Wake Up Call for Thursday: Santa Rosa Commissioner Colten Wright and Seville Quarter/District Steakhouse Co-Owner Buck Mitchell

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 –we welcomed special guest District 5  Santa Rosa County Commissioner Colten Wright to the program.  We discussed budget challenges being faced in Santa Rosa County, growth challenges, Navarre issues, and a host of other topics. We also spoke to Buck Mitchell, owner and operator of Seville Quarter and The District Steakhouse downtown.  He talked about all the events going on downtown over the weekend.  We also did a full national and international information update on the show this morning as well—it was action packed.

We’re live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful 2 hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

Information, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7: Radio UNRESTRAINED!

- you can listen to this morning’s show here

 

The Wake up Call for Wednesday: Who is Shon Owens--Candidate for D3 State Representative?

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 we welcomed to the show Shon Owens, a candidate for D3 State Representative Shon Owens.  We discussed his background, qualifications, and initiatives and priorities for the district if he is elected. 

In addition to this, we discussed:

-local news—Grow your own medical pot legislation filed by Alex Andrade, Rep. Salzman files a bill giving parents access to their childrens’ social media accounts, Florida Black Bear Hunt considered

-BP scaling back efforts on renewable energy

-Dan Crenshaw says he will kill Tucker Carlson

-Trump $5 Million Dollar Gold Cards are coming

-Karen Bass stands behind the firing of Karen Bass

-Zelinski says “yes” to rare earth minerals deal

--and much more

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show here.

We are live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

News, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Wake up Call for Tuesday: Who is Wade Merritt?

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 we welcomed to the show Wade Merritt, a candidate for D3 State Representative.  Merritt discussed his local roots, his experience as a local first responder, military veteran, and fire commissioner as his big qualifications.  He discussed the need to retain the rural portions of land in D3 and the protection of farmland as one of the main issues this district is facing.  He also voiced his concerns about the ever-increasing costs for property insurance that the constituents of D3 are facing (along with all the other residents of the state of Florida)

In addition to this, we discussed:

-local news—Spring Breakers warned against bringing “weed” to Florida (It’s not legal for them to smoke it here)

-Haas Center study says Pensacola Beach is too expensive and there is not enough parking

-Violent Road Rage incident in Panama City last Saturday resulted in death of one and severe injuries to another

-Listeria breakout in some health-shakes

-Liberal Outrage over Dan Bongino being appointed as deputy director of the FBI

-Protests in England over AI

--and much more

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show here.

We are live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

News, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Wake Up Call for Friday: Who is Josh Sik, Candidate for D3 State Representative?

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 we welcomed to the program District 3 State Representative Candidate Joshua Sik.  He is one of 9 candidates who have officially qualified and are  vying for this seat which was vacated by Dr. Joel Rudman.  Dr. Rudman, who we have had on the show, was running for U.S. Congress and thus he had to resign to run.  We discussed Joshua’s campaign, his priorities if elected, how his campaign is going, and how folks can get plugged into his campaign if they would like to do so.

In addition to this, we discussed:

-local news—Kash Patel confirmed as director of the FBI

-Stephen Miller schools the fake news media

-Michael Waltz cleans up some Trump comments on Zelinski

-New research indicates gum disease may lead to Alzheimer’s

-Near Miss between UFO and Military Jet in crowded Los Angeles Airspace

-Many employers ending “work from home” privileges. 

--and much more

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show here.

We are live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

News, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Wake up Call for Thursday: Jamie Wells for State Rep, D3

 

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 we welcomed to the program District 3 State Representative Candidate Jamie Wells.  He is one of 9 candidates who have officially qualified and are  vying for this seat which was vacated by Dr. Joel Rudman.  Dr. Rudman, who we have had on the show, was running for U.S. Congress and thus he had to resign to run.  We discussed Jamie’s campaign, his priorities if elected, how his campaign is going, and how folks can get plugged into his campaign if they would like to do so.

In addition to this, we discussed:

-local news—Polar Vortex over Pensacola, another terrible, fatal traffic accident in North Escambia County, lifeguards may not be funded this year at Johnson’s Beach due to federal funding cuts

-Another midair collision, this time in Arizona

-Trump gives his assessment on the Ukraine war

-Zelinski says Trump is living in Russian Disinformation

-exciting new vaccine that may prevent and/or cure Pancreatic Cancer

-California public schools at risk of losing federal funds due to their clinging to DEI policies in contravention to Trump’s executive order.

--and much more

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show here.

