Leaked Hope Florida Grand Jury Report: State ‘Misappropriated’ Funds
August 27, 2026
A state grand jury report found Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration “misappropriated” funds by diverting Medicaid money to a nonprofit, eventually ending up in political committees supporting the governor’s agenda. But the report didn’t find enough to pursue criminal charges against anyone.
The leaked report was first obtained and published by CBS Miami on Wednesday evening. It found $10 million from a total $67 million settlement in 2024 between Florida and Centene Corp., a vendor for the state’s Medicaid program, was sent to the Hope Florida Foundation, the charity arm of an initiative helmed by First Lady Casey DeSantis.
To read the pdf from CBS Miami, click here.
The money was then split equally between two nonprofit groups – Secure Florida’s Future and Save Our Society From Drugs.
Days later a large chunk of that money, $8.5 million, was given from the two groups to Keep Florida Clean, a political action committee staffed by James Uthmeier, who was DeSantis’ chief of staff at the time. DeSantis later appointed Uthmeier to be Florida Attorney General.
Then Keep Florida Clean sent $9 million to the Republican Party of Florida and another $1.23 million to the Florida Freedom Fund, another political committee chaired by Uthmeier.
The committee was dedicated to opposing two measures on the November 2024 ballot. One would’ve installed a right to an abortion in the state constitution, the other would’ve legalized recreational marijuana. Both measures failed to get the 60 percent support required to pass.
The grand jury report found Uthmeier “was in a position of authority over those involved in settling with Centene,” the report says, and witnesses identified him as having involvement in directing the money after it went to Hope Florida. But no witness would identify who specifically directed the money to Hope Florida.
The attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The grand jury could not find sufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally, as “nobody will take responsibility for deciding the $10 million of taxpayer money would go to Hope Florida.”
“Virtually everyone involved is a lawyer and acted on the advice of other lawyers,” the report says. “We recognize that this would be an impediment to criminal prosecution. While we can’t prove who is responsible, we can plainly see that taxpayer money was misused for political purposes and we would like to see changes made to prevent this from happening again.”
In a social media post, Alex Lanfranconi, communications director for DeSantis, called the CBS Miami story about the grand jury report a “baseless smear” that has been “debunked over and over again.”
“In fact, if any confidential grand jury report was leaked to the press, that’s the only crime committed here,” he wrote on X.
The report also named Ashley Moody, who was attorney general at the time, and said the investigation found Moody “authorized” the settlement agreement with Centene, which included the money that would be transferred to the Hope Florida Foundation. Moody was later appointed to the U.S. Senate by DeSantis.
Moody and Uthmeier are up for reelection in November.
The grand jury investigation into the Medicaid settlement funds began after Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican who chaired the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, started to look into the matter during the 2025 legislative session.
During the House probe, Andrade, an attorney, accused Uthmeier and Jeff Aaron, a lawyer representing the foundation with close ties to the DeSantis administration, of violating the law with the settlement and the foundation’s subsequent grants.
Andrade declined to comment for this story.
Last October, months after confirming there was an open investigation into the settlement, State Attorney Jack Campbell issued subpoenas for witnesses to appear before the grand jury, but the results of the grand jury investigation had remained hidden from the public until Wednesday, when published by CBS Miami.
For months, Uthmeier, DeSantis and other Republican leaders dismissed questions about the investigation. Hours before the CBS Miami story was published, DeSantis called the scandal a “hoax.”
Democrats fired back Wednesday evening, with Sen. Tracie Davis of Jacksonville, who is in line to be Senate Democratic Leader after the November elections, calling the report’s findings “an egregious abuse of power.”
“The report asked the legislature to make sure that our laws are strong enough to prevent corruption and ensure transparency of public funds,” Davis said in a statement. “To that end, I plan to file legislation in the upcoming legislative session to prevent this type of outrageous abuse from ever happening again.”
Jacksonville Rep. Angie Nixon, the Democratic candidate running against Moody for U.S. Senate, called on Moody to resign for her role in the Hope Florida scandal.
“None of this is leadership. None of this shows good judgment. None of this shows courage,” Nixon said in a statement. “She has broken the public trust, and she must resign immediately.”
Sneak Peek: Planting Part Of Thanksgiving Dinner For 1,000 Needy Families
August 27, 2026
Every November, NorthEscambia.com takes you to Farm-City Week, and this year we are giving you an early sneak peek.
