Here’s The Schedule And Video Links For This Week’s Escambia County Graduations
May 25, 2025
It’s graduation week for most Escambia County Schools at the Pensacola Bay Center.
Here is the schedule, and video links:
- May 27, 2025
- Tate High School – 9:00 a.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [Tate High School Video Link]
- EVA/Success Academy/George Stone/Acceleration Academy/Achieve Academy – 12:15 p.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [EVA/Success Academy/George Stone/Acceleration Academy/Achieve Academy Video Link]
- Washington High School – 2:30 p.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [Washington High School Video Link]
- Pensacola High School – 5:30 p.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [Pensacola High School Video Link]
- May 28, 2025
- Escambia High School – 9:00 a.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [Escambia High School Video Link]
- Northview High School – 12:15 p.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [Northview High School Video Link]
- Pine Forest High School – 2:30 p.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [Pine Forest High School Video Link]
- West Florida High School – 5:30 p.m., Pensacola Bay Center, [West Florida High School Video Link]
Pictured: Northview High School 2024 Class of 2024 graduation at the Pensacola Bay Center. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Tate High Names Students Of The Month
May 25, 2025
Tate High School has named Students of the Month. They are Jeremiah Rivers and Emani Carpenter. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Memorial Day Closures, Trash Collection Updates
May 25, 2025
Escambia County
Below is a listing of Escambia County offices and departments closed Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners (all departments)
- Escambia County Administration
- Escambia County Area Transit Administrative Offices and Customer Service
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare and Animal Shelter
- Escambia County Extension Office
- Escambia County Waste Services Administration and Perdido Landfill
- West Florida Public Libraries (all locations)
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (all offices)
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Tax Collector
ECAT Bus Schedule
- ECAT will not run regular bus service or FlexTransit service on Monday, May 26.
- Pensacola Beach Trolleys will operate on Monday, May 26 from 4 p.m. until midnight.
- Regular ECAT service will resume on Tuesday, May 27.
ECUA
- ECUA business offices will be closed on Monday, May 26.
- All residential sanitation services will remain on their regular schedule with no changes.
- Mainland commercial sanitation collections will be serviced one day later than usual for the remainder of the week due to the landfill closure on Monday.
Town Of Century, Cities Of Pensacola, Jay
- All city own offices and departments will be closed
- Trash will be collected on day later — on Thursday rather than Wednesday — by Republic Services.
Robert Jay Russell
May 25, 2025
Robert Jay Russell passed away on May 26, 2025 at the age of 94. He was born on October 31, 1930, in Westville, Florida, to the late Jay Emmitt Russell and Clara Belle Braxton.
Beloved husband of 60 years to the late Joyce Marie McDonald. Loving father of Deborah Lynn Russell McLeod (Mack), Robyn Dale Stuart (Mike), and Rochelle Marie Pfeiffer (Todd). Proud grandfather to Brad, Lance, and Matthew McLeod, Jeremy, Joshua, and Heather Stuart, Chadd, Alex, and Alysa Pfeiffer. Great-grandfather to twenty great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Brother to Johnny Russell, Billie Jean Mason, and the late Willis E. Russell, Danny H. Russell, Neal Russell, Keith M. Russell, and Betty Thompson.
Robert was a long-time resident of Oak Grove, FL. He loved his Lord and was a devoted, faithful member of Oak Grove Baptist Church. He was employed by Ideal Cement Company for 38 years as sales manager for the Louisiana and Mississippi division. He was a member of the Jackson #1 Lodge of Freemasonry for 67 years and the Shriners International. Robert served in the United States Army during WWII. He was stationed in Okinawa and Tacoma, Washington. Mr. Russell was an avid gardener, preserving his crop and enjoying the fruits of his labor.
Funeral services will be held Friday, May 30, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church with Bro. Dennis Terry officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Oak Grove, FL.
Active pallbearers will be Brad McLeod, Lance McLeod, Matthew McLeod, Jeremy Stuart, Joshua Stuart, Alex Pfeiffer, Kade McLeod, and Ian Williamson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Heather Williamson, Chadd Pfeiffer, Alysa Snyder, Bailey Fuller, Haylie McLeod, Harper McLeod, Brooklyn McLeod, Roselyn McLeod, Emily Williamson, Riley Stuart, Emma Kate Stuart, Graison Pfeiffer, Zinna Pfeiffer, Knoxleigh Snyder, Jamison Snyder, Rhett Pfeiffer, Liam Pfeiffer, Sam Pfeiffer, Charlee Pfeiffer, and Ryan Upton.
