While Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis were defending Hope Florida, the chairman of Save Our Society from Drugs (SOS), the nonprofit focused on preventing substance abuse that received $5…
Heated Debate: Commissioners Consider Future of Children’s Trust
In a dramatic turn during yesterday’s Escambia County Commission meeting, Chair Mike Kohler suggested putting the Escambia Children’s Trust back on the ballot, questioning whether voters still support the tax-funded entity. This…
Backroom Briefing: Looking for Another Lane
Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida After asserting the Democratic Party in Florida is “dead,” Sen. Jason Pizzo says he’s running…
Events involving Skatepark and Seniors
SKATEPARK INPUT Upward Intuition, in partnership with the East Hill Neighborhood Association and the City of Pensacola, will host a community input meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, at The…
State lawmakers will take next week off
Florida House Speaker Danny Perez has given state representatives the next week off. “At this point, you will not need to be in Tallahassee prior to Memorial Day,” he wrote in an…
Podcast: Florida’s Property Tax Debate—DeSantis vs. House
In Florida’s current political landscape, a heated debate over tax relief has emerged between Gov. Ron DeSantis and key legislative leaders. Speaking at a Hope Florida Roundtable in Brandon on May 14,…
Daily Outtakes: First Couple defends Hope Florida
At a roundtable held at a church in Brandon yesterday, Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis defended Hope Florida, describing it as not merely a program but a “movement” that…
Pensacola Sports honors high school senors
Since the early 1980s, Pensacola Sports has proudly celebrated the dedication, talent, and heart of our area’s top senior student-athletes through a scholarship recognition program. High schools across Escambia and Santa Rosa…
Children’s Trust funds Early Learning Coalition for a third year
In a recent meeting, the Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) Board unanimously approved a commitment letter to fund the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) of Escambia County for a third year, continuing a critical…
Escambia County’s Jamison Gilman awarded Florida Sheriffs Association STEM Scholarship
In the northwest corner of Florida, Escambia County continues to produce remarkable students who exemplify excellence in academics, leadership, and commitment to their communities. Jamison Abigail Gilman, daughter of Escambia County Sheriff’s…
Children’s Trust Board supports Summer Youth Employment
The Escambia Children’s Trust held its regular meeting on Tuesday evening, with significant discussions focused on a potential partnership with Escambia County regarding tax increment finance (TIF) dollars. Background Trust Attorney Meredith…
Hofberger holds first town hall tonight, more scheduled
District 4 County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger invites the public to three “Community Conversations” meetings, which provide an opportunity for residents to visit with their commissioner and learn more about District 4 projects…
Leadership Northwest Florida graduates third class
The future of Northwest Florida looks brighter as 17 distinguished leaders from across the region recently completed an intensive seven-month educational journey designed to foster regional collaboration and development. Florida’s Great Northwest…
Daily Outtakes: Pam knows best, so she thinks
In January, Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers denied a $86,250 payment request from Visit Pensacola, and in doing so, she put herself above the Escambia County Commission, Triumph Gulf Coast and Visit…
Florida Budget Deadlock Continues
Budget negotiations remain stalled. During Tuesday’s session, Perez announced the House has offered several proposals, including a “lean, critical-needs budget with minimal spending and no tax cuts.” Perez, who previously advocated for…
UWF Board chair to faculty: “We are in a pivotal moment in Florida higher education”
Dear Colleagues, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with President Saunders and know her decision to resign was made with much thought and reflection. Her years of service have made a lasting…
Presser Takeaways: Recycling Rates, American Magic, Budget
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves held his weekly press conference this morning. Fresh off a flight from Washington D.C., he shared insights from his meetings with federal officials and provided details on the…
NETC names Pensacola native Sailor of the Year
The Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) has announced Master-at-Arms First Class (MA1) Patrick Hill as its fiscal year 2024 Sailor of the Year (SOY) during a ceremony held at Naval Air…
Invoice Impasse: Childers refusing to cut checks, putting tourism at risk
On a Friday afternoon in late April 2025, Betsy Wooten from the Clerk of Courts office typed out a message to Allyson Parden at the Office of Management & Budget. The subject…
How will the UWF Board handle the presidential search?
We have two recent examples of how Trustees have handled presidential searches; each has taken a very different approach. In February, the University of South Florida (USF) and Florida International University (FIU)…
