A 22-year-old Texas man has been arrested in connection with a sophisticated business email compromise scheme that defrauded the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court & Comptroller’s Office of more than $852,000….
Daily Outtakes: Budget, Abandoned Dogs and Flip-flopping
Florida’s budget negotiations have reached an impasse. During our podcast conversation yesterday, State Rep. Andrade, who chairs the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, revealed a stark divide that may force the state…
Foo Foo announces 2025 grant recepients
The Pensacola Foo Foo Festival Committee has announced the public grant scoring for the 2025 Foo Foo Festival, naming 10 grant recipients and allocating more than $450,000 in grant funding. The festival…
Salzman thanks DeSantis for ‘exceptional appointment’ of Diaz
No The Pensacola News Journal has posted a guest viewpoint from State Rep. Michelle Salzman, titled “Manny Diaz will lead UWF into a new era of excellence.” There are few bandwagons that…
Inweekly: 2025 Summer Movie Guide
Summer movies are back with a little something for everyone. Whether you crave blood-soaked Southern Gothic vampires, high-octane spy thrills or a heartwarming alien misfit, this season’s lineup is stacked. Read more….
Florida Braces for Busy Hurricane Season
Florida is preparing for another active Atlantic hurricane season starting Sunday, with forecasters predicting 13-19 named storms and up to 10 hurricanes. Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state is ready to respond…
Don’t Color on the Dog: Jackass Edition
The controversial $10 million Medicaid settlement check that flowed through the Hope Florida Foundation to the political action committee Keep Florida Clean has emerged as a case study in governmental dysfunction, raising…
The state should have audited the $10 million Hope Florida deal. It didn’t happen.
By Michelle DeMarco, Florida Center for Government Accountability No one was watching the store when $10 million in state Medicaid settlement money was diverted to the Casey DeSantis-led charity Hope Florida. A…
Daily Outtakes: Trump frees Pensacola’s famous jailbird—Todd Chrisley
Pensacola’s most famous federal inmate is getting his freedom back. Todd Chrisley, the patriarch of the hit reality show “Chrisley Knows Best,” has been serving his 12-year sentence at the Federal Prison…
Pensacola Children’s Chorus Director receives national award
Alex Gartner, Executive and Artistic Director of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus (PCC), has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Louis Botto Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Chorus America. This distinction makes Gartner…
Mayor Reeves dodges re-election question
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves remained coy about his political future during Tuesday’s press conference, offering only philosophical musings when pressed about seeking a second term in 2026. “I don’t know that I’m…
Emergency Care Partners Secures $100 million growth investment
Pensacola’s Emergency Care Partners (ECP), one of the nation’s leading emergency medicine service providers, has successfully closed a significant growth recapitalization transaction that positions the company for accelerated expansion across the healthcare…
Manny Diaz: A New Chapter for the University of West Florida
At the UWF Board of Trustees meeting this morning, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz commented on his selection as interim president: As we transition into this new role coming right off Memorial…
No Surprise: Manny Diaz selected UWF interim president
The University of West Florida Board of Trustees has selected Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. as the university’s interim president by an 8-2 vote, effective July 14. Board Chair Rebecca Matthews…
Timing of HRC Commission article questionable
The News Journal published on Friday, May 23, that Escambia’s Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to vote on repealing the ordinance that established the Human Relations Commission at its next meeting…
Daily Outtakes: Is Casey DeSantis a Patsy?
Casey DeSantis launched Hope Florida in 2021 as a genuine welfare program to help connect needy Floridians to community-based nonprofits and faith institutions, weaning them off government assistance. Its funds, both gifts…
UWF Board of Trustees meeting preview
Tomorrow, the University of West Florida Board of Trustees meets at 8 a.m. As previously reported, the board will accept President Dr. Martha Saunders’ resignation and set the effective date. See agenda….
Hope Florida Scandal Timeline
The weekend is the perfect time to recap the history of news stories. Last week, I covered the dispute between the Escambia Children’s Trust and the Escambia County Commission over CRA funds….
Top Reads: Week ended May 24, 2025
Though I was on the road Thursday and Friday, some of our top news posts after Hump Day drew the most attention. The dispute between Team New Zealand and the challengers, including…
Pensacola’s Youth win with Rafferty Center vote
The Pensacola City Council chambers were packed with passionate community members last Thursday as elected officials deliberated on one of the most significant youth development projects in recent memory. After thoughtful discussion…