“Leon County is proud to recognize the dedicated residents and neighborhoods that strengthen our community through service, leadership, and collaboration,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Christian Caban. “From beautification projects to volunteerism and civic engagement, these efforts create lasting benefits for residents throughout our county.”

The 2026 winners include:

• Small Neighborhood of the Year (200 homes or fewer) – Avondale Neighborhood Association. Avondale demonstrated a strong commitment to resident engagement by using community feedback to guide meaningful neighborhood improvements while continuing to foster a connected, vibrant community through popular annual events and traditions.
• Large Neighborhood of the Year (more than 200 homes) – Griffin Heights Neighborhood Association. Griffin Heights exemplified community leadership by fostering resident engagement and implementing initiatives that enhanced neighborhood pride, improved quality of life, and supported sustainable revitalization and economic opportunity.
• Unincorporated Neighborhood of the Year (outside the city limits) – Highgrove Homeowners Association. Highgrove demonstrated exceptional community stewardship by investing in infrastructure improvements, advancing sustainable practices, and fostering a welcoming, connected community through resident engagement, longstanding traditions, and service initiatives.
• Neighbor of the Year- Michelle Olson. Michelle exemplifies the true spirit of community through selfless service, compassionate leadership, and unwavering commitment to her neighbors. Since joining the neighborhood one year ago, she has made a lasting impact by volunteering her time, strengthening neighborhood initiatives, and enhancing the quality of life in her community. Whether improving shared spaces, helping neighbors in need, or fostering connections, Michelle consistently goes above and beyond to make her neighborhood a better place to live.

“For 45 years, Leon County has recognized the extraordinary contributions of our neighborhoods, whose dedication continues to enrich communities and create lasting impact across our county,” said County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “Through this program, we celebrate their accomplishments and the partnerships that inspire continued progress for generations to come.”

The Neighborhood of the Year Award winners received a sign to display at their neighborhood entrances. The Neighbor of the Year Award winner received a personalized plaque highlighting their leadership and service to the community.

“Leon County neighborhoods are strongest when residents come together with a shared commitment to improving the places they call home,” said Leroy Peck of CONA. “CONA is proud to partner with Leon County in celebrating the neighborhood organizations whose dedication strengthens neighborhoods and builds a stronger community.”

Learn more about the County’s neighborhood resources at LeonCountyFL.gov/NeighborhoodServices.

June Permits

For the month of June, the number of single-family residential construction permits were down 7.0% when compared to June 2025. There were 53 permits issued in June 2026, compared to 57 permits issued one year ago. There were 66 permits issued last month, May 2026.

The 3-Mnth Avg. data (Apr. – Jun.), which smooths out the month-to-month volatility, shows a 19.5% increase in the number of permits issued over the same 3-month period one year ago.

June Permit Value

The June permit value was down 9.3%, from $16.2 mill in June 2025 to $14.7 million in 2026.

The 3-Mnth Avg. data show a 3.5% decrease in monthly average permit value during this period. The 3-month average permit values decreased from $14.3 million in June 2025 to $13.8 million in June 2026.

Long Term Trend

The chart below shows the number of permits issued each month for the last 37-month period. A 3-month average line is also included. The highlighted numbers relate to permits issued in the month of June back to 2023.

The chart shows that the 3-month average declining trend that began in June 2025 has been reversed. The year-to-date (YTD) numbers through June show 2026 permits (312) are ahead of the number of permits issued during the first six months of 2025 (301) and 2024 (298).

The numbers show that year-to-date (YTD), though June, property crime and violent crime incidents are up when compared to YTD numbers through June 2025.

The broader 12-month trends show that violent crime incidents are trending up while property crimes remain relatively flat after a major decline in 2025. (See graph)

The YTD Numbers

The incident data -tabulated by TR – show that YTD property crime incidents were up 6.4% and violent crime incidents are up 24.1% through June when compared to the same time period one year ago.

Property crimes encompass burglaries, thefts, and incidents of vandalism. Violent incidents include aggravated assaults, armed robberies, and physical altercations.

