City of Pensacola

Millions still needed for cleanup as EPA moves toward first phase of work

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves responded to a Florida DOGE report accusing the city of wasteful spending by disputing the state’s framing and saying the findings will not change how City Hall operates. Reeves said the city cooperated fully with the review but argued the report oversimplifies property tax growth and ignores Pensacola’s role as a regional hub.

Mayor D.C. Reeves has selected Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom to lead the Pensacola Police Department, pending City Council approval, following a national search after former Chief Eric Randall’s resignation.

The Triumph Gulf Coast board voted to negotiate a proposed $76 million grant for a shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing project at the Port of Pensacola that city officials say would create 2,000 jobs, many with six-figure wages. The city identified the company behind the proposal as Birdon America Inc., which already operates a shipyard in nearby Mobile County.

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves is seeking a late extension to preserve $5.8 million in Hurricane Sally housing funds after the City Council rejected a plan to shift the money to port infrastructure.

Jermaine J. Williams, a Pensacola behavioral health professional and filmmaker, has entered the 2026 mayor’s race, pitching a “People First” agenda focused on transparency at City Hall, growth without displacement, and a public-health-centered approach to homelessness through expanded mental health, addiction treatment and coordinated crisis response.

Alicia Trawick has entered the 2026 Pensacola mayor’s race, calling for a return to a council-manager form of government while running on affordability, infrastructure and transparency as the field — including incumbent D.C. Reeves — takes shape.

Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves responded last week to displacement fears, New Orleans comparisons and what the Baptist site plan would do.

Pensacola City Council paused consideration of a redevelopment advisory contract for the former Baptist Hospital campus after hours of public opposition over displacement, transparency and community control, reversing momentum from an earlier Community Redevelopment Agency vote.

Florida’s attorney general is pressuring Pensacola to cancel “A Drag Queen Christmas” at the city-owned Saenger Theatre, arguing the show’s timing near Winterfest creates legal and public-welfare risks and contradicting prior advice from the city attorney.