Visitation will be held Friday, May 30, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. until service time at 11:00 a.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church.
Fulton Fantastic, But Bats Kept Quiet In Wahoos’ Fifth Straight Loss
May 25, 2025
The showcase pitching matchup between touted prospects exceeded expectations.
But game itself continued the Blue Wahoos struggling week-long narrative.
Unable to seize a first-inning opportunity, then held to just two hits, the Blue Wahoos fell 2-0 against the Birmingham Barons for a fifth consecutive loss, before a customary sellout crowd of 5,038 Saturday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
It was the first Saturday night home loss this season on Fireworks Saturday.
But the night contained a wide variety of crowd-buzzing entertainment elements, beginning with Star Wars Night featuring 17 authentic costumed Star Wars characters who posed for pictures and visited with fans along the second-level concourse. The Blue Wahoos wore Star Wars jerseys auctioned during the game.
The other activities included a pregame parade of youth scouts from the Northwest Florida Chapter of Scouting America, a mid-game salute to an area nurse, then a post-game marriage proposal from a U.S. Marine Corps member moments before the two launched the post-game fireworks show.
The massive crowd witnessed two of baseball’s former acclaimed high school pitchers, lefthanders Dax Fulton for the Blue Wahoos and 6-foot-10 Noah Schultz for the Barons – now a few years into pro careers – produce a duel of zeroes.
The Barons (24-18), leaders in the Southern League North Division, manufactured an unearned, first-inning run, which proved all they would need.
Schultz, the Chicago White Sox No. 1 prospect, rated the No. 15 overall prospect in Minor League Baseball by MLB Pipeline, had his best start this season. He was Chicago’s top draft pick in 2022 out of high school in Oswego, Illinois.
On this night, he went five innings, allowed just one hit, struck out four and walked three batters.
Two of those walks were back-to-back to begin the Blue Wahoos’ first inning. But Schultz then got Nathan Martorella to hit into a double play and got cleanup hitter Kemp Alderman out on a grounder to first.
Fulton, meanwhile, followed his last quality start with another. After giving up consecutive singles to start the game, he never faced another threat, and went six innings for the first time this season.
He finished allowing eight hits, all singles, no walks, struck out seven and left trailing 1-0. It further supported his strong comeback after missing all of last season from elbow surgery and most of the 2023 season when arm issues developed.
The Blue Wahoos (23-21), who have lost 12 of their past 16 games, had another chance against Schultz in the fourth inning when Alderman singled with one out and Zamora walked. That hit was the only one Schultz allowed.
But Schultz struck out Mark Coley II and got Johnny Olmstead to ground out to end the inning.
The Barons used three relievers behind Schultz. They combined to give up just one hit, no walks and struck out eight batters. The Blue Wahoos had only one baserunner in the last four innings.
In the ninth inning, Birmingham reliever Peyton Pallette ended the game on nine pitches, including striking out the final two batters he faced.
The Barons got the second run on a homer by Jacob Gonzalez in the eighth inning off Dale Stanavich, who worked the final two innings.
The Blue Wahoos will try to avoid being swept in a six-game homestand for the first time since this format started in 2021 in Sunday’s series finale against Birmingham.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Homestand Finale
WHO: Birmingham Barons vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.
GAMETIME: 4:05 p.m. start.
Late Night Showers And Thunderstorms
May 24, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers between midnight and 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Memorial Day: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Light southwest wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
Cantonment Teen Charged With Attempted Armed Robbery With A Firearm At Ashton Brosnaham Park
May 24, 2025
A Cantonment man has been charged in connection with an attempted robbery that occurred on April 6 at Ashton Brosnaham Park. The arrest follows an investigation into an incident where a man was allegedly set up and assaulted.
John Thomas Hernandez, 18, was charged with felony attempted robbery with a firearm.
