Tate Lady Aggies Celebrate Senior Night (With Photo Gallery)
April 12, 2025
The Tate Aggies softball celebrated senior night on Friday night, honoring eight members of the team from the Class of 2005.
The seniors are Blakely Campbell, Carlyn Ham, Aubree Jordan, Ambuerleigh Laird, Tristen Showalter, Jordan Smith, Lacy Wilson, and Kara Wine.
For a photo gallery click here (game action is first, followed by senior night photos).
After being tied at four in the bottom of the eighth, the Navarre Raiders pulled out a 7-4 win over the Lady Aggies in nine-inning game on Charlene Varnell Field in Cantonment.
Smith took the loss for Tate, going nine innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on 11 hits while walking two and striking out five.
Peyton Womack, Madison Smillie, Campbell, Laird, and Smith each had one hit for the Aggies. Smith led with two RBIs, while Campbell also had a run batted in.
Up next, the Aggies will be at the Escambia Gators on Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Chiefs End Regular Season With 12-5 Win Over W.S. Neal (With Gallery)
April 12, 2025
The Northview Chiefs closed their regular season with a 12-5 win over the W.S. Neal Eagles 12-5 Friday night in Bratt.
Jase Portwood earned the win for the Chiefs. He gave up one hit and one unearned run in three innings, striking out four and walking none. Grayden Sheffield pitched three innings, allowing three hits and our runs while striking out two and walking three. Jayden White threw one inning of no-hit, no-run ball.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Sheffield went 3-3 at bat, while Braynt Mason had four RBIs as he went 2-3, and Luke Chavers went 2-3.
Up next, Northview will host Laurel Hill in the Rural District 1 quarterfinals at 4 p.m. Monday. The winner will head to the semis against the Royals on Tuesday afternoon in Jay.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Free Mississippi State, Florida, LSU Women’s Soccer Games Today At Ashton Brosnaham
April 12, 2025
This afternoon, women’s teams from three top-ranked Southeastern Conference schools will compete in the Western Gate Soccer Showdown at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park. The event was first held at the Escambia County park last year.
The showdown will feature 45-minute matchups between the Florida Gators, Mississippi State Bulldogs, and LSU Tigers, and autograph sessions will be held throughout the day with all of the teams. Admission is free.
The schedule is as follows:
1 p.m. — LSU vs. MSU
2:30 p.m. — UF vs MSU
4 p.m. — LSU vs. UF
For more photos from last year, including the Mississippi State vs. LSU game, click here.
Ashton Brosnaham Park is located at 10370 Ashton Brosnaham Drive, just north of 10 Mile Road.
The 2025 SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament will return to Escambia County November 2-9. The top 12 SEC women’s soccer teams will compete for the SE Cchampionship at the Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.
Pictured: The 2024 Western Gate Soccer Showdown. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Animal Shelter Offering Free Adoptions Today
April 12, 2025
The Escambia County animal shelter is offering free adoptions for all cats and dogs one year or older on Saturday.
Puppies will be available for $50, and kittens will be available for $25. A $15 licensing fee will be applied to all adoptions for Escambia County residents.
To see a full list of adoptable pets in Escambia County, visit 24petconnect.com and choose “Escambia County Florida Animal Services” as the specific shelter.
The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center is located at 200 West Fairfield Drive. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Four Arrested In Atmore Drug Bust
April 12, 2025
A McDavid woman was among four individuals arrested during a drug raid carried out by the Atmore Police Department Special Response Team recently.
Authorities executed a search warrant at a residence on Highway 31 around 8:46 a.m., targeting 35-year-old Matthew McGhee of Atmore. McGhee was wanted on an outstanding warrant for escape first degree. After forcibly entering the home, officers took McGhee into custody and observed narcotics in plain view, prompting a second search warrant, according to APD.
During the subsequent search, agents uncovered several dozen grams of marijuana, methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills, and various other unidentified substances, police said. Items commonly used to ingest narcotics, as well as a firearm, were also found according to Atmore Police.
McGhee was also charged with charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana first degree, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Among those arrested was Nina Simmons, 38, of McDavid, Florida, who faces charges of two counts of possession of a controlled Substance, possession of marijuana first degree, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Also arrested were:
- Brian Ledkins, 43, of Flomaton – charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana first degree, certain persons forbidden to possess firearms, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
- Raven Hightower, 24, of Flomaton – charged with possession of marijuana first degree and possession of drug paraphernalia.
All suspects were transported to the Escambia County Detention Center. The substances seized have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for further analysis.
Pictured: (top row) McGhee, Simmons, (bottom row) Hightower, Ledkins.
