Panama City In The News

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – The Panama City Coca-Cola Bottling Company celebrated the grand opening of its new facility. This is expected to be a huge boost for counties in the area. “So when we built this place, it was with the thought again of 10, 15 years down the road,” Paul Corbin, Sales Center Manager of Panama City, said. “Today if we’re doing three million cases, this facility can handle five, six million cases and not miss a beat.” This new facility will create more than 80 new jobs and cost $10 million to build.

BAY COUNTY — While Women’s History Month is celebrated across the United States during March, women in Bay County are leading the charge on making the community a better place for all residents to live, work and grow. From providing resources to those experiencing hardships, to putting on events to bring residents together, the local leaders are making a difference in any way possible.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — Around 40 people dressed up in green, donned Irish hats and walked around St. Andrews for the annual St. Patrick’s pub crawl. Restaurants and bars like Uncle Ernie’s, Salty Hobo and Finns participated in the pub crawl. Attendees said hundreds of people have participated in the Pub Crawl in prior years.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — The Panama City Publishing Company Museum is celebrating Women’s History Month with a special exhibit. It features women in Florida who made significant contributions to society that may have been forgotten. The exhibit includes native and Spanish women from the 1500s, to Floridians pioneering change in the 1960s.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — The Bay County Chamber of Commerce is bringing back its annual block party on Thursday. There will be activities for families, along with the iconic and competitive Bed Races down 5th Street.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Downtown Panama City made its streets a bit more colorful this weekend. Bay Arts Alliance hosted its second annual Florida Luxe Arts Festival at Destination Panama City on Saturday. Everyone was welcome, free of charge. Chalking up the concrete and face painting were a couple of activities offered to the public.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)– You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Let’s paint the town red,” but what if there was an event that allowed you to literally paint the town? The FLluxe Art Festival is taking over Downtown Panama City and allowing artists to decorate the streets with beautiful chalk artwork.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – On Thursday around 4 PM people gathered at City Hall to honor and remember some of the women that helped shaped Panama City. The Panama City Quality of Life Department put together an exhibit of twenty-six women that have shaped the City of Panama City and the surrounding area. The showcase’s opening on Thursday afternoon featured remarks from the honored women and their families. The theme for the inaugural event was hope.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) -Most little girls dream of being a princess, and in one local pageant every girl is. “My pageant is a little bit unique, said Princesses of Paradise Pageant founder Mia Bennett. “It’s completely free to sign up and to participate.” Mia Bennett was just 12 when she won her first pageant title, Jr. Teen Miss Freeport. Part of her duties included participating in the Seaside Fourth of July parade.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) – Multiple parks across Panama City are getting much-needed updates.  Most of these outdoor locations were ruined in Hurricane Michael, leaving limited places for the community to gather.  Panama City’s Quality of Life Director, Sean DePalma, said crews are actively working on rebuilding Sudduth Park in The Cove.

BAY COUNTY Fla. (WMBB) – A local artist is finally reopening his doors after three years. Paul Brent is known worldwide for his beach and nature oil and watercolor paintings. Soon the public can enjoy them in person once again. “We first built our gallery at 5th and beach drive in 1990,”  Brent said.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – The Bay County Robotics Team, known as the Galactic Squirrels, started doing in-person competitions earlier this year. The team is made up of kids from Rutherford High, Bay High, Florida Virtual, and Mosley High Schools. Carson Kelly, a member of the team, started his journey early on in Lego Leagues, but it took some time. “Seven-ish years later, it led to this when I was finally old enough to compete,” Kelly said.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – There is a lot of laughter and mouth-watering food at Josiah’s Southern Cooking restaurant. “I love to cook and I’ve always had to feed multiple people. My mom died early and I kind of raised my siblings and I had three children,” said Sharolyn Gaines owner and manager of Josiah’s Southern Cooking. Gaines had always dreamed of opening a cafe and that dream finally became a reality 7 years ago.

BAY COUNTY — Bay County leaders helped the Panama City Mall move one step closer to revitalization Tuesday.  The Bay County Commission approved a proposed interlocal agreement with Panama City and the Panama City Redevelopment Agency toward an expansion of the Downtown North Community Development Area to include Panama City Mall, which has been mostly closed since Hurricane Michael in 2018.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – The Historical Society of Bay County wants to share Panama City’s rich history with you. Kenny Redd, a member of the Board of Directors of the Historical Society of Bay County, stopped by the NewsChannel 7 studio to tell us about an upcoming lecture. The presentation is based on Redd’s book, “Odyssey of The Enchanter.” The book highlights Vincent E. Valentine, a man who had a big impact and helped make the Panama City area what it is today.