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Mark O'Brien

  • Real estate real grim for sellers

    Highlights for the month of February:

    · Home sales down from 451 February of last year to 353 this February; 74 sales were new construction.

    · The number of homes for sale has also decreased from 7,379 to 6,964 with 1,347 of them condominiums. Some would-be sellers have [...]
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    Posted: March 17, 2008, 12:42pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Joe's show glows, journalist says

    Pensacola’s Joe Scarborough gets a nice write-up in the latest issue of American Journalism Review for the way he runs his MSNBC-TV show with a bright mix of humor, insight and news that extends beyond the usual palaver.

    The story is written by Matthew Felling, a host at National [...]
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    Posted: March 17, 2008, 12:17pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Bad news, good money

    Bad news can be good for business, especially if your meal ticket involves printing notices of real estate foreclosures.

    Escambia Sun Press, a weekly publication, carries lots of ads about different legal activities, including about 10 a week on foreclosures.

    That was before the economy tanked.

    In [...]
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    Posted: March 14, 2008, 4:06pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Race, money and politics

    Number of comments: 3
    For years, some black people have complained that minorities don’t get a fair share of business from the City of Pensacola, especially on construction projects.

    The answer all along has been that few black businesses exist and even fewer are big enough or competitive enough to win city contracts.
    [...]
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    Posted: March 14, 2008, 12:37pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Numbers aren't inviting

    Number of comments: 1
    We Pensacolians have a lot of factors in our favor, but some numbers are plain ugly, especially when stacked up against statistics from comparable counties.

    We have beaches, a national seashore, good sources of higher education, a top airport and many cultural activities.

    "In addition we have acclaimed [...]
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    Posted: March 14, 2008, 11:47am EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • The yolk is on wimps at WPMI-TV

    Number of comments: 2
    They have some big weenies at WPMI-TV, the Mobile station that got egg on its face when its news crew tried to interview Jamal Lee, a 17-year-old Pensacolian accused of murder.

    The saga began Thursday afternoon when a reporter went to Lee’s home, with camera rolling a la Geraldo [...]
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    Posted: March 14, 2008, 10:44am EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Say it isn't so...

    Yes, leaders actually are making progress on a topic that has been under discussion for more than a decade: Fewer garbage collections, more recycling.

    At a meeting today, Escambia County commissioners were enthusiastic about the proposal, which is being worked on by staffers for the county, the Emerald Coast [...]
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    Posted: March 13, 2008, 1:19pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Tardy hearty

    Don't be surprised that Judge Linda Nobles let accused killer Jamal Lee stay out of jail on bond Wednesday even though he's been a few minutes late twice on the curfew imposed as one of the rules of his freedom.

    After all, Nobles is hardly the most punctual of [...]
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    Posted: March 13, 2008, 10:00am EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Downtown frown

    Number of comments: 1
    I have a question for all these folks who talk ad nauseam about renovating downtown Pensacola and the need to keep pumping more and more taxpayer money into this lovable but unremarkable area.

    With all the time and money spent on downtown, why do areas like Nine Mile Road [...]
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    Posted: March 13, 2008, 9:52am EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Trash TV tip

    Now we get another bunch of Botoxed bimbos who are on TV to tell us about their lives as rich folks who are just like us, if we were still teenagers worried about what other people think of our clothes, our hair, our taste in music.

    This is "The [...]
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    Posted: March 12, 2008, 5:35pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Church stays relevant

    It’s smart of the Southern Baptist Church to put more emphasis on the environment if it wants to be relevant to young people.

    Environmental issues — not just global warming — matter more to today’s young people than the topics of yesteryear, like gay marriage, which the old war [...]
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    Posted: March 12, 2008, 12:50pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • A better alternative

    Plans for a citizens committee to review Pensacola’s next budget have been put on the shelf and a better idea is in the works.

    Both sides agree that there’s not enough time to select and train a group of citizens to comb over the proposed budget before the Oct. [...]
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    Posted: March 12, 2008, 9:28am EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Non-profits and government aid

    I can see why people want local government to stop funding nonprofit agencies, reasoning quite soundly that government has neither a right nor a responsibility to use taxpayer money for these causes.

