The Buzz 3/27/25
COMMUNITY RALLIES On March 18, about 400 people attended a Save UWF town hall meeting to discuss recent appointments to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees. Community leaders, business executives, former trustees and students gathered to voice concerns about what many described as a politically motivated takeover of the university’s leadership.
The controversy began on Jan. 6 when the governor’s office announced five new appointees to the UWF Board of Trustees, none of whom were local candidates despite qualified local applicants. This followed three similar appointments from the state Board of Governors in December.
Speakers at the event drew parallels to New College of Florida, where similar board appointments in January 2023 led to the immediate firing of the college president. “UWF can be New College. What they did at New College, they want to do here,” sources were quoted as saying, suggesting this could be part of a national template to reshape higher education.
Of particular concern is the election of Scott Yenor as board chair. The new appointees voted as a bloc (8-5) to elect Yenor, who previously stated at the 2021 National Conservatism Conference: “We need to de-emphasize our colleges and universities. That’s essential to making progress on family matters.”
UWF graduate student Domani Turner-Ward expressed concern about Yenor’s views, describing them as “objectively misogynistic, racist and antisemitic.”
Another appointee attracting concerns is Adam Kissel, who now chairs the Academic Affairs Committee. Kissel reportedly specializes in “watering down accreditation,” which would expand federal student aid to private and religious institutions that don’t qualify under current standards.
Multiple speakers highlighted UWF’s significant value to Northwest Florida: 53% of all teachers in Escambia and Santa Rosa County are UWF graduates; 56% of UWF students come from local communities; UWF graduates earn the highest starting salaries among Florida state university graduates; the university ranks sixth among Florida’s state universities; and UWF has been named a top 10 public regional university by U.S. News & World Report.
Quint Studer emphasized UWF’s role as a “talent incubator,” noting that most employees at his companies are UWF graduates. Former Board of Trustees chair Suzanne Lewis detailed the university’s achievements under President Martha Saunders’ leadership, including UWF’s ranking as number one in the state for graduate earnings.
Turner-Ward described the impact on students: “As a student, I have seen my peers reeling from these events; female students feel less safe and less welcome. Many students from all demographics are angry and confused. I have even spoken with several prospective students who have canceled their enrollment.”
The town hall concluded with former State Rep. Debbie Ritchie urging attendees to take action by contacting key officials, particularly State Sen. Don Gaetz, chair of the Ethics and Elections Committee; writing personal notes expressing why UWF matters; and signing the petition at saveuwf.com.
She told the crowd, “We want you to communicate to the people of influence who can make a decision about the future of not only our university but also our community.”
For more information, visit saveuwf.com.
BCC OPPOSES YENOR The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners has formally opposed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointment of Scott Yenor to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.
The March 14 letter, signed by Commission Chairman Michael Kohler, urges the Florida Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections to reject Yenor’s confirmation, citing concerns about his public statements and lack of connection to the university.
“The stakes could not be higher as this appointment threatens the future of UWF and the surrounding community,” wrote Kohler on behalf of the commission.
Yenor, a professor at Boise State University in Idaho, has reportedly never visited the UWF campus. Commissioners highlighted his controversial statements about women, non-Christians and racial minorities as fundamentally incompatible with UWF’s mission and demographics.
The letter specifically references Yenor’s position that “men, and only men, should pursue higher education and careers” as particularly troubling for a university with a 60 percent female student population led by President Martha Saunders.
Commissioners expressed concerns about potential antisemitic statements that run counter to UWF’s longstanding relationships with Jewish donors. These donors include the late Fred Levin, who funded the Askew Institute for Multidisciplinary Studies and donated his $8 million home to the university, and the Bear Family Foundation, which contributed $5 million to the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business.
The commission is concerned about the potential consequences if Yenor is confirmed, including an estimated 25% enrollment decline within five years, a reduction in female faculty and administrators, the elimination of archaeology, sociology, humanities, and arts programs and negative economic impacts on local businesses.
“West Florida is a stalwart bastion of conservative thought, but our residents feel betrayed by the unexpected effort to foist Mr. Yenor upon us,” the letter states. “We solicit your support in our mission to Save UWF.”
A DIFFERENT DEMOCRAT With the April 1 special election approaching, Democratic candidate Gay Valimont is making her final pitch to voters across Northwest Florida’s First Congressional District.
This isn’t Valimont’s first congressional campaign, but it’s certainly different. After running against Matt Gaetz in 2024, Valimont found herself back on the campaign trail just eight days after his resignation triggered a special election.
