have announced their latest joint commercial loan project, the Holiday Inn Resort on Fort Walton Beach, Fla., owned and operated…
Flood Insurance and SBA Specialists Available to Answer Questions
PENSACOLA, Fla. – National Flood Insurance Program and U.S. Small Business Administration specialists will be on-hand next week to provide answers to flood insurance and disaster-loan questions from Florida policyholders. Disaster survivors…
United Way: Recovery Update
Contributions continue to come in through www.helpNWFLrecover.org You can contribute your secure donation online at www.helpNWFLrecover.org. ALL money stays Local! Volunteers Needed: Operation Blessing – 757-284-9183 Monday through Saturday – Volunteers show…
County resolves website issue
The county’s website registration form myescambia.com expired on May 24. We had several readers using a variety of web browsers, computers and mobile devices complain about it. The issue was resolved yesterday….