Escambia County Commission Votes to Open Pensacola Beach on May 1st Escambia County commissioners voted unanimously to reopen the county’s public beaches on Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key on Friday, with the exception of the area under the Pensacola Beach Pier, pavilions and public restrooms. Beaches will be open from 30 minutes before sunrise…

Pensacola taking phased approach to reopening, beginning with city parks on Friday Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson announced on Monday the city would take a phased approach to reopen the city safely. During a virtual press conference on Monday, Robinson said he believes phase one of the plan to reopen dubbed “Recover Pensacola” would begin on…

Small Business Administration to Resume Accepting Paycheck Protection Loan Applications Today Friday, President Donald Trump signed into law a $484 billion measure that provides additional money for a coronavirus aid program for small businesses. The law contains about $320 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, $75 billion to help hospitals, $25 billion for coronavirus testing…

Collier Merrill Named to Governor’s Reopening Florida Task Force Pensacola’s Collier Merrill was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to his Reopen Florida Executive Task Force and the Industry Working Group on Tourism, Construction, Real Estate, Recreation, Retail, and Transportation. Collier Merrill, President of Merrill Land Company and President of Great Southern Restaurants “I applaud Governor…

Drive-Through Respiratory Clinic for Patients That Previously Tested Positive for COVID-19 Ascension Sacred Heart has opened a drive-through respiratory clinic located at 4521 N. Davis Hwy for patients who have previously tested positive with COVID-19 and would like to return to work. Patients should call the COVID hotline to make an appointment for a follow…

Governor DeSantis Names Reopening Florida Task Force, Report Expected Friday Governor Ron DeSantis named his Reopening Florida Task Force and held an initial teleconference with the group on Monday.  The task force will be meeting numerous times throughout this week with an anticipated report to be completed by the end of the week.  For more…

Applications Being Accepted for Two New Small Business Loan Programs Two recently announced loan programs will begin taking applications today.  The Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program is available to City of Pensacola and Escambia County businesses with 20 or fewer employees. The deadline for applications is Monday, April 27 at 5 p.m.…

US Chamber Foundation Announces Save Small Business Fund To extend a helping hand to small businesses suffering from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation – in partnership with Vistaprint and a coalition of supporting companies, foundations, and philanthropic donors – is working to provide financial relief through the Save…

  Innisfree Hotels Offer Free Rooms to Health Care Workers Innisfree Hotels, the largest hotel chain on Pensacola Beach, announced Monday that it would provide up to 6,300 nights to doctors, nurses, EMTs and paramedics. Hotel rooms are needed so those staff members can self-isolate to protect their family members at home in case they’ve…

Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program Announced Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, in partnership with the UWF Small Business Development Center, FloridaWest EDA and the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce have created the Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program. The grant is intended to assist for-profit businesses located in…