A look at specific crimes reveals the YTD increase in property crime was driven by increases in residential (11.9%) and commercial burglaries (51.2%) when compared to 2025. The Auto Burglary & Theft category – which accounts for approximately 55% of all property crimes – is down 5.1.%.

The violent crime data shows that robbery incidents were up 17.4% while assault & battery incidents were up 26.1%.

12-Month Trends

The chart below shows the 12-month trends of property and violent crime incidents from January 2023 through June 2026.

Property crime incidents began to decline in December 2024 and reached a 3-year low in October 2025. For the most part, since then property crime has remained flat.

Violent crime incidents peaked in October 2023 and reached a 3-year low in June 2025. Since then, violent crime incidents have been trending up.

TR has previously published an analysis which showed that Leon County’s job growth during this period ranked 37th and the annual wages ranked 13th.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Leon County’s number of business establishments increased from 9,155 in 2019 to 10,868 in 2025. That represents a gain of 1,713 establishments, or 18.7%, ranking sixth among 11 peer counties.

For comparison purposes, the peer group includes counties that produced between 100,000 and 200,000 jobs in 2019.

Only Pasco County (30.5%), Manatee County (24.8%), Sarasota County (24.1%), Lake County (22.9%) and Collier County (20.4%) recorded faster growth during the six-year period.

Leon County’s growth also exceeded the statewide average. Across Florida, business establishments increased from 679,463 to 800,831, a gain of 121,368 establishments, or 17.9%. Leon County’s 18.7% increase was nearly one percentage point higher than the state’s overall growth rate.

Among the counties trailing Leon were Marion (16.6%), Seminole (13.5%), Escambia (13.4%), Volusia (8.6%) and Alachua (7.3%).

The figures come from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), widely regarded as the nation’s most comprehensive source of local employment and business data. Unlike surveys that rely on statistical sampling, QCEW is based on unemployment insurance records submitted by employers and covers approximately 95% of U.S. wage and salary jobs, making it one of the most accurate measures of local economic activity.

In QCEW data, an establishment is a single physical business location where economic activity occurs, such as a retail store, restaurant, manufacturing plant, office, medical clinic or warehouse. A single company may operate multiple establishments—for example, a retailer with 10 stores would be counted as 10 establishments. As a result, establishment growth measures the expansion in the number of business locations rather than the number of companies.

Economists often view growth in business establishments as a key indicator of economic vitality because it reflects business formation, expansion and investment within a community. When combined with employment and wage growth, establishment growth provides a broader picture of the strength and diversity of a local economy.

By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix

The recent electoral successes by Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates in New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado has sparked vituperative responses from Republicans and establishment Democrats around the country.

But conventional wisdom would have you believe that the movement has little chance of emerging in the Sunshine State, which has flipped from being a competitive swing state to MAGA Central over the past six years.

Don’t tell that to Oliver Larkin, the 34-year-old former union organizer running in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary against Jared Moskowitz in South Florida’s newly configured Congressional District 25, which now runs along the southeast coast from Delray Beach to Miami Beach.

In a telephone conversation with the Phoenix last week, Larkin said that, while he has considered himself a Democratic socialist since he volunteered to work on the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign in 2015, he didn’t feel compelled to join the organization formally until the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

That’s when he became disillusioned that the national Democratic Party lacked the “spine” to fight for issues like for Medicare for All and adequately address police violence following the uprising over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department.

“I really felt that it was important to formally join an organization that was building a parallel power structure to the Democratic Party, to move it in a more progressive direction,” he said. “What I’m really inspired by is the Democratic Socialists of America, and I decided to campaign openly as a DSA member because I think that they really have the policy prescriptions that address so much of the root core of what ails American life today.”

In addition to Medicare for All, those policy prescriptions include an increase in the minimum wage to $25 an hour, universal childcare, and paid family and medical leave. “I mean, these policies are overwhelmingly popular with the American people regardless of how they consider themselves ideologically or what political party they or may not be a part of,” he said.

