Press Release: Thursday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. on WSRE, “Conversations with Jeff Weeks†welcomes Dr. Temple Grandin and Anita Lesko to discuss the Autism Spectrum. Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is considered a…
What to do with abandoned school sites
By Brandy Volovecky The City of Pensacola held a community input meeting Monday evening to discuss reuse plans for the former Blount and Kirksey school sites. Marcie Whitaker, City of Pensacola housing…
GOB Report: Touart brings back Mayo from retirement. He was paid $200K by taxpayers to retire early (update from Touart)
Interim County Administrator George Touart has brought back Don Mayo to run the county’s inspection department. Don Mayo was part of the former administrator Bob McLaughlin’s early retirement program that paid high…
Gathering for the Hunt
The men who will help steer the selection of Escambia County’s next administrator gathered for their initial meeting today. They were introduced to huge binders full of resumes as they tried to…
Rick Scott speaking at local GOP Lincoln Dinner
Press Release: The Escambia County Republican Party welcomes Governor Rick Scott as featured speaker at its 2013 Lincoln Day Dinner scheduled for Sunday, July 7, 2013 at 6:00pm (CT) at the Crowne…
Local EPA Hearing on Gulf Drilling Permit
The Environmental Protection Agency has scheduled a public hearing on BHP Billiton Petroleum’s request to waive current emission regulations in pursuit of oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico’s DeSoto…
Searchin’
Escambia County’s selection committee for the county administrator position meets for the first time today. The committee was formed by the Escambia County Commission, with each commissioner selecting one person to sit…
No idea what jail will cost county
Once it became clear last Thursday night that Commissioner Valentino and Interim George Touart were taking over the Escambia County Jail, Touart and his staff showed that they have no idea how…
How Gene Valentino treats his fellow commissioners (Video-updated)
This is a very rough edit of the June 20 BCC Agenda Workshop and the clips how the chairman, Gene Valentino, belittled and bullied Commissioners May, Barry and Robinson. He talks over…
Touart and truth
Apparently, Interim County Administrator George Touart read a statement regarding me at the beginning of the agenda workshop yesterday–mentioning me has become a regular occurrence at commission meetings. Touart made several other…
Touart’s pick to run his county jail has a history
We posted this in October 2005 when George Touart promoted Gordon Pike to head Corrections: Eight years ago, an Escambia County grand jury recommended the discipline and removal of Gordon Pike for…
Lau concedes to Walter ‘Mike’ Hill
We received the following statement from Jeremy Lau: I would like to first congratulate Mr. Hill and his staff on a hard fought campaign. We all should support him as he serves…
Heroes Among Us
By Brandy Volovecky The Pensacola Marine Corps League J.R. Spears Detachment 066 continues its “Heroes Among Us†speaker series on June 28 at 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park. The series, which…
Escambia’s Big Gamble, or ‘No Blinking’
The Escambia County Commission has decided to take over operations of the Escambia County Jail. The move follows fruitless negotiations with the Escambia County Sheriff, the facility’s current manager, and was spurred…
Down at the Crossroads
With nearly all the players in the same room, the discussion roamed until it was exhausted. That journey continues tonight during the Escambia County Commission’s regular meeting. “Commissioners, we have come, I…
If one commissioner will make the motion…
George Touart will be retired and can no longer badger the commissioners, run off good department heads and block any worthwhile county administrator being hire. Gene Valentino can be removed as the…
If commissioners take over jail, Touart will get three-year contract
I walked over to the agenda workshop held this morning for the Escambia County Commission. The board is being driven by Chairman Gene Valentino and Interim County Administrator George Touart to take…
Sheriff Morgan replies to Grover Robinson
I am in receipt of your letter dated June 14, 2013, same subject. We were initially encouraged by your proposal to use county reserve funds to address the underfunding and understaffing of…
Pointing Fingers and Finding Solutions
The Escambia County School Board took another step yesterday in the reconfiguration of Lincoln Park Elementary School. Although the school’s proponents lobbied for further consideration and additional support, the board moved ahead…
A job too important if put in the wrong hands
The county administrator is one of the most powerful people in Escambia County. Yes, he runs the county operations for the Board of County Commissioners, but that is only the tip of…