During Farm-City Week just before Thanksgiving, a couple of hundred student volunteers from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will work for a day in the fields near Jay for the harvest.
This week, the UF/IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) and the Florida Department of Corrections spent the morning planting 2,500 collard transplants.
The locally grown collards will be part of traditional holiday meal boxes provided to more than 1,000 families across Santa Rosa and Escambia counties. In partnership with Feeding the Gulf Coast, families will receive boxes filled with turkey, sides, breads and pastries, along with locally grown collards, cabbage, turnips and sweet potatoes.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Sweeps West Florida to Stay Unbeaten
August 27, 2026
The Tate High School Aggies kept their undefeated season rolling with a dominant 3-0 sweep over the visiting West Florida Jaguars, taking the straight-set victory with scores of 25-13, 25-17, and 25-13.
The win improves the Aggies to a perfect 4-0 on the year while the Jaguars dropped to 0-5. Tate continues to show depth across the court this season, tallying 115 total team kills, 144 digs, 105 assists, 33 aces, and 17 blocks.
Senior Torrie Garrett has anchored the Aggies’ offense with a team-leading 50 kills, while senior Bailie Merritt and Grace Gaulden have paced the service game with eight and seven aces, respectively. At the net, sophomore Myla Manoso leads the defensive front with nine total blocks, supported on the back line by junior Harper Leopard, who is averaging 3.3 digs per set.
Tate will look to extend their winning streak on Thursday when they host Pensacola High at 6:30 p.m.
Chance Of A Few Scattered Showers Tonight
August 27, 2026
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers between 1am and 4am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers between 10pm and 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 92.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 93.
Walks Burn Wahoos Against The Montgomery Biscuits
August 27, 2026
For the first time since last Thursday, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos found themselves in the loss column. In a 10-0 loss to the Montgomery Biscuits, Pensacola couldn’t overcome a slow start.
Walks were the story of the night for Luis Moreno (L, 6-7). He allowed three free passes in the first, one in the second, and four in the third. The 8 total walks were a season high for an individual pitcher for the Wahoos and a career high for Moreno. Those three first-inning walks coupled with four base hits brought four runs home for Montgomery.
The third inning saw three more runs plated for the Biscuits, giving them a 7-0 lead over the Wahoos. Moreno didn’t make it out of the third, finishing with 2.2 innings, 5 hits, 7 runs, 8 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Tristan Stevens was the first man out of the pen and pitched a perfect 2.1 innings, striking out three in the process.
Logan Whitaker and Josh Hejka threw the final 3.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk. The Pensacola offense only managed to scrape across three hits from Aiva Arquette, Fenwick Trimble, and Colby Shade. Garrett Edwards (W, 5-10) grabbed the win for the Biscuits, improving their record to 63-59 overall and 28-25 in the second half. The Wahoos fell to 70-51 and 34-18. Despite the loss, the magic number for Pensacola still dropped to 11, thanks to a Clingstones loss in Chattanooga.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series with Montgomery on Thursday night.
written by Charlie Hobert
Register Now: Free 4-Month Food Distribution Program For Veterans Begins Thursday
August 26, 2026
A new initiative aimed at easing financial burdens for local military families will launch Thursday evening in Escambia County.
The Veteran Food Assistance Program, hosted by Be The Miracle in partnership with Feeding the Gulf Coast and Rep. Michelle Salzman, begins Thursday, August 27, at 5 p.m. at Jubilee Church, located at 5910 North W Street in Pensacola.
Through a grant supporting the initiative, Feeding the Gulf Coast is donating all food for the program at no charge to participating households. The program will provide 60 veteran families with enough food to feed their household for two weeks, with distributions taking place every other Thursday over a four-month period running through December 17. A new group of 60 families will cycle into the program every four months.
Organizers designed the program to provide supplemental assistance during times of financial strain, allowing families to redirect critical funds toward medical appointments, utility bills, and other household necessities.
“Supporting our veterans means supporting the families who stood beside them,” said Representative Michelle Salzman. “No veteran should have to choose between putting food on the table and paying a bill or making an important medical appointment. This program provides meaningful assistance while giving veterans and their families a little breathing room to get caught up and move forward. I am grateful to Be The Miracle and Feeding the Gulf Coast for partnering with us to serve those who have given so much to our country.”