Like other DSA candidates, Larkin questions the U.S. government’s relationship with Israel. He believes the Israeli government has committed a genocide in Gaza, approves of an immediate suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel, and supports H.R. 3565, filed by Illinois Democratic U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez to restrict the sale, transfer, or export of offensive weapons to Israel.

Six days after DSA candidates swept Democratic congressional primaries in New York City and a day before Democratic socialist Melat Kiros stunned Colorado politics by defeating a 15-term incumbent in a Democratic primary, the Larkin campaign held a virtual fundraiser that included appearances by New York City DSA-backed congressional candidate Claire Valdez and socialist influencer Hasan Piker.

“You have the fundamentals, you have the policies, you have the charisma, especially in comparison to Moskowitz,” Piker told Larkin during the event. “We just need to connect you with as many voters as possible because … once more and more people are aware of who you are and what you represent, and that there is an election even that’s taking place, a primary that’s taking place, if we can draw a turnout, we can absolutely make a massive impact here and we can unseat one of the worst Democrats in Congress.”

Larkin has criticized Moskowitz for his moderate record. That bill of particulars for Larkin includes Moskowitz’s stint serving in the Ron DeSantis administration as Florida Director of Emergency Management (from 2019-2021); his strong support for Israel; and being the only member of the Florida Democratic congressional delegation to vote for the Laken Riley Act.

That’s the measure named after the Georgia student killed by an undocumented immigrant that requires undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or violent crimes to be held in jail pending trial.

The Moskowitz campaign declined to comment for this story.

Larkin is also critical of the Florida Democratic Party, saying the state’s dramatic shift to the right since the 2018 elections was never inevitable. “A series of choices,” such as campaigning “at arm’s length” regarding the 2020 constitutional amendment raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2026 and its nomination of former Republican Charlie Crist for governor in 2014 and 2022 have helped alienate the base.

Following the primary wins by DSA-backed candidates in New York, the Florida Democratic Party’s likely nominee for governor, David Jolly (another former Republican), told CNN, “I think New York elected the wrong people.”

“Look, I disagree with many of the candidates that New York Democrats elected, but I’m a Florida Democrat. We do things differently down there,” he added.

“I was a little concerned to see him joining in on the bashing of Democratic socialism in a recent interview,” Larkin said of Jolly’s comments. He gives credit to Jolly for emerging as the front-runner for party’s nomination for governor, but says he hasn’t forgotten that Jolly’s previous stance on abortion compelled him to co-sponsor legislation in Congress that would have given full legal rights to a fertilized egg.

Jolly has since changed his mind on the issue, saying he now is pro-choice and if elected governor would veto any legislation restricting reproductive healthcare.

Larkin supports Jacksonville state Rep. Angie Nixon for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate (against Alex Vindman, the whistleblower in the first Trump impeachment).

“I think that she represents the very kind of change that voters really want to see out of the Democratic Party and not just establishment politicians who are handpicked by Washington, D.C.,” he said.

DSA’s appeal

The only DSA-aligned lawmaker now holding political office in Florida is Richie Floyd, a former electrical engineer and Pinellas County science instructor who narrowly won a city council seat in St. Petersburg in 2021 but has garnered no opponents for re-election this year. In his four-and-a-half-years in office, he’s carved out a reputation as an advocate for tenant rights, improving public services, and fighting on working-class issues, such as the campaign to have the city “dump” Duke Energy Florida and investigate creating a municipal electric utility. He opposes what he referred to as corporate handouts.

Floyd notes that approximately 300 DSA members have been elected as mayors, city councillors, state lawmakers, and other local offices in 39 states. “So, that pretty much shows that it’s not contained to one locality,” he said.

“I think the thing that sort of goes unnoticed is that part of the appeal of DSA candidates is obviously the ideology is getting more popular, but the part that goes unnoticed is that the campaigns that DSA runs are hard fought,” he said. “There’s a ton of volunteers that work really hard night and day without getting paid just in the hopes that they will get a better world, and it inspires people to come out and do really hard work. It shows that people believe in this politics in a way that you haven’t seen from like a lot of Democratic party politics in a longtime.”

