Dave Dunwoody

When the Pensacola Blue Wahoos begin the 2021 season, the fans will be welcomed back amid new COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

After opening the up on the road vs. the Mississippi Braves May 4, the Wahoos’ home opener is set for May 11 against the Birmingham Barons.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, team President Jonathan Griffith said that Major League Baseball has given the green light for 98% capacity at the stadium, which holds just over five thousand.

Legislation that would revamp Florida’s alimony laws, including eliminating what is known as permanent alimony, is ready for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

Passing its final committee stop Tuesday, the bill pits many homemakers against their former spouses -- who claim they are forced to continue working long past retirement age so they can afford to make required monthly payments to their exes.

Less than a week after controversy surrounding Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz surfaced, the questions are swirling around Northwest Florida as to his future and the business of the U.S. House 1st District of Florida.

During his weekly news conference at City Hall, Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson was asked about the investigation of Gaetz’ alleged relationship with at least one teenage girl, among other allegations, and how that could throw a wrench into Pensacola’s dealings with the federal government.

Work continues on getting the COVID vaccine in the arms of the western Panhandle’s communities of color, through a team effort of clergy, officials, and the Community Health Northwest Florida on Jordan Street in Pensacola and Stewart Street in Milton.

“Originally, we did experience some pushback; there were some questions about the vaccine – you know, is it safe?” said Sandra Donaldson, the clinic’s Chief Advocacy Officer.

She says historically, communities of color have faced uncertainties when it comes to having faith in the healthcare system.

President Joe Biden is looking to a former senator from Florida who flew on the space shuttle just before the Challenger accident to lead NASA.

If confirmed by the Senate, Bill Nelson will become NASA’s 14th administrator, succeeding another former member of Congress, Jim Bridenstine, a Trump appointee. Nelson currently serves on the NASA Advisory Council.

Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced that all Floridians ages 40 and older will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations starting Monday -- and that all adults 18 and over will be eligible on April 5.

The announcement came after eligibility was expanded to people ages 50 and older this week. DeSantis says he focused initially on vaccinating seniors and health-care workers but has gradually expanded eligibility.

Vaccination rates for African Americans in Northwest Florida do not come close to the number of Black people living there. That according to numbers from the Florida Department of Health.

About 2.5 million Floridians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to DOH. But Pensacola’s communities of color appear to lag behind.

“I think that we’ve made very, very good progress,” said Rev. Marcel Davis, head pastor of Adoration for a New Beginning in Brownsville.

Gov. Ron DeSantis brought his COVID-19 vaccination update to Pensacola Tuesday morning, reminding the Panhandle that the shots are now available to everyone over the age of 50.

“Most of the Panhandle counties are about two-thirds of the seniors – some of them more – that have gotten shots,” said DeSantis. “Obviously this is open to 50-plus, but we hope there will be more remaining seniors come here.”

Could there be some light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel in Pensacola? That appears to be the belief of Mayor Grover Robinson, who shared the latest numbers Monday.

“Cases – the positivity rate is 3.85%  from March 20 in Escambia County; that’s down significantly from before, although we’ve been at 2.52 – 2.52 and 1.33 on the 19th,” said Robinson.

Speaking at a now-reopened City Hall, the mayor added that hospitalizations at the three major hospitals – Baptist, West Florida and Ascension-Sacred Heart – are continuing to remain under 30.

On a 5-4 vote, the University Of West Florida Board Of Trustees approved changing the name of the T.T. Wentworth Museum in downtown Pensacola.

The idea for changing the name stems from discovery of a massive amount of memorabilia about Wentworth’s time as a Ku Klux Klan leader in the 1920s and 30s. If approved by the state, the museum would be known as the Pensacola Museum of History at the University of West Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is proposing a $106 million civics education initiative for Florida's public schools, supporting civics literacy and education.

“I’m urging the Legislature to take up this proposal during the current legislative session, using the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund,” said the governor. “So the money’s there; we need to figure out the best way to use it.”

Speaking in Naples on Wednesday, DeSantis said his plan contains an incentive for teachers who earn a "Florida Civics Seal of Excellence" designation.

Look for a stormy St. Patrick’s Day in the Florida Panhandle and south Alabama, as a portion of Winter Storm Xylia moves across the region.

The forecast thinking hasn’t changed all that much, according to Megan Borowski -- a meteorologist at FPREN – the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network.

“We’re still expecting strong thunderstorms to roll through late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning,” Borowski said. “We could get a couple of strong storms in our area [Wednesday] during the day, but that line of the strongest storms shouldn’t arrive until Wednesday night.”

For the latest weather update click here.

With less than a week until the beginning of spring (March 20), residents in the Florida Panhandle and south Alabama will get a preview of storms that are typical of the Vernal Equinox.

For parents of high school students, SAT scores are a huge deal, with college admissions and scholarships on the line. Paying tutors are a form of preparation, but scammers are also lurking about and tricking parents into paying for bogus SAT prep materials.

Here’s how it can work: you get an unsolicited call from a person claiming to be from the College Board, the company responsible for SAT tests, or another educational organization.