“After Matt resigned, it was eight days later and I was in Puerto Rico licking my wounds from the last election, and my phone blew up,” Valimont shared during her interview with Inweekly.
The campaign sprang back into action, securing petition signatures over the Thanksgiving holiday in just 10 days.
The biggest difference this time? “I’m not running against Gaetz,” Valimont said, adding that her fundraising success has dramatically improved, allowing her campaign to reach more voters through advertising, digital outreach and door-knocking efforts.
Personal tragedy has cemented her ties to District 1. In 2020, Valimont lost her 44-year-old husband to ALS and her 8-year-old son to a terminal brain tumor. These experiences shaped her perspective on healthcare and strengthened her commitment to the district.
“I’m never going to leave this district because every corner of it reminds me of my child and my family,” she said. “When they send me to Washington, I’ll go there, do my job, stand up for us, and then come home.”
What are voters telling Valimont? “Groceries are too expensive, homeowner’s insurance is too expensive,” she said.
Valimont positions herself as a Democrat who can work across the aisle, drawing from her upbringing with a Republican father and Democratic mother. “The National Party has nothing to do with me,” she stated frankly, acknowledging the Democratic Party’s messaging problems.
“At this point in our politics, we’ve got to put partisan hate aside and get to work,” she emphasized. “I’m a Democrat, but that doesn’t mean people that vote for me have to be a Democrat.”
Valimont’s campaign operates around the clock, with 60 canvassers knocking on doors. Her message is simple for undecided voters: “Come out and talk to me if you’re not sure.”
SPECIAL ELECTION GUIDE The special election to fill Florida’s 1st Congressional District—which Matt Gaetz vacated during his failed attempt to become U.S. Attorney General—is Tuesday, April 1.
Candidates on the ballot:
Republican Jimmy Patronis: joinjimmy.com
Democrat Gay Valimont: gayforcongress.com
No Party Affiliate Stephen Broden: facebook.com/stephen.broden.1
Voters can also write in one of three candidates: Richard Dembinsky (no website),
Stanley Gray (facebook.com/stanley.gray.5895) and Stan McDaniels (the1manstan.com).
Early Voting
Early voting is an option through Saturday, March 29. Registered voters can cast their ballots from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at any of the following locations:
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 S. Palafox St.
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- Main Library, 239 Spring St.
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A, Molino
- Tryon Library, 1200 Langley Ave. (Replacing Ashbury Place)
- Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway
- Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. De Soto St.
- Billy G. Ward Century Courthouse, 7500 N. Century Blvd., Century
- UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, 11000 University Parkway
Vote By Mail
Mail-in ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, so be sure to get yours in the mail as promptly as possible. Once it’s in the mail, you can use the “Track My Ballot” tool to chart the progress of your ballot from the mailbox to the SOE office. Go to escambiavotes.gov/track-my-ballot to learn more.
Voting Election Day, Tuesday, April 1
First, find your assigned voting location. This is based on the address you registered to vote with (because you already registered, right?). We recommend visiting escambiavotes.gov/precinct-finder to find your polling location easily.
On election day, go to the polls between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Bring photo identification, and you should be good to go. Any questions? Visit escambiavotes.gov.
MORE WIND JOBS GE Vernova and RWE have partnered to supply 109 onshore wind turbines for two West Texas projects. GE Vernova’s Pensacola facility on Scenic Highway will manufacture the turbines, with deliveries starting later this year. The Pensacola plant supports hundreds of advanced manufacturing jobs, with approximately 20% of workers being military veterans.
Once operational, these projects will boost RWE’s U.S. wind capacity to over 1 gigawatt, generating enough electricity to power more than 85,000 Texas homes and businesses annually. The economic impact spans multiple states, creating hundreds of full-time construction jobs in Texas while supporting Florida’s manufacturing sector.
“We are pleased to support a leader in the wind industry and appreciate RWE’s confidence in our business, our technology and our team,” said Scott Stalica, executive director of North American commercial operations for GE Vernova’s onshore wind business.
The partnership, finalized across two quarters in 2024, grew out of both companies’ commitment to American energy independence. Kevin Kroll, chief operating officer of RWE Clean Energy, said, “RWE’s investments in West Texas symbolize our strong commitment to local energy production and strengthening manufacturing and supply chains in the United States through partnerships with great American companies like GE Vernova.”
This collaboration adds to GE Vernova’s global onshore wind portfolio of approximately 56,000 installed turbines generating nearly 120 gigawatts of capacity, demonstrating how corporate partnerships can advance decarbonization while boosting local economies in Texas and Florida.
RECORD TOURISM Pensacola’s beaches and historic downtown continue to draw millions of tourists, with visitors now struggling to find parking during peak times.