Sam May is co-chair of the Tampa chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. She first became involved in the DSA while canvassing for Floyd’s first campaign in 2021. Since then, the chapter has more than doubled to around 330 members, she said.

“I think it’s so exciting,” she says of DSA members getting elected around the country. “I think it shows how the tides are turning in America and the working class is speaking up.”

May notes that Tampa DSA just finished a medical debt relief campaign with Undue Medical Debt that resulted in cancellation of medical debt for more than 2,400 Hillsborough County residents. “And so, having these electoral victories and then being able to put people into work like that has been very beneficial for our local community,” she said.

But can that energy and enthusiasm that helped get Floyd elected twice in St. Petersburg translate to other parts of the Sunshine State — particularly South Florida, where Democrats have been branded with the derisive “socialista” label by the GOP?

“I think it is important to remember that Florida Democrats are way more moderate than people think, in part because the state is very diverse in a Dem primary,” said Democratic Party strategist Steve Schale. He notes that even in what was a triumph for progressive Democrats — the 2018 Democratic primary for governor in which Andrew Gillum won the nomination — “he barely got a third of the vote in a five-way race where his opponents were hit by like $60-$70 million in negative ads from Gillum allies.”

Schale notes that in the March 2020 Democratic presidential primary, Joe Biden defeated Bernie Sanders, the spiritual leader of the progressive movement (although notably not a DSA member) by nearly 40 points, 62%-23%. Sanders lost to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary in Florida by 31 points, 64%-33%.

“I am sure the DSA can have some success in individual city races around the state, but I just don’t think they are the factor here that they are in some of these more gentrified upper-income urban districts, like we saw in New York,” he added.

President Donald Trump responded to the rise of Democratic socialists Friday night in a speech at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, alleging “a resurgence of the communist menace in our land.”

“Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,” Trump said. “It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, or even 9/11.”

Political analysts say that while Democratic socialists believe in state intervention, they still believe in political pluralism, whereas communism advocates for full state ownership of the means of production and central planning.

The Republican National Committee recently weighed in on the Congressional District 25 primary.

“Extreme socialists are taking over the Democratic Party and electing full blown crazies, proving there’s no room for moderates on the Left and taking seats like FL-25 off the map for Democrats,” said Emma Hall, Southeast regional communications director for the RNC.

Sizing up the Larkin-Moskowitz primary

Like several Democratic incumbents, the DeSantis redistricting map erased Moskowitz from the Congressional District 23 seat he has held since 2022 and compelled him to run in the new CD 25 seat. Informing that decision, Moskowitz says, is that the electorate was estimated to be 25% Jewish, a plus for his candidacy. The Moskowitz campaign released a survey last of week of 728 likely Democratic primary voters in the district conducted by Beacon Insights showing him with a 32-point lead over Larkin, 51%-19%, with nearly 30% undecided.

Larkin doesn’t dispute the poll’s accuracy. In fact, he said, it shows him improving in the contest.

“What I think is really interesting about that poll is the same pollster, Beacon Insights, within a month prior they put out another poll saying that he was up 49%-12%. Now he’s up 51%-19% so I’m taking seven out of every nine voters that have made up their mind since then, and that’s without spending a single dime on paid media, so there’s still 30% of voters that are undecided in this race.”

Larkin’s bona fides as a candidate of the working class received a boost last week when he won the endorsement of the SEIU Public Services union, which represents nearly 20,000 public sector workers across the state. The Florida AFL-CIO, meanwhile, withheld an endorsement of Moskowitz, the only sitting Democratic incumbent in the state not to receive its imprimatur, as reported by the Miami Herald.

“Voters want to have candidates know what they’re standing up for and know what they’re fighting for and not just trying to cater to this mythical moderate and return us to a status quo which ultimately delivered us two terms of Donald Trump,” Larkin said. “So, I think trying to ride a fence post is not really the kind of message that’s going to motivate, especially the kind of volunteers and supporters that we’ve been attracting to our campaign.”