Laskey Wows In Start, But Blue Wahoos Fall In 3-2 Loss
April 12, 2025
The Blue Wahoos have a promotional ice cream giveaway whenever a Pensacola pitcher first records three strikeouts in an inning.
Adam Laskey caused a reorder. Laskey struck out the first six batters he faced, and nine total over 4.0 innings, but the Montgomery Biscuits got enough big hits later for a 3-2 victory Friday night against the Blue Wahoos to even the week-long series.
A capacity crowd of 5,038 on watched an arms duel in this game, which was completed in just 2 hours, 14 minutes. The Blue Wahoos lost this game despite their pitchers racking up 14 strikeouts. The Biscuits countered with 11 punchouts and held the Blue Wahoos to six hits and few opportunities.
Laskey delivered near-perfection in the four innings he worked as a spot starter. The first Biscuits batter to put the ball in play was second baseman Willy Vasquez with a leadoff single in the third inning, but he was thrown out by Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Mack trying to steal second. That proved to be the only time a Laskey pitch left the infield in his four innings. A former mid-draft (19th round) pick out of Duke University in 2019, Laskey was acquired by the Miami Marlins from the Chicago Cubs organization in December 2023. He appeared in 31 games for the Blue Wahoos last season, including six starts. He pitched in relief last Saturday in the Blue Wahoos sweep of the Biloxi Shuckers, allowing a run in three innings. His four-pitch arsenal – fastball, change-up, curve ball, slider – was on point in a noteworthy way Friday. He threw just 47 pitches in the specified four-inning start with 35 for strikes. He allowed no walks and faced just 12 batters.
When he exited, the Blue Wahoos had a 1-0 lead after Mack blasted a solo home run that hit the sidewalk behind the right-center berm area and bounced out of the ballpark. The cutter pitch exited Mack’s bat at 106 mph and traveled 437 feet.
The Biscuits got a tying run in the fifth off reliever Nigel Belgrave on a double by Brayden Taylor, one of the Tampa Bay Rays’ highest-rated prospects. By design, the Blue Wahoos had Evan Fitterer pitch the final four innings. After his strong performance as a starter last Saturday, Fitterer was touched up for two runs in the sixth inning on a RBI double by Homer Bush Jr. and Colton Ledbetter’s run-scoring single that proved decisive.
The Blue Wahoos attempted an eighth-inning rally when Jared Serna homered over the left field wall, followed by a Kemp Alderman single and Nathan Martorella walk. But reliever Alfredo Zarraga induced a hard grounder by Shane Sasaki that became an inning-ending double play. Zarraga then set the Blue Wahoos down in order in the ninth.
The teams will play their fifth game of the series on Saturday, a Fireworks Saturday, featuring the Blue Wahoos’ Dax Fulton making his second start of the season.
GAME NOTABLES
— — Escambia County Public Schools Teacher of the Year, Kelly Reed, a kindergarten teacher at Global Learning Academy, was honored during pregame activities. She led a parade of ECPS teachers in a lap around the field. Reed also threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
— Also part of the pregame activities were Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, who had five ceremonial first pitches and brought awareness to the local chapter of the national organization.
—— Bubba Watson, a co-investor in the Blue Wahoos and big supporter, posted an even-par round Friday at The Masters and is 1-under for the tournament. The two-time Masters champion made the cut for the first time in three years.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday
GAME TIMES: Saturday’s games starts at 6:05 p.m. Sunday’s game starts at 1:05 p.m.
All Escambia County Roads Reopened Following Flood Related Closures
April 11, 2025
All Escambia County roadways have reopened as of Friday morning following closures this week due to flooding April 6-7.
REOPENED
- Arthur Brown at Brushy Creek
- Barrineau Park Road bridge over Perdido River into Alabama
- Arthur Brown at Freedom Springs Branch
- Pine Forest Road (Walnut Hill) — North of Arthur Brown (paving is forthcoming)
- O.C. Phillips Road at Brushy Creek
- Pineville Road at Brushy Creek
- Rockaway Creek bridge over Rocky Branch (just south of Atmore)
- Nokomis Road between Albritton & Tullis — detour in place
- River Annex Road off Muscogee
NorthEscambia.com/submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Three Cantonment Men Charged With Theft, Sale Of Nearly Two Tons Of Phone, Copper Wire
April 11, 2025
Three Cantonment men have been charged with the theft and sale of nearly two tons of phone cables and other copper utility wire.
Frank Lee Johnson, 48, and brothers Chadwick Clay Dixon, 45, and Levy Bryan Dixon, 44, were each charged with first degree felony stealing copper or other metal interfering with communications utility.
