National Panhandle News

• Rate hold confirmed: Policymakers expected to keep key rate at 3.5-3.75%.
• Market pricing: 100% chance of no change.
• Focus areas: Powell's speech on inflation, economy, and growth indicators.
• Possible finale: Could be Powell's last FOMC meeting.

Panhandle vulnerability exposed as Okaloosa County reports 3,819 outages—over 65% of Florida's 5,815 statewide total.

• FPL hit hardest: 5,300+...

Iran is closing its economy, drawing parallels to China's experiences and meaning trouble ahead—a key topic on today's Morning Joe amid U.S. economy updates and global affairs.

Tallahassee baseball fans, FSU's golden chance to snap a three-game skid:

• Home Dominance: Seminoles 20-3 at Dick Howser; USF just 8-9 on road.
  -...

Partisan firestorm ignites as Senate Democrats slam DHS funding for a $400M “gold-plated ballroom”.

• Schumer leads attack: Wasteful spending,...

Nine months in, FAMU's Marva B. Johnson—ex-Florida State Board of Education chair and broadband exec—is driving R1 research status, federal...

Panhandle drought update: Tallahassee forecast predicts 1-2 inches of rain through Saturday—most since March's mere 2 inches total.

• Good news:...

Panhandle Public Safety Incidents

• 🔥 Beulah Middle School Evacuated: Escambia County sheriff's deputies responded to a bomb threat at Beulah...

Florida lawmakers convene in special session on DeSantis' map, eyeing up to 4 more GOP seats by reshaping Dem districts in Orlando, Tampa, South...

New Federal Reserve update video highlights U.S. economic health through:

• Unemployment forecasts
• Retail spending projections
• Financial market conditions
  revealing central bank's balance sheet insights.

Key shocks from Tokyo:

• BOJ holds rates 6-3 at 0.75%; 3 dissent for hike to 1% over hot inflation (CPI forecast up to 2.8%).
• Yen whipsaws, US...

Wall Street's Nasdaq and S&P 500 slide exposes vulnerabilities:

• Fading AI optimism: OpenAI concerns pressure chip stocks, risking slowdown in data...

Bay County justice served: Anthony Charles Hill Jr., 49, convicted April 24 of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide after a 2023 crash that killed...

Panhandle reefs grow stronger: Bay County Artificial Reef Association deployed six massive steel structures (6,000-10,000 lbs each) 18 miles offshore,...

• Wallet impact: 1-mill increase means ~$200/year extra on a $200k home.
• Board unanimously advances plan to raise $26M for funding shortfall.
  -...

• Myth busted: Larger 2025 tax refunds ($188B savings) are offset by $195B in tariff revenue passed to consumers.
• Worse in 2026: Tariffs projected...

S&P 500 companies' earnings are looking very strong, says Eric Sterner, CIO at Apollon Wealth Management. He joined BNN Bloomberg to discuss the outlook on American markets.

• Boundary drop model in Niceville: Closest fire units from Niceville, East Niceville, and Valparaiso respond regardless of jurisdiction starting May...

Santiago Gavidia, Niceville High immigrant senior, cleared Florida's FAST ELA after 17 fails via school-tutoring teamwork.

• ESOL supports included...

Tallahassee public safety under strain from escalating threats and shootings:

• Political threats: Local man Diego Villavicencio pleads guilty to...