Whether Larkin is successful next month, his candidacy reflects a fissure between younger Democrats and their elders. Most of the DSA candidates elected this year are in their 20s or 30s. Floyd turns 35 in a few weeks.

“If you’re, like, a young person in this world — or hell, some of us are almost middle aged now — and you’re frustrated that you can’t get ahead and politics aren’t speaking to you, the only outlet right now is DSA if you really want to build a better world. And so, we’ve been able to attract a lot of people because of that, and I think you’ll only see that continue as more people hear about it and more people get excited,” he said.

“Our secret sauce is that we’re working to build something better, and it makes people get off their couch to participate in it in a way that no other politics has in a long time.”

The analysis below provides a comparison between Leon County and a peer group that includes 11 other counties. For comparison purposes, the peer group includes counties that produced between 100,000 and 200,000 jobs in 2019.

Leon County Added 12,000 jobs Since 2019

Leon County added more than 12,000 jobs over the past six years, ending 2025 with an average of 165,332 jobs. The pace of employment growth (7.67%) ranked 7th in the peer group of ten counties. See table below.

Among the 11 peer counties included in the comparison, Alachua County (4.99%), Escambia County (5.97%) and Seminole County (6.64%) recorded lower growth rates than Leon County.

The strongest performers were Pasco County, which added 28,535 jobs for a 23.44% increase, followed by Marion County at 15.15%, Collier County at 13.79%, Sarasota County at 12.92% and Manatee County at 11.93%. Lake County also posted double-digit growth at 17,314 jobs, or 17.09%.

Statewide, Florida employers added more than 1.03 million jobs during the period, an increase of 11.68%.

The gap narrows somewhat when looking only at the post-pandemic period from 2022 to 2025. During those three years, Leon County added 9,452 jobs, representing 6.06% employment growth.

That growth matched the statewide average of 6.03% but still ranked below six of the peer counties. Pasco again led the group with 11.22% growth, followed by Manatee (9.20%), Lake (8.56%), Collier (7.83%), Sarasota (7.71%) and Marion (7.45%). Leon outperformed Volusia (4.69%), Alachua (3.85%), Escambia (3.26%) and Seminole (3.00%).

The data suggest Leon County has experienced steady job gains but has not kept pace with many of Florida’s fastest-growing counties over the longer six-year period. However, its performance since 2022 indicates the county’s labor market has largely kept pace with statewide employment growth as Florida’s economy has continued to expand following the pandemic.

Leon County wage growth ranks among Florida’s strongest

While Leon County has trailed some of its Florida peer counties in overall job growth since 2019, workers have experienced one of the stronger increases in wages over the same period. The QCEW data shows that Leon County economy ranks 13th among the 67 Florida counties in annual wages in 2025. From 2019-25, Leon County wages grew 39.6%, which ranks 22 among the 67 counties. The table below lists the top 20 Florida counties ranked by 2025 annual wage.

Among the 10 peer counties in the comparison, Leon ranked fifth in wage growth. See table below, which display the counties ranked by the 2025 annual wage.

Florida’s average annual wage climbed from $51,744 in 2019 to $72,732 in 2025, an increase of 40.6%. Leon County’s 39.6% increase was just one percentage point below the statewide average.

Only four peer counties recorded stronger wage growth than Leon. Manatee County led the group with a 43.3% increase, followed by Pasco County at 42.1%, Sarasota County at 41.6% and Collier County at 40.1%.

Leon County outperformed Lake County (38.5%), Marion County (38.0%), Escambia County (37.0%), Volusia County (36.2%), Seminole County (35.6%) and Alachua County (34.5%).

Leon ranked in the middle of the peer group for wage growth with average annual wage of $64,947 ranked behind Collier County ($70,215), Seminole County ($68,003), Sarasota County ($67,589), Alachua County ($66,042) and the statewide average of $72,732.

