City Flood Mitigation Grant Awards Top $2.6 Million

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved the fourth of four Hazardous Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) grants that the City of Pensacola applied for to reduce flood risk and mitigate damage in flood-prone areas of the city. Mayor Hayward applied for the grants after the April 2014 rain event that caused significant damage throughout the city.

The most recent award will provide funding to increase the capacity of the retention pond located between Fisher Street and Cross Street in the 1100 block. Currently, the pond overflows during a 25-year rain event, directly impacting multiple structures, including four properties on Fisher Street that suffered flood damage in 2004, 2012, and 2014. Twenty residential structures are located within the 25-year flood area, including a multi-family low-income housing complex. Given the ongoing risk to so many members of the community who can least afford the costs of flood prevention and flood recovery, this project has been Mayor Hayward’s priority for residential mitigation funding. Read the complete release here.

Big Gas wins for Kids House

Team Big Gas Dragons had a fantastic time at Saturday's 3rd Annual Pensacola Dragon Boat Festival benefiting the Gulf Coast Kid's House. The team was comprised of Pensacola Energy and City Hall employees. Special thanks to the employees that participated: Ben Ouellette, Vernon Stewart, Rebecca Ferguson, Eric Olson, Keith Wilkins, Clint Shevat, Dena Faessel, Don Suarez, Shawn Harris, Dave Glover, Tiffany Johnson, Kim Newman, Ishmale White, Johnny Scanlon, Robert Purifoy, Aimee Gray, Chiquita Boykin, Janice Caple, Daron Roberts, Bridget Bieschle, Diane Moore, Amy Gibson, Rodney Grice, Joseph Woolever, Lavaris Gully, and Mandy Bills.

Thank you for your participation. The Gulf Coast Kids House appreciates our citizens stepping up.

Pensacola's first College Game Day

The UWF Argonauts made their long awaited home debut against Missouri S&T at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Saturday. An estimated crowd of 6,288 attended the Argonauts' first-ever home football game. The game brought the largest crowd ever to Blue Wahoos Stadium and largest to watch an athletic event in UWF history.

A BLAST at Camelot Academy

On Tuesday, Mayor Hayward spoke at Camelot Academy of Escambia County for the first BLAST (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community) event, alongside Christopher Canova, United States Attorney, Northern District of Florida, and Pensacola Police Department Chief David Alexander. Our community is partnering with Mr. Canova to build trust between our citizens and our law enforcement through this program. BLAST is working hard to strengthen relationships, and develop understanding, between kids and law enforcement. The students at Camelot spent their day meeting and engaging with different law enforcement personnel.

Chamber receives visit from Bowden

City officials were in attendance Wednesday, September 14, as the the Greater Pensacola Chamber welcomed former Florida State University (FSU) football coach Bobby Bowden as keynote speaker for its 126th annual meeting in downtown Pensacola. Bowden, one of the winningest coaches in major college football history, spoke about leading successful organizations and life after football.

Pup Patrol on the move

Passengers and guests were greeted with lots of wagging tails and wet noses today as Pensacola International Airport launched its new customer service program, the Pensacola Pup Patrol, featuring "man's best friend" and their trained handler sidekicks. Pawsome!

Relay for Life of Pensacola - Meet and Greet

On Monday residents from all over our community came together at the Sanders Beach-Corinne Jones Resource Center for the 2017 Relay for Life of Pensacola meet and greet. This meeting was an opportunity for event leadership, team captains, veteran relayers, newcomers and those that may be interested to meet each other, exchange ideas, and put faces with names.

We are still looking for volunteers to help us plan our annual event as well as other fundraisers throughout the year. We are also ready to start registering teams! Contact Molly Stroud at Phone: 850.266.2290 or Email: molly.stroud@cancer.org

MWBE workshop scheduled

City of Pensacola is hosting a Minority/Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) workshop on September 22nd at 5:30pm at City Hall in the Hagler Mason Conference Room, 2nd floor.

The City has created the MWBE program in response to the Comprehensive Disparity Study findings prepared by MGT of America. This program is intended to assist certified minority and women-owned businesses with identifying and participating in City of Pensacola procurement and construction opportunities.

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