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The first presidential debate is in the books, and a prominent Florida political expert weighs in on the verbal carnage.

Among those watching was Susan MacManus, a retired political scientist from the University of South Florida.

“It was uniform that it was a disastrous debate; embarrassing, unprofessional,” said MacManus. “And certainly demeaning to most voters who tuned in to really hear some dialogue about their policy positions on how to improve America.”

The University of West Florida is offering a free community course titled: “Race and the Community: Past, Present, and Our Future.” The five-week online series will feature a session every Thursday in October, beginning tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Florida is getting 6.4 million rapid-test kits to detect COVID-19 infections at a faster rate. Schools, senior centers, and long-term care facilities are getting first dibs.

That number translates to about 400,000 kits over the next year. Gov. Ron DeSantis made the announcement Tuesday in Clearwater, and was among the first to take the new test, administered by a nurse in PPE, as required by federal law.

In this Gulf Stories Moment, Dr. Jane Caffrey, professor from the Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation at UWF, tells us about the humble oyster.

Last week’s order from Tallahassee that all businesses reopen to full capacity in the COVID pandemic, and seeking Uncle Sam’s help highlighted Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson’s weekly virtual news conference.

One issue to be resolved is just how much federal assistance is coming to Northwest Florida to help clean up after the hurricane. Work was underway over the weekend to secure individual assistance money from FEMA.

Now that Hurricane Sally is history the restoration is underway in Northwest Florida and south Alabama. And so are the scam artists looking to make an illicit buck.

One of the emerging rip offs deals with Social Security, according to Tammy Ward at the Better Business Bureau in Pensacola.

Despite the continued spread of COVID-19, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is lifting all restrictions on restaurants and other businesses, which were aimed at curbing the virus.

“We are today moving into what we initially called ‘Phase-3,’ and what that will mean for the restaurants is that there will not be limitations from the state of Florida,” said the governor.

Perdido Key and Innerarity Point were among the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sally in southwest Escambia County. The storm made landfall at nearby Gulf Shores, leaving property ravaged by wind and water - due to storm surge and more than 20 inches of rainfall.

Driving through the area, it’s clear that a storm has been here. Vegetation on the barrier island has turned brown from the salt water that washed over, trees are down or leaning due to the sustained wind, and there are blue tarps scattered about.