Levy Dixon and Johnson are charged with additional felony counts of dealing in stolen property and operating as a secondary metal recycler.
The trio was allegedly involved with cutting down phone cables that each contained 200 to 400 pairs of copper phone lines as well as the theft uninsulated copper line. The wire was identified as belonging to AT&T and Pike Electric Company. Additional fiber optic lines were reportedly damaged in the process of cutting down the phone cables.
According to an arrest report, Johnson and Levy Dixon participated in the sale of 3,843 pounds of copper for approximately $12,000 to the High Cotton Scrap Yard in Frisco City, Alabama. The wires were first transported to their residence on Frank Ard Road and burned in a controlled homemade oven to remove the insulation. IT was then placed into a steel bowl on top of a burner before being sifted “so that it could not be identified in its original intended use”, an arrest report states and then transported 55 miles to the Frisco City scrapyard.
Johnson remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $255,000, while both Dixon brothers were being held without bond. Jail records indicate that Johnson is also wanted by the Monroeville Police Department.
Wildfire Sparked By Yard Debris Burn Consumes Four Acres In Molino
April 11, 2025
A wildfire burned about four acres in Molino on Thursday afternoon.
The fire was originally spotted about 3 p.m. by a Florida Forest Service (FFS) airplane in the area. According to Escambia County Fire Rescue, the blaze started as a yard debris fire that got out of control.
ECFR said that a lot of debris that included railroad tires, old buildings and broken-down cars helped to fuel the fire.
The Forest Service responded with two tractors and one brush truck, while Escambia County Fire Rescue responded with multiple units from stations including Molino, Cantonment and McDavid.
FFS contained the fire within a fire line.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Clerk Pauses Payments For Escambia Commissioners’ Discretionary Fund Spending
April 11, 2025
Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers says she is going to review the use of discretionary funds by commissioners, which are part of the overall annual budget. In the meantime, she is pausing payments for funds already approved by commissioners until her review is completed and her opinion is issued.
The budget includes $50,000 per year for each commissioner, with a rollover, as part of the general fund classified as aids to private organizations. An expenditure request by any one commissioner must be approved by the entire board. (See below for the most recent requests.)
The funds have been used for community festivals, sports teams that could not afford trips to a state championship and more.
Childers said taxpayer dollars must be spent in a manner consistent with the Florida Constitution, requiring a lawful public purpose.
“The public purpose for discretionary expenditures is not obvious when you allocated to private galas, picnics, benefits, church revivals, school softball teams, and golf tournaments,” she said. “Looking at this in a different way, taxpayers do not pay taxes for the county to make donations to private organizations of their own choosing to enhance the mission of that organization.”
She also said there is a specific provision in the Florida Constitution preventing revenue from being taken from the public treasury to aid any church or religious denomination. She said seeing discretionary funding for churches on the agenda raised her awareness of the issue.
“You are doing contributions to churches for their picnics or something they are having; I think that’s a violation,” she said.
“It’s certainly alarming and disappointing that we’ve done it for 10 years, and at this point we’re beginning to do review in which we’ve helped multiple organizations,” May said,’ that benefits the good of the community.”
Is it not a common good to feed people? Is it not a common good to buy hamburgers and hotdogs for children in the inner city that don’t have food to eat when we are feeding homeless people, when we are giving out money? We’ve got to define that,” May said. “For the common benefit, for the common purpose of making sure that Brownsville Assembly is feeding people. That has to be a common good for the community.”
“If you believe that is the county government’s responsibility,” Childers replied, emphasizing the word government, “then we will have a form. You will write that…while funds are being under scrutiny, this is a really good time to look at this.”
The commission is expected to review Childers’ finding and potential policies at an upcoming meeting.
These are the most recent discretionary funding requests totaling $18,000 by commissioners as reflected on agendas to date in March and April:
District 1 (Steve Stroberger) $6,000
- $1,000 for Legion’s Boy’s State Program
- $2,500 for Valerie’s House
- $2,500 for Golf Elite Track and Field Club
District 2 (Mike Kohler) $1,500
- $1,500 for First Tee Gulf Coast
District 3 (Lumon May) $3,500
- $2,500 for an Autism Pensacola gala fundraising event
- $1,000 for First Tee Gulf Coast
District 4 (Ashlee Hofberger) $3,500
- $1,000 for a Holes 4 Heroes Charity Golf Tournament
- $1,000 for First Tee Gulf Coast
- $1,500 for ReadyKids! Kindergarten, Here We Come!
District 5 (Steven Barry) $3,500
- $2,500 for the Tate Aggie Classic
- $1,000 for a Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church fall festival