We are live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

News, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Wake up Call for Wednesday: Who is Hayden Hudson? (He's a Candidate for D3 State Representative)

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 we welcomed to the program District 3 State Representative Candidate Hayden Hudson.  He is one of 9 candidates who have officially qualified and are  vying for this seat which was vacated by Dr. Joel Rudman.  Dr. Rudman, who we have had on the show, was running for U.S. Congress and thus he had to resign to run.  We discussed Hayden’s campaign, his priorities if elected, how his campaign is going, and how folks can get plugged into his campaign if they would like to do so.

In addition to this, we discussed:

-local news—Big Drug Bust in Santa Rosa, Mother sentenced to 13 years for sex-trafficking her own daughter, and the Escambia School Board voting 3-2 to send the resolution to the BCC for addition to the ballot to once again go back to an “ELECTED” Superintendent of Schools.

-Eyewitness video and audio of the horrible Toronto Plane crash where miraculously all 80 passengers and crew onboard survived

-Trump getting beat up for saying “Ukraine shouldn’t have started the war”

-Karoline Leavitt blowing up the DC Press Corps

-Rap star “ASAP Rocky” being found not guilty of weapons charges

-The increasingly high cost of airfare

--and much more

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show here.

We are live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

News, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Wake up Call for Tuesday: State Rep. D3 Candidate Nathan Boyles

 

Today on the wake-up call live on WPNN 103.7 we welcomed to the program former Okaloosa County Commissioner and current District 3 State Representative Candidate Nathan Boyles.  He is one of 9 candidates vying for this seat which was vacated by Dr. Joel Rudman.  Dr. Rudman, who we have had on the show, was running for U.S. Congress and thus he had to resign to run.  We discussed his campaign, his priorities if elected, how his campaign is going, and how folks can get plugged into his campaign if they would like to do so.

In addition to this, we discussed:

-local news—Warrington Prep struggles, a fatal car accident in Northern Santa Rosa County, and the Pensacola Ice Flyers firing their coach.

-The latest on the Toronto Plane crash

-DOGE getting push back

-Elon Musk on Trump Derangement syndrome

-DEI School programs in Ohio put on notice to comply with Trump’s Executive Order

-Riverside California Sheriff Chad Bianco running for Governor of the state

--and much more

You can hear a complete recording of today’s live show here.

We are live each weekday morning from 6:00AM-8:00AM on WPNN-Pensacola's Information Station, where local, conservative morning-drive talk radio is ALIVE and Well and where we give you the most powerful hour(s) in local morning drive talk radio.

News, weather, traffic, humor, and educated, intelligent discourse with no PC filters....

The Wakeup Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN FM 103.7:  Radio UNRESTRAINED.

Wake Up Call for December 12th: Dr. Joel Rudman live in Studio for the Hour

Live, Local Radio is ALIVE and WELL in Pensacola on WPNN--Pensacola's Information Station!

Today live on the radio at WPNN 103.7 FM  and live in the studio we had very special guest, State Representative Joel Rudman.  

He joined us for the hour to discuss his campaign, who he is, how he became involved in politics, why he decided to run in the congressional race, among a host of other topics we discussed.

The national debt, Obamacare, foreign policy, and our economy were the prominent topics covered.

Listen to a recording of today's show here.

Listen live every weekday at 7:00--The Wake Up Call with Jeff Bergosh on WPNN:

Radio UNRESTRAINED!

New Medical Examiner Facility Proposal Could be a Step in the Right Direction

Everyone everywhere who takes the time to tour the current state of our Medical Examiner's spaces in Escambia County knows one thing.  The spaces are deficient, inadequate, and undersized.

This was painfully evident when I toured the facility in 2021.  We also discussed the facility's deficiencies during one of my coffee with the commissioner events  in 2021.  We have long known there is a problem.

The difficult thing now is finding a way forward in solving this issue that works for all four counties that must fund this essential (and expensive) service.  Many have worked hard at a compromise.

The approach that didn't work:  Attempts by some from other counties to dictate to Escambia County what we should do.  Those sorts of overtures fell on deaf ears.

Because Escambia County is where most of the deaths occur, so naturally it makes sense for the ME's office to be located here.  At our latest meeting where this was discussed, a commonsense plan to expand the current ME location footprint with additional cooler space (desperately needed) and additional office and parking spaces was put forward as a workable, interim solution.  And those plans have subsequently moved forward.

In speaking with a local professional in the funeral home industry about this, some salient points were imparted to me:   "Jeff, we have the most death here in Escambia County.  Even if it is someone from the other counties, if they are really sick they end up over here in Escambia County at one of the big three hospitals where unfortunately many of them die.  In addition to that, there are folks from Baldwin County that end up in our hospitals here and many of them die here, too.  So, in my business, I see that most of the death happens here, so is it really prudent to be driving over to a county to the East with bodies from Escambia County?  I mean, I'll do it--but it will put an additional cost on the families because there are costs associated with transporting bodies."

