Best of the Coast Returns
—The big news is our 2025 Best of the Coast issue that is on the stands. For 24 years, we’ve published the ballot, and you keep showing up to vote for what you love about our city.
Best of the Coast grows annually thanks to your participation—this year brought over 15,000 votes celebrating hundreds of local businesses. From small makers to food trucks to established staples, winners showcase how small businesses shape Pensacola. We hope you’ll spot personal favorites and discover new places to explore. Our publication exists because of advertising support—thank you to every business that said yes.
This 84-page issue couldn’t happen without you. Stay tuned for next week’s “Rest of the Best” featuring runners-up. Read Inweekly.
How Safe Are GBHS Students
A devastating March 2024 sexual assault at Gulf Breeze High School has sparked a lawsuit exposing critical failures in student safety and supervision. The 15-year-old victim, a varsity basketball player, was assaulted during an unsupervised gym class by a male student with a documented history of policy violations. The school’s response compounded the trauma, failing to notify parents initially and making the victim feel responsible. This case highlights the dangerous gap between written safety policies and their inconsistent enforcement in schools.
When School Safety Fails: GBHS Case That Should Alarm Every Parent
Student Sues School Board Over Alleged Sexual Assault Case – Rick’s Blog
Restructuring City Hall
Mayor D.C. Reeves has restructured Pensacola’s city hall operations by appointing Capt. Cliff Collins as Associate City Administrator for Strategic Initiatives and promoting Adrianne Walker to Strategic Initiatives Project Officer. This organizational shift moves away from the previous model where deputy administrators managed six departments, which Reeves found created communication inefficiencies.
The new structure establishes clearer command chains while positioning Collins and Walker as coordinators for complex, multi-departmental projects like South Palafox development and community node creation. It also shows the mayor’s intent to make sure the strategic plan doesn’t gather dust on a shelf.
Mayor Reeves Beefs Up Strategic Initiatives – Rick’s Blog
Mayor Reeves Explains City Hall Restructuring – Rick’s Blog
Murzin Hired
Century Town Council voted 3-1 to hire former Florida state representative Dave Murzin as town administrator. Murzin, who served in Florida House from 2002 to 2010 and has economic development experience, inherits severe financial problems including failed audits, lost grant funding, and a scathing grand jury report documenting years of serious fiscal mismanagement and operational issues.
Murzin hired as Century’s Administrator – Rick’s Blog
Who Cares?
The analysis reveals significant shifts in Escambia County hospital charity care distribution. Baptist Hospital dramatically increased its charity care share from 16.6% to 32% after relocating, but not to the $61-million level that Baptist’s told the Escambia County Commission. Ascension Sacred continues to do the most charity care, $42 million, which is 46% of the county’s total charity care of $91 million.
Daily Outtakes: Who Carries the Most Charity Medical Care? – Rick’s Blog
