More Than 43,000 FPL Customers Remain Without Power in Escambia, Santa Rosa

PENSACOLA, Fla. — Power restoration continues across Northwest Florida Tuesday morning, with the number of FPL customers without electricity falling by more than half since Monday afternoon.

As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, Florida Power & Light reported 24,620 customers without power in Escambia County and 18,580 in Santa Rosa County, for a combined 43,200 outages.

That compares with 91,230 customers without service across the two counties at 2 p.m. Monday.

Escambia and Santa Rosa remain the two biggest challenges in FPL's Hurricane Isaias restoration operation. Other heavily affected Northwest Florida counties are much closer to full restoration.

FPL has said it expects to reach approximately 95% restoration by the end of Tuesday, although some customers in the hardest-hit areas may take longer because of extensive damage and limited access.

Customers still without power can now receive personalized estimated restoration times through FPL's outage system.

The timeline is different for customers of Escambia River Electric Cooperative, particularly in rural Santa Rosa County. EREC has warned that some of its hardest-hit territory may not reach 90% restoration until Thursday.

Residents whose neighbors have regained electricity but whose homes remain dark should make sure their outage has been reported directly to their utility.

Jimmy Buffett fans gather in Gulf Shores for annual Parrot Heads convention

Parrot Heads in Paradise, Inc. is bringing its annual convention back to Gulf Shores next week, drawing fans of Jimmy Buffett's music and lifestyle for a celebration of the artist's community and influence.

The gathering, known as the Meeting of the Minds, has become a popular annual event for devoted fans in the region. According to WKRG News 5, the convention will feature music and community-focused activities.

Gulf Shores has become a popular destination for Parrot Heads events, capitalizing on the beach town's appeal to the fan base.

National Democrats pour $7.5M into Florida races ahead of November election

National Democratic groups are significantly increasing their financial commitments to Florida's competitive races as the November election approaches, according to a statement from the Florida Democratic Party.

The Democratic Attorneys General Association announced a $5 million investment supporting José Javier Rodríguez's campaign for Florida Attorney General, while the Democratic super PAC American Bridge has spent $2.5 million in Florida's U.S. Senate race as part of a broader nationwide effort. Together, the commitments total at least $7.5 million in new resources flowing into the state.

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried characterized the national investment as validation of grassroots organizing work in the state. "National Democrats are putting real money behind Florida because they see what we've been building on the ground for the last three years," Fried said in a statement, citing recruitment of more than 1,000 candidates and efforts to flip competitive seats.

The investments underscore how Florida has become a focal point for both parties in the lead-up to November's general election, with national organizations viewing several races in the state as competitive and potentially winnable.