Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Shannon NickinsonApril 5, 2016

Sometimes it’s not about having all the answers — it’s about knowing where to go to find them. The Golden Apple roundtable is a gathering of teachers of the year from Escambia Schools. It’s a forum where the best and brightest minds on the front lines of education in Escambia County get together to share […]

Shannon NickinsonDecember 28, 2015

In Escambia County, minimum wage jobs aren’t just for kids. And that’s part of the reason this metro area lags behind others in the state in terms of prosperity. That’s according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, shared by the UWF Office of Economic Development and Engagement. About one of every five jobs (23.6 […]

Shannon NickinsonNovember 19, 2015

Way back in 1992, the political wisdom of the day came down to one thing: It’s the economy. In 2015 in Pensacola, it still is. The Pensacola Young Professionals rolled out the 2015 Quality of Life survey on Oct. 21. The survey, conducted June 11-16 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research asked 800 people who match […]

Shannon NickinsonNovember 17, 2015

Florida Gov. Rick Scott wants the state university system to aim high. To achieve that he announced the “Ready, Set, Work” College Challenge this past week at the Association of Florida Colleges Trustee Commission meeting in Lake Buena Vista. The governor wants all 28 state colleges to participate by graduating 100 percent of their full-time […]

Shannon NickinsonOctober 19, 2015

Northwest Florida has a lot going for it. That was among the bits of wisdom and moments of insight offered throughout the recent Gulf Power Economic Symposium at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin. What we do with all that potential and goodwill created by our area’s natural beauty and a workforce influenced […]

Shannon NickinsonSeptember 29, 2015

This should be the University of West Florida time in the sun. Pensacola’s university saw funding restored this year following a marked improvement on the new state-mandated performance metrics. The measurements –10 in all from academic progression rates, to graduation rates to median first-year salaries for graduates — are Florida’s latest salvo in the ever-expanding […]

Bill PrescottSeptember 24, 2015

Public education consumes almost 30 percent of Florida’s budget. So what are taxpayers getting for that investment, which this is year about $22.9 billion, compared to other states? Florida TaxWatch, a government watchdog think tank that evaluates government spending, has created its own guide to help answer that question: How Florida Compares – Education. The […]

Shannon NickinsonSeptember 22, 2015

It’s easy to tell what a government values. What it values is what it funds. Escambia County Commissioners were scheduled Tuesday to talk more about their values – in the form of the $412 million overall budget they have before them. It will be the second public hearing on the document, which includes requests for […]

Shannon NickinsonAugust 9, 2015

I know that the beautiful sunsets and sugar-white sands can inspire flights of fancy in every brain. I know that the heat and humidity can make even the most focused mind wander. But some folks need to come in out of the sun. The July 31 murders of 76-year-old Voncile Smith and her two sons, […]

Shannon NickinsonJune 16, 2015

Can we tell your future from your ZIP code? To hear Rick Harper tell it, those five numbers may be the closest thing to a crystal ball that we are likely to get for the moment. Harper, the University of West Florida’s assistant vice president for Economic Development and senior fellow of the Studer Community […]

Tag: University of West Florida

Shannon Nickinson: Communities need to make sure kids are ready for kindergarten

Shannon Nickinson: Minimum wage now amounts to a minimum life

Shannon Nickinson: Investment can ease West Florida's economic worries

Shannon Nickinson: School, community collaboration key to educated workforce

Shannon Nickinson: Economic symposium points way for NW Florida's future

Shannon Nickinson: University of West Florida’s story is Pensacola’s story — striving to do more

Shannon Nickinson: Make sure schools measure up as a top Florida feature

Shannon Nickinson: What will be our definition of the future?

Shannon Nickinson: Murders, gruesome clues, waterfront project, City Hall intrigue roil Pensacola’s bubble

Shannon Nickinson: The tough nut of Pensacola’s renewal