Arts Council of Northwest Florida Official Statement

Received this evening: January 2, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Arts Council of Northwest Florida Mission Our mission is to create a premiere arts and culture…

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City is already in Economic Development business

Both Charlie Fairchild and Jerry Maygarden have said the City of Pensacola government shouldn’t be in the economic development business. Well, it already is. The…

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Rebuttal to Maygarden viewpoint

In today’s daily paper, former Pensacola Mayor Jerry Maygarden makes that point that economic development is not the city government’s job. While I agree with…

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Nodine won’t run for Mobile mayor

Mobile County Commissioner Steve Nodine has apparently decided not to run for mayor of Mobile against incumbent Sam Jones (Read). Nodine tried to use crime…

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More GV emails

I think this is the last set of emails to/from Commissioner Valentino with BPM on economic development. There are some duplicates from earlier posts. I…

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More PEDC notes

The meeting was heavily attended. All PEDC members were present: Gene Valentino, Sam Hall, Century Mayor Freddie McCall, Comm. Kevin White, Councilwoman Maren DeWeese, Mort…

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ED battle is over

The battle of the Economic Development plans is over. Councilman Sam Hall made a motion today at the PEDC meeting for the body to let…

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The Economic Development Question

Does the Escambia County Commission want to create the PEDA – Pensacola Economic Development Authority – or any government body to control and handle day-to-day…

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No need for PEDC review, only one decision

Economic Development hinges on one decision that only the Escambia County Commission can make: Should Valentino’s PEDA (Pensacola Escambia Development Authority that has the commissioners…

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Valentino/Birdwell strategy

Their strategy is clear–delay voting on economic development as long as possible in hopes of building a ground swell against the Chamber. Yes, against the…

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Charter commission sets public hearing

This is a big week for local government. On Tuesday, June 16, at 9 a.m., the Escambia County Commission will discuss economic development at its…

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Economic Development update

From Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce: # $2,000,000 – We received confirmation late last night from the US Economic Development Administration that we have…

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Chamber behind Mobile success

Commissioner Gene Valentino and his PR person, Jane Birdwell, make much of the Mobile success story. Mobile outshines Pensacola in the economic development arena. I…

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Where’s the beef?

That’s the question that I and others had after Commissioner Gene Valentino’s prerecorded presentation and the follow-up Q&A on Tuesday, May 19. The only change…

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Chamber accomplishments

While Commissioner Valentino has been bashing the Chamber on WEAR TV, I thought it might be helpful to find out what the Chamber has actually…

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Will politics plague PEDA?

Will PEDA bring more politics? That is one of the big questions I have about the Valentino plan for economic development. The Escambia County Commissioners…

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More notes on Valentino meeting

The meeting with Gene Valentino could have been contentious, but it wasn’t. The meeting with the Commissioner and County Administrator Bob McLaughlin had been scheduled…

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Valentino shares his plan (updated)

Updated 11:42 am, May 15 Commissioner Gene Valentino gave the IN a peek into his black box to see his economic development plan. He will…

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Wood: Hall called about PEDC

Just got off the phone with Charles Wood, the senior vice president for economic development for the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. On April…

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Did Hall and Valentino violate Sunshine Laws?

Did Councilman Sam Hall and Commissioner Gene Valentino violate Florida Sunshine Laws? Hall and Valentino both serve on the Pensacola-Escambia Economic Development Commission (PEDC). Valentino…

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