Pensacola State College Responds to Lawsuit from WSRE Foundation

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Pensacola State College is responding to a lawsuit filed by the WSRE-TV Foundation. The college says it wants to clear up what it calls "misinformation" about the dispute. PSC owns the broadcasting license for WSRE and ended its PBS affiliation due to federal and state funding cuts. The college says it was spending more than a million-and-a-half dollars annually on the PBS fees and staffing. This fiscal year, PSC budgeted over a million dollars for WSRE operations while expecting the Foundation to contribute about 600-thousand. The college says the Foundation was established to support WSRE -- not PBS -- and is requesting the Foundation transfer its assets to PSC. The college also wants reimbursement for studio maintenance costs. PSC says it's committed to continuing local programming and finding collaborative solutions.

Volunteers Lay Wreaths at Barrancas Cemetary

Escambia County, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Hundreds of volunteers spent their weekend honoring America's veterans at Barrancas National Cemetery. More than 500 people took part in Wreaths Across America, placing over 30-thousand wreaths on gravesites across the cemetery. The annual event is held nationwide each December to remember those who served and sacrificed. Organizers say the Pensacola effort has grown dramatically - it began 17 years ago with just seven wreaths. Similar ceremonies were also held in Fort Walton Beach, Milton, and Spanish Fort.

New Escambia County Mass Transit Director

Escambia County has a new permanent leader for its public transportation system. Thaddeus Davenport was confirmed as Mass Transit Director by the Board of County Commissioners this week. He officially started the job today.

Davenport has been serving as interim director since November, and brings more than twenty years of transit experience from positions in Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee. As director, he'll oversee all of Escambia County Area Transit operations, and he'll be working on some major projects—including designing a new transit facility and transitioning the bus fleet to low and zero-emission vehicles. County Administrator Wes Moreno says Davenport has already made great strides leading the ECAT team over the last year, and he's confident he'll continue moving the system forward.