Latest news with #GulfCoastWhaleFestival
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
2 endangered North Atlantic Right Whales spotted off of Navarre Pier
SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — A rare sighting along the Gulf Coast on Saturday as two endangered North Atlantic Right Whales were spotted and reported to Oceana. This is only the fifth time since 2000 that North Atlantic Right Whales have been in the Gulf. Pensacola unveils design plans for Hollice T. Williams Park Oceana North Atlantic Whale Marine Scientist Nora Ives warns boaters in the area to be extra cautious, as these mammals are hard to see. 'They're dark in color, they don't have a dorsal fin, and they like to swim close to the surface,' said Ives. An estimated 370 North Atlantic Right Whales are left in the wild today. Of those, only around 70 are females, making reproduction chances slim for the species. These two whales have been named Koala and Curlew, ages 16 and 14. 'Even though Koala and Curlew are mature, neither of them has calved before, so they could be pregnant. We don't know,' said Ives. 'We have not seen them with calves so far and typically, the calving season is winding down right now.' Ives believes the whales traveled over 2,000 miles to the panhandle from the coast of Jacksonville, where they are most typically found. 'All the other moms and calves have started their migration back to the Northeast, which is their feeding ground,' said Ives. Gulf Coast Whale Festival organizers release event lineup Pay extra attention if the whales are spotted, staying back 500 yards. With that being said, if spotted, please report the whale's location immediately to 877-whale-help with Oceana. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pensacola unveils design plans for Hollice T. Williams Park
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — A vision to reimagine Hollice T. Williams Park and Long Hollow Stormwater Pond. Why Century Correctional Institution inmates are building tiny homes 'Basically what you see here right now is this underutilized green space.' Rachel Bennett, CRA Urban Design Planner for the City of Pensacola said. In hopes of changing that, the city unveiled its proposed Vision Plan for the 60-acre park that sits under I-110. The design includes multi-use paths, playgrounds, recreation areas and an event lawn. It's all in an area that's rich in history. The park was once home to hundreds of African-American families, churches, and businesses. However, according to the city, due to the construction of the I-110 interstate, the entire neighborhood was displaced, disrupting generations of history, culture, and economic advancement. 'It's really a chance to bring the community back together. Really honor that community,' Bennett said. But the work to carry out this vision is going to take time. The work will be done in phases with phase 1 expected to be complete in 2027. 'Phase one basically includes the design and expansion of the Long Hollow storm water pond which is to the west of the Cecil T. Hunter Pool, as well as the Cecil T. Hunter Block between Blount Street and Avery,' Bennett said. The City plans to use $25 million in grant funding for the planning, design, and construction of phase 1. The entire four-phase plan spans 20 years. However, Bennett says it could be completed sooner with additional funding. Gulf Coast Whale Festival organizers release event lineup The city plans to have their next public engagement event in June for members of the community to share their input on the plans. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
