Pensacola’s vital tourism industry faces an unprecedented crisis as over $2.5 million in marketing bills remain unpaid, threatening to derail the county’s economic engine during critical booking season. Always ‘Dysfunctional’ Mayor D.C….
Breaking: Pensacola mayor endorses Byron Donalds for governor
At his weekly press conference, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves officially endorsed Congressman Byron Donalds for governor, adding another high-profile endorsement to Donalds’ campaign that already enjoys President Donald Trump’s backing. Speaking to…
Podcast: OLF 8 Development Deal Finally Within Reach
The piece of property that could define Escambia County’s economic future for generations is finally moving toward development. After years of negotiations, stops and starts, and passionate community debate, developer Chad Henderson…
Daily Outtakes: What happens if tourism marketing halts
Florida could lose $37 billion in economic impact and 682,000 jobs if proposed legislation redirecting tourism marketing funds becomes law, according to a new analysis by Down & St. Germain Research. Background:…
UWF team develops how to analyze security levels of apps
A team from the University of West Florida has developed groundbreaking software that could revolutionize how we evaluate app security. Dr. Hossain Shahriar, associate director and professor for UWF’s Center for Cybersecurity,…
Hofberger TDT flyers do not match Florida statute
Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger’s “Tourist Dollars At Work” and “Prohibited Uses of TDT Funds” flyers are supposedly based on “Florida Statute 125.0104. The commissioner said the flyers were done in consultation with the…
Escambia BCC considers adding EMS staff to meet demand
The Escambia County Board of Commissioners (BCC) will consider a significant expansion of Emergency Medical Services at its June 5 meeting, adding 11 new full-time positions to address increasing call volumes and…
Does Ono contract foretell UWF offer to Diaz?
On June 12, Rebecca Matthews, chair of the University of West Florida Board of Trustees, is expected to present to the board a compensation agreement for Education Commissioner Manny Diaz to become…
BCC considers $42.5M deal for OLF-8
On Thursday, the Escambia County Commission will consider selling the 541 acres of OLF-8 for $42.5 million to Tri-W Development and Chad C. Henderson Enterprises of Pensacola II. Read Purchase and Sale…
Where have the internal auditors gone?
Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers’ much-publicized Office of Independent Internal Audit (OIIA) has lost John Greene, her Chief Audit Executive, and his right-hand CPA, Scott Baretta. Baretta reportedly is working for a…
Daily Outtakes: How to ground Escambia’s tourism to a halt
In the hallways of the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, between cold beers at Intermission across the street, over Bushwackers at the Sandshaker, and even in the private covey holes of McGuire’s…
History of Showcase Pensacola, How much Childers is withholding
Why was Showcase Pensacola formed? In 2012, Visit Pensacola was the tourism arm of the Greater Pensacola Chamber, which hired the Nashville, TN-based BOHAN Advertising to handle all tourism marketing for Escambia…
Top Stories for the week ended May 31, 2025
Readers found State Rep. Michelle Salzman’s viewpoint in the PNJ supporting new UWF president Manny Diaz less than 24 hours after the Board of Trustees approved humorous for her crediting Gov. Ron…
‘Gentleman Warrior’ Thrasher dies
Former Florida State University President and House Speaker John Thrasher died Friday at age 81 after battling cancer. The Republican served over three decades in politics, helping overhaul Florida’s education system under…
PNS joins the Global Movement for Inclusive Travel
Traveling can be challenging for people with non-visible disabilities – those living with conditions like autism, chronic pain, anxiety, or hearing impairments that aren’t immediately apparent to others. Navigating crowded terminals, security…
Town Hall: Summer beach traffic congestion not going away
Bottom Line Up Front: Pensacola Beach is experiencing unprecedented traffic growth with 20,000+ vehicle days increasing from 15 times per year in 2020 to 56 times in 2024. While active monitoring of…
Daily Outtakes: The Banty Rooster who seized control of Escambia County
WEAR-TV has reported that County Clerk Pam Childers has put the county’s vital tourism industry in turmoil by refusing to pay millions of dollars in invoices. According to reports, Visit Pensacola has…
Backroom Briefing: Stadium Money Benched
Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — It’s been nearly 20 years since Florida directly approved money for construction of…
Former New College Foundation Board Members File Lawsuit Demanding Financial Accountability
A legal battle is brewing at New College of Florida, as several former Foundation board members have announced their intention to file a lawsuit against the New College Foundation, demanding transparency and…
Landrum 5K raises over $17K for Mental Health Services at Lakeview Center
The second annual Landrum 5K Run/Walk has made a significant impact on mental health services in Northwest Florida, with organizers presenting a generous $17,297.14 donation to Lakeview Center from the proceeds of…