Visit Pensacola recently celebrated Florida Tourism Day by announcing record-breaking figures for Fiscal Year 2024. According to data collected with Downs and St. Germain Research, the Pensacola area attracted 2.54 million visitors from October 2023 through September 2024, a 2.3% increase from the previous year.
While Florida saw tourism surges during FY 2021 and FY 2022 due to lenient COVID-19 measures, numbers began declining statewide in 2023. However, Pensacola defied this trend, dipping only 1% before rebounding to set its new record.
“Our peer destinations aren’t seeing that,” said Visit Pensacola Executive Director Darien Schaefer, referring to competitors like Orange Beach/Gulf Shores, Fort Walton Beach/Destin and Panama City Beach.
The record tourism resulted in $22 million of tourism development tax collections, up 2.1% from the previous year. Other highlights include $1.3 billion in direct spending, $2.01 billion in economic impact, 18,700 jobs supported and $513 in local taxes saved per household.
Visit Pensacola’s $6 million marketing campaign generated $111 million in local impact and $1.94 million in earned media. Their website attracted 3.8 million users, while their social media channels engaged over 300,000 followers.
Despite this success, Schaefer noted a significant challenge: the lack of conference center space limits group visits. “If we want to bring 1,000 people here, we don’t have the space,” he explained. County commissioners are considering Bay Center renovations, with one proposal including a 50,000-square-foot event center and a 26,000-square-foot ice rink at an estimated cost of $104 million.
CITY UPDATES In his weekly press briefing, Mayor D.C. Reeves provided updates on key projects and celebrated several community achievements. The briefing focused on development progress, transportation enhancements and notable accomplishments by local organizations and individuals.
The mayor will recommend a three-month option extension for the Valencia project at Maritime Park’s Parcel 7 to the Pensacola City Council. All principal terms for the hotel development have been agreed upon, with parking being the final detail to resolve. The project needs approximately 80 additional parking spaces to reach the required 180 spaces.
“We’re not giving out extensions to options just for the sake of doing it,” Reeves said. He anticipates presenting a lease with firm deadlines to the Council before the extension expires.
Several downtown projects are progressing well: The Tempo (by Hilton developers) at New World Landing awaits only DEP approval for contamination issues before beginning demolition, and the Tristan Hotel project continues “full steam ahead.”
Contour Airlines began service to Pensacola International Airport on March 22, with direct flights to Muscle Shoals. The mayor expressed hope that this new carrier might expand service similar to Breeze Airways, which recently increased Tampa flights and added a Raleigh route.
The GL 52 Series hosted the inaugural Pensacola Cup in Pensacola Bay last week, bringing approximately 150 crew members and support staff to the city. For information on the results, visit gl52series.com/florida-2025/.
Mayor Reeves recognized two PPD officers: Lieutenant Amy Parsons, the first woman from PPD to graduate from the FBI National Academy at Quantico, and Officer Heather Mallett, named 2024 PPD Officer of the Year for her work as Washington High School’s resource officer.
COASTAL EROSION HELP The Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) has launched an initiative to help coastal property owners combat shoreline erosion using environmentally friendly methods.
The Living Shoreline Assistance Program introduces nature-based approaches to shoreline protection as alternatives to traditional hardened structures. These living shorelines utilize native plants and oyster shells to stabilize coastlines while creating functional ecosystems. When site conditions require additional reinforcement, hybrid approaches can incorporate non-living materials such as rock or artificial oyster reefs. Research indicates these approaches are more environmentally sustainable and often more cost-effective over time.
According to PPBEP data, approximately 55% of Pensacola Bay and 27% of Perdido Bay shorelines have already been hardened with artificial structures, significantly affecting both ecological function and the natural character of coastal environments.
The Living Shoreline initiative offers comprehensive support through technical resources, professional design consultation, assistance navigating regulatory permits, and financial support to reduce implementation costs. The program will be implemented in two strategic phases: Perdido Bay Watershed (Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025) and Pensacola Bay Watershed (Aug 1, 2025–Dec. 31, 2026).
Property owners, neighborhood associations and community organizations can participate in upcoming informational sessions at in-person open houses from 2-8 p.m. on Thursday, March 27 at Graham Creek Nature Preserve in Foley, Ala., and 2-8 p.m. Thursday, May 1 at Perdido Key Community Center. A virtual option will be available from 5:30-7 p.m. on Friday, April 4 through an online webinar requiring registration.
The program is funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Interested parties are encouraged to review eligibility requirements and application procedures at ppbep.org/livingshorelines.