The comparison suggests Leon County’s labor market has produced steady wage gains even as employment growth has lagged many of Florida’s faster-growing counties. Workers saw average annual pay increase by more than $18,400 over the six-year period, reflecting continued upward pressure on wages despite more modest job creation than many of the state’s high-growth markets.

Leon County Circuit Judge Jonathan Sjostrom imposed the life sentences on John’Darious Wright, Rahyim Sanders and Tyrell Guinnie after a jury convicted the trio in May of multiple felonies stemming from two home invasions on Sept. 25, 2023. Because each defendant was convicted of the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, Florida law required a life sentence.

Prosecutors said Wright carried out both home invasions and shot Tallahassee Police Officer Caleb Babb while fleeing the second crime scene on Sandpiper Court. Babb, who had been on the force for about a year, suffered a gunshot wound that severed his femoral artery and nearly died from blood loss before receiving emergency medical treatment. Wright also was convicted of shooting a man in the face during an earlier home invasion on Cypress Point Road that same morning.

During Monday’s sentencing hearing, Officer Babb addressed the court, describing the lasting impact the shooting has had on his life and career. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell also spoke, praising Babb’s courage and the officers who responded that morning.

Babb ultimately made a full recovery and became the first living recipient of the Tallahassee Police Department’s Purple Heart award. Monday’s sentences conclude one of Leon County’s most significant violent crime prosecutions in recent years, bringing nearly three years of court proceedings to a close.

For more than a decade First Commerce has awarded the MyWay Scholarship annually, helping students across North Florida and South Georgia pursue their educational goals and build brighter futures.

The press release noted that the “MyWay program reflects First Commerce’s commitment to investing in communities and individuals across generations.” Through the scholarship, people ages 29 and younger receive support to advance their education and pursue their personal and professional goals.

First Commerce awards four $1,000 MyWay scholarships each year, two to students in North Florida and two in South Georgia. Recipients are students who demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership, community involvement and work experience.

Meet the 2026 MyWay Scholarship winners from Tallahassee:

Cooper Harrell of Tallahassee is pursuing a master’s degree in athletic administration after earning his bachelor’s degree in sports management in 2025. As he works toward a career in high school athletic administration, Harrell has gained hands-on experience serving as a substitute teacher and athletic department intern at Maclay School. He said the MyWay Scholarship provides meaningful financial relief as he continues investing in his education and career goals.

Delaney Ding of Tallahassee is enrolled in the University of Florida College of Medicine’s dual-degree MD-PhD program, combining medical training with doctoral research focused on epidemiology. Ding hopes to build a career that integrates direct patient care with research that can improve health outcomes on a broader scale. He said receiving the scholarship is an honor and supports his ability to continue investing in his studies and future.

“Cooper and Delaney exemplify the determination, leadership and commitment to excellence that the MyWay Scholarship was created to celebrate,” said First Commerce CEO Cecilia Homison. “We can’t wait to see the positive change they create in their professions and communities.”

For more information about the MyWay Scholarship program, including eligibility requirements and future application opportunities, visit First Commerce Credit Union’s MyWay Scholarship webpage.

Gillum, 46, was arrested July 2 by the Daphne Police Department and booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Center on charges of possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and second-degree possession of marijuana. Jail records indicate he was released the following day. Authorities have not publicly released additional details about the circumstances leading to the arrest.

Gillum served as mayor of Tallahassee from 2014 to 2018 before winning the Democratic nomination for governor. He narrowly lost the 2018 general election to Ron DeSantis by about 32,000 votes, one of the closest gubernatorial races in Florida history.

The arrest marks the latest legal setback for Gillum. In 2020, he entered a rehabilitation program after a widely publicized incident at a Miami Beach hotel, saying he had struggled with depression and alcohol abuse following his gubernatorial defeat. No criminal charges were filed in connection with that incident.

Gillum was also prosecuted in federal court on campaign-related charges stemming from his time in public office. In 2023, a jury acquitted him on one count, while the court declared a mistrial on the remaining counts after jurors were unable to reach unanimous verdicts.

