Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonOctober 12, 2018

The platoon of power professionals working to get electricity restored in the Florida Panhandle has jumped to 4,400 according to Gulf Power, the region’s major utility company. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Michael, more than 400,000 utility customers in Florida were without power, and about a third of those were Gulf Power Customers. The […]

Drew WilsonOctober 12, 2018

Panhandle utility company Gulf Power announced Thursday night that it has started making progress in its power restoration and rebuilding process in Panama City, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Michael. The company has restored power to more than 32,000 customers overall — an increase of 7,000 from its Thursday afternoon update — […]

Drew WilsonOctober 11, 2018

Utility company Gulf Power said Thursday that it’s already restored power to 25,000 customers affected by Hurricane Michael, but nearly a quarter of its 457,000 customers are still waiting for their lights to come back on. Gulf Power said between its own workers and personnel flying in from across the country, it has 3,000 boots […]

Jim RosicaJuly 16, 2018

A Destin lawyer has sued the Department of Health, saying a medical marijuana license preference for black farmers should include “Native American farmers and ranchers.” Donivon Craig Tingle filed suit in Okaloosa County Circuit Civil court last month. The suit was disclosed in a departmental “legal updates” email on Friday — the same day officials said they […]

Scott PowersJune 27, 2017

Vacation home-rental marketing giant Airbnb said Tuesday its expanding list of tax agreements and its growing business should lead it to equal last year’s total sales and tourist tax payments just in the first six months of 2017. The company announced that its five-month totals in sales and tourist taxes paid to the state and […]

Les NeuhausMarch 28, 2017

A House committee voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of a bill to begin the Forensic Hospital Diversion Pilot Program in the Panhandle’s Okaloosa County. Rep. Mel Ponder, who sponsored HB 1051, introduced the measure to the House Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee. The bill intends to alleviate overcrowding in the state’s prison corrections system with […]

Associated PressAugust 30, 2016

A legislator who backed comments describing Black Lives Matter as a terrorist group and another who held an online giveaway of a semi-automatic rifle are among eight Republicans trying to succeed a retiring congressman in Florida’s conservative Panhandle. U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller‘s heavily conservative 1st Congressional District, which is home to five military installations and […]

Guest AuthorAugust 12, 2016

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In the age where cannabis is finally being re-recognized as treatment for a vast plethora of human ailments and regaining the stature it had for centuries before it was degraded by lies, bigotry and greed, it’s time that the media grow up, and start by using the appropriate nomenclature for the plant that has been […]

Peter SchorschJuly 22, 2016

From the start, Wayne Harris, a Republican running for Matt Gaetz’s House District 4 seat, has strutted his conservative credentials. A recent mailer to voters in HD 4 even boasts Harris as an “Emerald Coast tax cutter.” But after a closer look, it becomes increasingly difficult to describe Harris in those terms, especially compared to the […]

Drew WilsonNovember 9, 2015

After a six-figure haul in October Republican George Gainer has passed Shalimar Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz in on-hand money in the race for Senate District 1. The Gainer campaign brought in $118,590 last month and spent $46,887, leaving the Bay County Commissioner with just under $573,000 cash on-hand heading into November. Gaetz’s report wasn’t as […]

Tag: Okaloosa County

Gulf Power says 4,400 power pros working 24/7 on Panhandle restoration

Gulf Power has restored power to 4K customers in Panama City

Gulf Power restores power to 25K customers, but there’s a long way to go

Native American farmer suing state over marijuana licenses

Airbnb says county agreements should lead it to equal 2016 tax payments in first six months

House advances pilot program to treat mental health versus jail

Matt Gaetz, Greg Evers among candidates in Florida’s 1st District

Gary Stein: Time for Northwest Florida Daily News to respect medical marijuana

HD 4 hopeful Wayne Harris might call himself ‘tax cutter,’ but he is anything but

After October haul, George Gainer passes Matt Gaetz in on-hand cash for SD 1 race