For my part ----my thinking on this has been: I believe the ME office should be modernized, it should be improved, and additional space and cooler capacity should be added.  But it should be added here--because this is where most of the crime deaths, overdose deaths, and hospital/hospice deaths happen--let alone we in Escambia are the population center of the circuit and therefore have the highest percentage of deaths from natural and all causes.  By a longshot.  The current location of the ME facility is where it should be because of this.

Is this ideal for the other four counties, for Walton County?  No, it isn't.  But the geographic realities of the layout of this four county circuit is what it is---and in other parts of the country even larger "geographic" areas are similarly serviced by one standalone ME facility. In some cases even smaller facilities like the one in Leon county, for instance, which is a metal prefabricated/preengineered building (PEB).

With this as the backdrop--now comes a new proposal from Craig Coffey--Deputy Administrator for Okaloosa County and currently the chairman of the four county medical examiner support entity, "DOMES."  Coffee's newest proposal could be step in the right direction--as it at least recognizes the necessity of having ME capability in Escambia County.   Where I think it needs further tweaking is that the facility in Santa Rosa should be smaller than 17,000 feet and it should be the annex, NOT Escambia county.  

The rest of the proposal, particularly the percentages of payment responsibility, look good to me.

This proposal, below, will be discussed tomorrow at the regular BCC meeting.

Could the Interim Medical Examiner's Compensation Approach $1 Million for FY 2019-2020?

The proposal above was submitted by the 4-County, First Judicial Circuit Interim Medical Examiner for next Fiscal Year.  

This will be on the board's agenda for consideration later today, and the other 3 counties in the circuit would need to approve this as well in order to move forward. 

With a base salary of $350,000.00 plus $1,250 per each additional autopsy performed above 250 autopsies yearly--the total compensation for this doctor could approach $1 Million Dollars--if the office only performed the same number of autopsies performed last year (729).  

We all love our doctors, we LOVE them. And we know doctors in private practice command gigantic salaries.  We all know this, and we get it.  

We are now being told that the salary offered for a Medical Examiner is too low. 

We are also being told that we had very few applicants due to the "politics" of the area--whatever that means.  Will there be more than one doctor?  Do we know?  The way the last deal went, we were funding for two (2) Doctors but the office never hired a second doctor and best I can tell, the one doctor pocketed the money/salary of what should have been a second MD.  Will this happen again, will we pay one guy $1 Million next year?

Here is the Key for me:   this is a HUGE salary to pay.  Huge.  Part of the issue I had when the whole Medical Examiner issue erupted last year was the way money was moved around between the previous ME's office and her private company leading to her garnering compensation approaching $700K.  Meanwhile, we are still in the midst of litigation to recoup funds Escambia County feels we are owed from that debacle.   Who knows where that will land.

And now this proposal is being put in front of us.

I don't know that we can pay this high of a salary in the public sector--we cannot pay private level wages with public dollars, I just don't know how this can be justified.

Big Day for NAVFAC SE and Escambia County Tomorrow

Today will be a huge day for Escambia County and the US Navy.  Later this morning, the last flight will take off from OLF 8 and shortly thereafter property deeds will be transferred between Escambia County and the US Government--and OLF 8 in Beulah will officially belong to Escambia County.

Tomorrow will be a huge day for Whiting Field and Naval Aviation in the Southeast though---as NAVFAC SE dignitaries and officials from NAS Whiting Field will take possession of OLF X in a ceremony at 0900 tomorrow morning at what will be their newly constructed field in Santa Rosa County.

Escambia County purchased, cleared, and constructed this new Navy facility in Santa Rosa County (Outlying Landing Field X) to the most recent DoD guidelines and specifications at a cost of nearly $17.5 Million Dollars.

In exchange for this, we will be given 636 acre site in Escambia County's Beulah community today.

Deputy County Administrator Matt Coughlin (a retired Navy Captain and former Commanding Officer of NAS Whiting) will represent the county at tomorrow's ceremony where he will present Navy dignitaries with the below "Key to the Field."  It will be a great day for them all!

This plaque will be presented to Navy Officials at tomorrow's ceremony at OLF X in Santa Rosa County

Although we (Escambia County) paid a lot for this property--recent appraisals peg the value of our soon-to-be acquired property in Beulah at between $46K and $51K per acre.  This means this huge field could be worth as much as $32 Million in the current red-hot real estate market in this booming community.  This means Escambia County taxpayers will be taking possession of an asset that is valued as much as $14.5 Million over the cost of acquisition---on day one!

Yes, this is a big deal for Escambia County today too--and tomorrow will be huge for the US Navy!

Win-Win