This week’s top news stories: Keyla Richardson advanced to American Idol’s Top 5, a potential hometown concert and a controversial Pensacola Beach “takeover.”
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Here’s a roundup of a few of our top stories from the last week.
Meet Palafox Street’s newest restaurant, SalTerra Coastal Taqueria
At Palafox Street’s newest restaurant, SalTerra Coastal Taqueria, the goal is to forget that you’re in Pensacola and instead be transported to somewhere a little farther south, where the hospitality is warmer than the weather, the salsas and aguas frescas are fresh and flowing, and the colorful, stylistically mismatched dinnerware sets make you feel right at home.
Starting on May 14, SalTerra will be open 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though the hours of operation will expand once the restaurant is open. Reservations are now open on OpenTable.
Casino Beach to temporarily close for Pensacola Beach renourishment
The eight-mile, $35 million Pensacola Beach renourishment project is near completion, significantly widening the beach and enhancing the quality of the sand, local leaders say.
If you’re headed to the Casino Beach area of Pensacola Beach this week you’ll see some of the equipment being used in the operation.
A huge plastic pipe with metal fittings is being used to pump sand from the Gulf is sitting parallel to the shore, with sand ramps created for people to walk over it.
Calls for Pensacola Beach ‘takeover’ on TikTok met with pushback
TikTok content creator “Tayflawda” said he never intended to cause any problems or push for illegal activities when he recently posted social media videos online calling for people to “take over” Pensacola Beach.
In his initial videos, Tayflawda or Tay, a Pensacola area man in his early 20s who prefers to go by his social media handle, invited “everyone” to Pensacola Beach for a “takeover.”
The News Journal spoke with Tay about the videos, and he said it’s not an organized “event, party, or takeover,” but rather a casual “link up” for folks who follow him on social media to get everyone together “to have a good time.”
However, that’s not how many people saw it and warned Tay any move to “take over” Pensacola Beach would not fly.
Keyla Richardson makes Top 5 of ‘American Idol’ in Taylor Swift night
Only five “American Idol” contestants survived Taylor Swift night, including Pensacola, Florida, native Keyla Richardson.
The top seven finalists paid homage to “The Life of a Showgirl” mega popstar on Monday, April 27, performing hits from different eras of Swift’s career as America’s votes revealed who’s still in the running to become the winner of “American Idol” Season 24.
Contestants included Pensacola’s Keyla Richardson, along with Brooks Rosser, Daniel Stallworth, Braden Rumfelt, Jordan McCullough, Hannah Harper and Chris Tungseth. Contestants Daniel Stallworth and Brooks Rosser were eliminated at the show’s end, leaving only five remaining contestants who will move forward.
Details of Keyla Richardson ‘American Idol’ Pensacola concert locked down
The city of Pensacola is finalizing details for the May 6 homecoming concert and parade for “American Idol” contestant Keyla Richardson, if she makes it to the show’s Top 3 on May 4.
Richardson has been a frontrunner in the competition since her audition aired on national television in January.
If Richardson makes the show’s Top 3 on May 4, “American Idol” staff will film in Pensacola for an episode on May 6 that would air in the show’s finale on May 11. Richardson is currently in the show’s Top 5.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola’s top news includes Keyla Richardson, beach ‘takeover’
Reporting by Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