    But there’s a flip side that should be mentioned when we tally up the savings: Many non-profits [...]
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    Posted: March 11, 2008, 4:03pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Lawyers wanted ... well, just one

    Expect lots of lawyers to dust off their resumes.

    The City of Pensacola will advertise locally for applicants to replace John Fleming as City Attorney when he retires in July.

    The financially strapped Council agreed Monday to solicit applications locally, but to skip a suggestion that it spend [...]
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    Posted: March 11, 2008, 3:36pm EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Divide and conquer

    Number of comments: 1
    There’s no shortage of people running to be Escambia County commissioners this year, but that may work to the incumbents’ advantage.

    That’s because a crowded field tends to divide the "anti" vote and let the incumbent return to office on the strength of supporters.

    In District 3, a [...]
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    Posted: March 10, 2008, 11:20am EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Tired TV

    If WSRE-TV must constantly beg for money, it should at least get some new stuff to air.

    Yet again this week we have Roy Orbison and the Everly Brothers or some other such recycled programming that PBS tries to pass off as premium material. Recycling is nice for metal [...]
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    Posted: March 10, 2008, 11:19am EDT
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Huh! Say what?

    Reading between the lines of his memo, you might conclude that City Manager Tom Bonfield wants to deter an effort to make citizens more involved with the city’s budget process.

    It’s understandable. He’s trying to get a financial blueprint finalized as soon as possible as the city deals with [...]
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    Posted: March 07, 2008, 7:06pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Council confrontations?

    Two people are running for Pensacola City Council seats held by incumbents, setting up some potential debate for a governing body that seldom draws meaningful challengers.

    Jeff Humbles is running for the District 6 seat held by Jewel Cannada-Wynn.

    Rhette Anderson, a former councilman, is running for the [...]
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    Posted: March 07, 2008, 12:22pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Fight, fight

    Number of comments: 1
    Some Democrats seem happy that Joe Roberts has left their party and now is running for Congress under the No Party Affiliation.

    An article in The Voice, a newsletter for Okaloosa County Democrats, takes issue with Roberts' decision to quit the Democratic race for the nomination to challenge incumbent [...]
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    Posted: March 06, 2008, 5:15pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Buyouts beckoning

    How many government workers like their jobs?

    We’ll see in a few weeks if Escambia County goes ahead with a proposal to offer buyouts to workers 50 and older or who have 30 years service.

    The county would pay the employee two weeks salary for every year worked, [...]
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    Posted: March 06, 2008, 4:29pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Tax talk

    Things could get even tighter at the Escambia County Courthouse, where officials must shave $15 million in spending off the budget for next year.

    The Legislature, now in session, is making noises about requiring more tax rollbacks from local government. The state forced local governments to make a 7 [...]
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    Posted: March 06, 2008, 3:31pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • A fast $50,000

    Looking for new ways to raise money, the City of Pensacola hired a Tallahassee consulting firm for $50,000 to make suggestions.

    The recommendation: Divide the cost of the fire department by the number of users, which in this case meant $377 per homeowner, far more than some people pay [...]
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    Posted: March 06, 2008, 11:12am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Poetic license

    Poets use "poetic license" to sketch events that aren't always literally correct, so the bards among us should get out their licenses for a poetry contest.

    It's sponsored by the Heritage Committee of Pensacola 450th celebration, which is a little shaky since Pensacola's 450th celebration is of its founding, [...]
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    Posted: March 05, 2008, 3:36pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Cremation saves tax money

    Number of comments: 3
    There’s at least one way for Escambia County to save $75,000, and that’s on citizens who no longer are with us.

    The county’s responsibilities include paying for the burials of indigent people, which runs more than $100,000 a year, at $900-$1,000 per burial.

    Commission Chairman Mike Whitehead says [...]
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    Posted: March 05, 2008, 3:34pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Good book

    History is nice, but I like to know what the future holds, too.

