DeSantis Announces Funding For Nursing Programs

(Tallahassee, FL) -- More money is being devoted to producing more nurses in Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis announced yesterday he awarded 20-million dollars to the LINE program. The Linking Industry to Nursing Education, or LINE, and the PIPELINE program are designed to fund scholarships for nursing students and recruit more instructors. The programs were launched in 2022, and DeSantis says funding has totaled almost half-a-billion dollars since then. He says these investments will expand nursing programs and strengthen the healthcare workforce.

Pensacola Airport Goes "Intergalactic" for 13th Year Ahead of Pensacon

PENSACOLA, Fla. — Pensacola International Airport officially became "Pensacola Intergalactic Airport" Monday morning in an annual tradition celebrating the upcoming Pensacon comic book and pop culture convention.

Mayor DC Reeves signed a proclamation during a ceremony at the airport, marking the 13th consecutive year of the sci-fi name change. The designation runs from February 20-22, coinciding with this year's convention at the Pensacola Bay Center.

"If you don't think our February is busy, we've got Mardi Gras on one weekend and we've got Pentacon on the next weekend, bringing millions of dollars of economic impact here to our city," Reeves said.

According to the proclamation, Pensacon has brought more than $31 million in cumulative economic impact to Pensacola since its founding in 2013. The convention, which draws approximately 30,000 attendees, has become the premier comic book and pop culture event serving the Gulf Coast region.

Airport Executive Director Matt Caughlin welcomed guests to what he called "our 13th year celebrating fandom that's going to be coming to town here real soon."

Pensacon organizer Mike Ensley thanked the city and airport for their continued partnership. "Our guests are always very excited when they arrive. If they've never been here they see all the decorations and they feel like the con has already started by the time they get here," Ensley said.

The proclamation noted Pensacon's commitment to being all-inclusive by featuring popular artists, actors, writers and creators while catering to fans of all backgrounds and identities.

New Command Chaplain Joins NAS Whiting Field

NAS Whiting Field has a new command chaplain ready to serve military members and their families.

Santa Rosa County, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Chaplain James Ferguson, known as "Chaps," recently took over as command chaplain at the Milton installation. He also serves Training Air Wing 5, the largest training air wing in the Navy.

Ferguson's path to the chaplaincy was unconventional. He spent eight years in the Army, including five and a half years as an enlisted soldier with two combat deployments out of Fort Hood. He said he initially resisted the calling to become a chaplain.

"My chaplain actually took me in his office on deployment — or into the tent, better yet — and had me sit with him. And he started filling out an application for me to be a chaplain," Ferguson said. "And I told him, no sir. And he submitted that to the chaplain recruiter."

Ferguson eventually accepted the path, earned his Master of Divinity from Liberty University, and became an Army chaplain before transferring to the Navy.

He said his prior enlisted experience helps him connect with service members.

Ferguson emphasizes that chaplains offer something unique: complete confidentiality.

"Everything they talk to us about one-on-one is 100% confidential, no matter what they tell us," he said.

The chaplain's office provides counseling and religious support for active duty members, their families, and civilian employees at the installation.

Ferguson is originally from Huntington, West Virginia. He and his wife Kayla have a three-year-old son, Josiah.

The NAS Whiting Field chaplain's office can be reached at 850-665-6110.