As of Tuesday afternoon, neither the Daphne Police Department nor Gillum had publicly commented on the Alabama arrest. The charges remain allegations, and Gillum is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

At approximately 12:03 a.m., on July 4th, TPD responded to the area after it was reported an individual had been robbed. When officers arrived, an adult male was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Life-saving measures were immediately attempted, but sadly the victim succumbed to his injuries.

This remains an open and active investigation. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Currently, there is no known ongoing threat to the public.

The airline’s first flights on the new routes started on July 2, adding direct connections between Tallahassee and the two destinations for the first time. Service will operate three days a week — Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Breeze Airlines Communication Specialist Ryne Williams told the Tallahassee Democrat that the company was “really pleased with the performance of both routes and are excited to see how they continue to grow following the launch of service.”

“We are excited to begin service from Tallahassee to Fort Lauderdale and Raleigh-Durham on July 2,” said Williams,

Breeze is offering introductory fares starting at $39 one way for qualifying reservations, giving travelers another low-cost option for summer travel.

The launch of Breeze service marks the latest effort to expand air travel options at Tallahassee International Airport. City of Tallahassee Aviation Director David Pollard said the new routes support the city’s goal of increasing passenger traffic, economic impact and cargo activity.

“We are thrilled to welcome Breeze Airways to Tallahassee,” Pollard said, calling the addition an important step as the city continues investing in air service improvements.

The Tallahassee City Commission approved a program that good provide up to $3 million in incentives for the new routes at Tallahassee’s airport, according to TLH Airport Director David Pollard.

“We’re very pleased with the support of our leadership and the City Commission as we work to take that next step with respect to the implementation of the air service incentive and capacity improvements program,” Pollard said.

Breeze Airways founder and CEO David Neeleman said the airline is focused on providing affordable, nonstop service from communities that have had limited direct-flight options.

Founded in 2021, Breeze operates more than 300 year-round and seasonal routes to 86 cities across the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. The airline flies Airbus A220-300 aircraft and promotes amenities including onboard WiFi, family seating options and flexible booking policies.

With the new flights beginning, Tallahassee residents will have expanded access to two additional nonstop destinations as the airport continues efforts to grow commercial air service.

The board elected Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor as its new vice-chair, filling a vacancy created when City Commissioner Curtis Richardson became chair on June 1. Under Blueprint’s bylaws, the chairmanship rotates annually between a city commissioner and a county commissioner, requiring the vice-chair to come from the opposite governing body. Commissioner Proctor’s appointment places him in line to become chair following Richardson’s term.

The board also approved a $375,000 non-competitive economic development project request from Neighborhood Medical Center to support operational costs associated with a new pharmacy project. The agency’s review found the project includes a $213,628 private capital investment, is expected to create seven full-time jobs with competitive wages and could generate an estimated $3.9 million economic impact for the community.

In another economic development action, Blueprint approved a competitive incentive package for “Project Prestige,” an expansion proposal from a local advanced manufacturing company considering a new facility at Innovation Park. The project represents a potential $25 million capital investment, a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing center and 100 new manufacturing and research jobs over the next two years. The company is evaluating multiple locations, making the incentive package part of a broader effort to retain and expand local industry.

The board also directed staff to return with revisions to Blueprint’s Small Business Enterprise policy to ensure compliance with new state requirements. The review examined the agency’s Minority, Women, and Small Business Enterprise program, including certification standards, supplier diversity practices and participation goals following changes in Florida law affecting local diversity-related programs.

Finally, Blueprint approved eminent domain resolutions tied to two transportation projects: Airport Gateway and the Northeast Connector Corridor. The resolutions authorize the agency to pursue property acquisitions needed for bridge improvements on Springhill Road over Munson Slough and improvements along Bannerman Road. Officials said no residential or business relocations are required, and legal action would only be used as a last resort if negotiated property purchases cannot be completed.

The actions highlight Blueprint’s continued focus on transportation infrastructure, economic growth and compliance with changing state requirements.