    So I like a"What's Next: The experts' guide," a new book which includes predictions from 50 smart people about what to expect on topics ranging from dating to drug laws, from schools to fashion. They make [...]
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    Posted: March 04, 2008, 6:34pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Church chatter

    This month marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of Trinity Presbyterian Church on Bayou Boulevard in Cordova Park, just one of several spun off by First Presbyterian Church.

    Churches, incidentally, often are signs of a changing community. Trinity’s opening came as part of the move to the suburbs. [...]
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    Posted: March 04, 2008, 11:43am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Hot water, cold cash

    There’s no more hot water at Pensacola City Hall or other city facilities, and there’s more of an effort to turn off unneeded lights and irrigation systems — all part of an effort to save 10 percent on a $1 million-a-year utility bill.

    The cutbacks were in the planning [...]
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    Posted: March 04, 2008, 10:57am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Hey kids...

    Want to be investigative reporters?

    Then go to [www.guidestar.org] and see who makes what in the world of local nonprofits.

    This site offers Internal Revenue Service records that gives a rundown of salaries and other transactions involving nonprofits like hospitals, schools and charitable groups.

    Tip: For [...]
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    Posted: March 03, 2008, 6:05pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Travels with Charlie

    And you think Jim Paul travels a lot as Escambia County School Superintendent, taking 66 days and spending $19,000-plus on educational getaways last year.

    Charlie Crist knows how to get out of the office, too.

    The Florida Democratic Party has graciously opened a web site (www.emptychaircharlie.com) which says [...]
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    Posted: March 03, 2008, 5:55pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Reef revenue

    Baldwin County as well as Escambia County gets big benefits from the USS Oriskany, the decommissioned aircraft carrier that now is a huge artificial reef off the coast of Pensacola.

    The ship generated an estimated $2.2 million in dive-trip related expenditures for the two counties with a total impact [...]
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    Posted: March 03, 2008, 5:31pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • 'Wedding' woes

    There’s no need to see "Margot at the Wedding" unless you want the comfort of seeing that at least one family is far more painfully dysfunctional than yours.

    It starts out OK, with Nicole Kidman and her son on an idyllic ferry ride, but soon deteriorates as she mixes [...]
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    Posted: March 02, 2008, 1:55pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • More on Nobles and Lee

    I've been bothered by some of the things people are saying and thinking today about Judge Linda Nobles and her decision to allow accused killer Jamal Lee to remain free on $100,000 bond.

    1) I think the judge is getting a bad rap. She was just following the law.
    [...]
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    Posted: February 29, 2008, 4:16pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Violence summit meeting

    Pensacola's City Hall will be the setting for a meeting March 15 to discuss violence and possible solutions.

    The meeting has been called by Councilman John Jerralds, who said he is working with a civil rights group -- Movement for Change -- and other organizations to increase communication about [...]
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    Posted: February 29, 2008, 11:30am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Hall called out

    In his short time on the Pensacola City Council, Sam Hall has managed to get under his colleagues’ skin several times.

    Last night’s televised council meeting was the latest example, and it drew some of the bluntest responses.

    Hall, halfway through his first two-year term, started grumbling about [...]
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    Posted: February 29, 2008, 10:46am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Did defendant trap himself?

    A few more details about a sensational shooting emerged today in a hearing for Jamal Lee, accused of killing one youth and wounding another in a Burger King north of Car City last Saturday night.

    Defense attorney Patrice Cashwell said Lee, 17, voluntarily spoke to deputies at the scene [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 6:20pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Park problems

    When it comes to recreation in Pensacola, not everyone is having fun.

    Some people are upset that both the west side of town and Woodland Heights on the east side are still without community centers that have been discussed for years.

    Yet the Roger Scott Tennis Center may [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 12:26pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Idea is a natural born loser

    It’s hard to feel much sympathy for the people who have lost so much money on this idea of building million-dollar homes and a golf course north of Pace.

    There’s a line between "vision" and "delusion", and methinks these folks went waaaaay over the line. Where would anyone get [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 11:22am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • New try on parking

    Let’s all take a deep breath and see if this new parking plan for downtown Pensacola can work.

