News

A suspect in the January 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol has made an appearance in Federal Court in Pensacola.

FBI agents and agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforement and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jesus D. Rivera, 37, of Pensacola at his home Wednesday morning, said Lawrence Keefe, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Rivera was taken into custody without incident.

Appearing Wednesday before Chief U.S. Magistrate Elizabeth Timothy, Rivera was granted pretrial release after prosecutors deemed him not to be a flight risk.

With COVID cases on the rise in Northwest Florida, the Pensacola chapter of Women's March Florida decided to host the 2021 event virtually bringing in speakers from across the state on Saturday, Jan. 23.

North Escambia County is farm country, and a different type of farm is blooming. Cotton Creek Solar Energy Center is going up on 550 acres, with a second farm nearby also on the drawing board.

“We are now part of Florida Power & Light; we’re drawing on their solar progress, to install 30 million solar panels across the state by 2030,” said Gulf Power spokeswoman Kimberly Blair. “The two solar sites that we have in Escambia County are part of the ’30 by 30’ plan.”

After a contentious transition, Joe Biden will take the oath of office Wednesday as President of the United States. The Inauguration begins at 11 a.m.

Local Democratic Party leaders shared their plans for this year’s subdued celebration and their hopes for the future under Biden.

“I will probably be in my living room watching it on TV and perhaps some of the day on some Zoom calls that are going to go out,” said Lillie Eubanks, chair of the Democratic Party of Escambia County.

Repairs continue on the new Three Mile Bridge over Pensacola Bay, which was damaged in Hurricane Sally by the storm itself, and by barges that broke loose and slammed into it.

The work is underway on the span, with one milestone reached last Wednesday, according to Ian Satter at the Florida Department of Transportation.

The federal government is mostly to blame for what some people see as a slow distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in Florida. That according to the state’s Emergency Management Director.

Appearing before the newly-minted House Pandemics and Public Emergencies Committee on Thursday, Jared Moskowitz said the feds have been dragging their feet in releasing enough supply to Florida to meet demand.

Despite the addition of distribution sites for the COVID-19 vaccine, Florida’s crush in demand has made it difficult to land a coveted appointment.

Locally, there’s hope that a planned statewide appointment system, and more doses, will ease what’s been a frustrating process for seniors and local officials trying to get the vaccine to them.  

After more than two years of discussion, could the city of Pensacola be ready to put its money where its mouth is in regard to the homeless?

Mayor Grover Robinson is asking the City Council to approve spending $200,00 to pay for "homeless initiatives" such as a day-use center, which is part of a similar initiative by the city of Tallahassee and Leon County.

A private funeral service will be today for renowned Pensacola Attorney Fred Levin, who died Tuesday, at the age of 83, due to complications from COVID-19.

In 2014, Levin spoke to WUWF about his extraordinary life after the release of a biography titled, And Give Up Showbiz? Here's an excerpt from that interview.