“It is a sacred duty and the ultimate honor for us to care for the veterans right here in our area,” said Tim Chandler, chaplain and founder of Be The Miracle. “These brave men and women gave so much for our country, and it breaks our hearts to know some face food insecurity. By opening this pantry, we hope to serve them with the same dignity, respect, and dedication they showed while serving us.”
Veterans and their immediate family members can apply online or call (850) 207-5024 for more information.
Flomaton Fire Destroys Home, Displaces Family Of Nine
August 26, 2026
A family of nine people was displaced after a fire destroyed their Flomaton home early Wednesday morning.
The mother, father and their seven children were able to escape without injury.
The fire was reported just after 2:30 a.m. in the 20000 block of Highway 31, just a few feet west of the Flomaton town limits. Firefighters were called back to the scene for a reflash shortly before 7 a.m.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Multiple fire departments responded, including the Flomaton Fire Department and the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Rule The Vikings; Northview Fall To PHS is Hard-Fought Match
August 26, 2026
Tate Aggies Rule The Vikings
The Tate Aggies lived up to the night’s royal theme Tuesday, delivering a commanding 3-0 sweep over the Fort Walton Beach Vikings in varsity volleyball action.
With the student section and home crowd dressed in gold and royal attire to “Rule the Vikings,” the Aggies quickly turned their home gym into a kingdom of their own. Tate set the tone early with a dominan win in the opening set.
The Aggies maintained firm control through the second set, claiming a 25-13 victory to build a commanding lead.
Fort Walton Beach rallied to mount a strong challenge in the third set, but Tate held off the push to seal the match with a 25-23 win.
Northview Chiefs Fall To Pensacola High In Hard-Fought Volleyball Match
The Northview Chiefs showed plenty of fight on the road Tuesday evening, pushing the Pensacola High Tigers to the limit before falling 3-0 in varsity volleyball action.
Pensacola High took early control with a 25-6 win in the opening set and maintained momentum to take the second set 25-17.
The Chiefs refused to go quietly, battling point-for-point in an intense, extended third set. Northview repeatedly answered the Tigers’ attack and pushed past regulation before Pensacola High finally closed out the match with a 29-27 win.
Individual stats for the match were not available.
Dolly Parton’s Legacy Included Bringing Books To Children In North Escambia
August 26, 2026
Country music icon Dolly Parton passed away on Tuesday at age 80, leaving behind not only a legendary music catalog that spanned decades, but also a legacy of philanthropy that touched millions, including children in the North Escambia area through her Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
The program provides free books monthly to children ages 0-5 in 36 counties’ as her genertoisy spread far beyond the spotlight.
During the summer of 2008, the first books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library arrived in the mailboxes of about 300 children in Escambia County, with about half of those in the Century area in cooperation with local partner the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County, which administered the program locally.
In Century, a local celebration was held at the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center; the program’s outreach to Century was funded by the Teaspoon Foundation and Century Pharmacy.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Pictured above: Four-year-old Jared Bevan enjoys reading one of the books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at Campfire USA in Century on June 28, 2008. Pictured below: Some of the books from the program. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Town Of Century Pays Tribute To Late Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr.
August 26, 2026
The Town of Century on Tuesday night honored the life and service of former Century mayor and councilman Luis Gomez, Jr., who passed away recently. He was 64.
Gomez was appointed interim mayor in August 2023 after the resignation of then-mayor Ben Boutwell. He was later elected to the position with no opposition in 2023 in a special election to finish Boutwell’s term and again with no opposition in 2024 for another four-year term that just started on January 1, 2025, just days before his resignation became effective. He was first elected to the town council in 2017.
“Mr. Gomez’s accomplishments and stature are not just measured by his professional accomplishments, but are also reflected in his personal and spiritual life,” Boutwell read from a proclamation in his honor, which continued to extend condolences to the family, friends, and the town “on the passing of this giant.” The entire proclamation is below.
Council President Dynette Lewis said she was “witness to his passion for the Town of Century.”
“I, personally, would like to say thank you for all of the work he put into the Town of Century,” she continued.
Council member John Bass said he would talk to Gomez as he was feeling poorly, but he would always turn the conversation to the town.
“Before we’d get off the phone, all he’d want to know is what is going on with the town,” Bass said. “But as soon as I get an opportunity to tell him about what’s going on in the town, the progress that we are making, his spirits would lift up and he would seem like he is feeling better. That dedication right there is what actually drives me to be here.”
Pictured top: Century Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. reads his letter of resignation on January 7, 2025. Pictured inset; Council President Dynette Lews remembers Lewis on Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