    Parking has often been a sore point, partly because the City of Pensacola has been half-hearted with its efforts at enforcement and facilities.

    Now, however, the city has turned functions [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 11:13am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • An idea worth considering

    If City Hall really wanted to try something different to deal with tax cuts, it could eliminate the Community Redevelopment Agency, which was founded more than 20 years ago to deal with blight in downtown Pensacola.

    Well, the worst of the blight is gone now, and the CRA is [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 10:51am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Beach eats

    Number of comments: 2
    Businesses are banking on some hungry folks at Pensacola Beach this summer.

    Four new concessions are in the works — one by sea and three by land.

    The water-based facility, Steamers Sandbar, would be a pontoon boat moored 600 feet off the Quietwater Beach pier. It would offer [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 10:38am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Good signs for summer

    There may be a couple good omens ahead for Pensacola’s tourism market this summer, according to a local marketing expert.

    One: The federal government will send $600 checks to many Americans starting in May, when vacations are on their minds, says Ellis Bullock, president of E.W. Bullock Associates.

    [...]
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    Posted: February 28, 2008, 10:20am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • An idea whose time has come

    It’s a c-word almost akin to communism to some folks here, but we need to be thinking more about consolidation.

    That would mean merging political and/or government entities in order to make them more efficient, something the fear-mongers and political piggy wigs are sure to exploit.

    "Stay away [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2008, 5:08pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Victim planned Christmas with family

    The best defense is a good offense.

    That might be Jerry Allred’s strategy for defending Willie James Hodges, accused of first-degree premeditated murder for killing a woman.

    Allred, a veteran defense attorney, attacked both the possibility of a death penalty and the facts of the state’s case against [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2008, 4:45pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • If you can't beat'em ...

    People complain about the lack of planning in Pensacola.

    Here's a chance to get involved:

    City Manager, Tom Bonfield is accepting letters of interest from persons wishing to serve on the City of Pensacola Planning Board.

    The appointment will be made by the City Manager and will [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2008, 4:08pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Municipal manipulation

    Now the City of Pensacola is trying to get residents to clean up some of its 93 parks -- building community spirit, saving money and all that.

    What’s next for those little manipulators at City Hall?

    If we get in a car wreck, will the cops issue us [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2008, 12:43pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Play ball!

    Finally, the House and the Senate have found something they can do right.

    First they showed Roger Clemens to be a major league bozo, and now they seem intent on finding out how long Bill Belichick has been secretly taping his opponents, something the National Football League didn't want [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2008, 12:31pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Big leaps, please

    Oh, gee, now Ralph Nader is running for president -- again!

    Whoopee!

    What’s next: A reunion of The Captain and Tennille? More television variety shows featuring jugglers and mimes? Break out the "Members Only" jackets, boys, and put on the Brut aftershave.

    Nader, like so many geezers, [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2008, 12:28pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Court should have done better

    There’s nothing necessarily wrong with Judge Ross Goodman allowing Jamal Lee to post $100,000 bond on a murder charge. Innocent until proven guilty-- remember?

    But the judge should have attached conditions to monitor the youth’s behavior and coordinated with officials at Escambia schools, where the fatal shooting of one [...]
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    Posted: February 26, 2008, 3:36pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • "The Wire" is hot

    "The Wire," which appears weekly on HBO, is an engrossing look at society, much more than just a cop show.

    It looks at society through the eyes of Baltimore and a stew of politicians, criminals, family folks and institutions that don’t always work anywhere near their peak.

    So [...]
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    Posted: February 26, 2008, 11:10am EST
    by Mark O'Brien

  • Departing party

    Joe Roberts is leaving the Democratic Party but will continue with his second run for Congress and the seat held by Republican Jeff Miller of Chumuckla.

    He says he is leaving the Democratic Party because too many members have a "litmus test" -- that a candidate must be pro-choice [...]
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    Posted: February 22, 2008, 6:50pm EST
    by Mark O'Brien
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