According to reports, the victim had arranged to meet an acquaintance at the park. The meeting, initially scheduled for earlier in the day, was changed to after dark. Upon arrival, the victim observed the acquaintance with another individual in a gray Ford Explorer. After a brief conversation, the victim entered the acquaintance’s vehicle.
During the conversation, a male wearing all black clothing and a black ski mask allegedly opened the back passenger side door, placed a black handgun to the victim’s head, and demanded money. The victim immediately recognized the voice as someone he knew as Hernandez, according to an arrest report.
A struggle ensued, during which a second male, also described as wearing all black and a black ski mask, opened the front passenger side door and began striking the victim with a handgun. The victim sustained injuries, including a red mark on the right side of his temple and multiple red marks on his back and right side. He refused EMS at the scene.
The victim managed to escape the vehicle and drive away, immediately contacting a family member and then law enforcement. He later provided officers with photographic evidence of Snapchat messages between his acquaintance and a user identity which he stated belonged to Hernandez. These messages allegedly detailed the planning of the incident, including instructions on where to park and ensuring doors were unlocked.
The acquaintance’s phone, which was found to be smashed, was seized by authorities. During questioning, the acquaintance initially denied knowledge of the Snapchat messages but later confirmed that the Snapchat username was Hernandez.
Further investigation led to the identification of Hernandez through a photo lineup presented to the victim, according to the arrest report, and the victim provided a message he received from Hernandez after the incident, which further implicated him.
Hernandez was arrested on May 20 on an outstanding warrant. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Friday morning without bond.
Lee Jacobi Receives FWC Youth Hunting Program’s Landowner Of The Year Award
May 24, 2025
Escambia County’s Lee Jacobi has been awarded the Landowner of the Year award for the Youth Hunting Program of Florida. The award was presented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission during their meeting in Ocala.
This program strives to provide every youth in the state with the opportunity to participate in a safe, educational and affordable hunt.
Jacobi’s journey with the program began when he responded to a letter inviting landowners in the Antlerless Deer Permit Program to consider hosting youth hunts. He agreed to host a youth hunt on his family farm in Escambia County, during which he served as a guide. After that first hunt, Jacobi completed HuntMaster training and took full responsibility for coordinating future events on his property. Each year since, Jacobi and his family have welcomed five youth participants and their parents to enjoy a memorable weekend of learning and outdoor adventure.
“Lee’s volunteer spirit and hospitality create a welcoming, educational environment for the new hunters he mentors,” said Bill Cline, FWC’s Section Leader for Hunter Safety and Public Shooting Ranges. “He not only imparts practical knowledge about hunting and conservation but also instills a love for farming, demonstrating how these practices intersect in the broader mission of protecting Florida’s natural resources and sustaining our shared hunting legacy for future generations.”
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sisters Sentenced To Federal Prison For Embezzling Over $844,000 From Escambia Business
May 24, 2025
Santa Rosa County sisters have been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling over $844,000 from an Escambia County business.
Kimberly Lovitt, 52, of Pace, and Amy Williams, 46, of Milton, were sentenced to 36 months and 18 months, respectively, in federal prison on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns stemming from their embezzlement of funds from their employer. Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences.
“Abuse of trust, embezzlement, and tax evasion warrant significant criminal consequences” said Spaven. “The defendants’ years-long theft from their employer and the extreme efforts to conceal their criminal proceeds are both illegal and offensive to all hardworking Americans, especially those who own and operate local businesses. It is fitting and proper that they are not only incarcerated, but that they pay restitution and unpaid taxes for their criminal conduct.”
Beginning in early 2016 and continuing into 2021, Lovitt conspired with her sister, Williams, to embezzle over $844,000 from their employer, a locally owned business in Escambia County. Lovitt worked as the officer manager and Williams worked as the receptionist. They used their positions to steal money from their employer by using corporate credit cards for unauthorized personal purchases. Lovitt used her position to create false documentation and manipulate accounting records to cover up their scheme. Lovitt also failed to report the embezzled money as income on her federal income tax returns.
The defendants’ theft through embezzlement caused great financial strain on their employer and put other employees’ jobs at risk,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, Tampa Field Office. “The sentencings today serve as an example of what individuals can expect when they lie, cheat, and steal and then try to hide the ill-gotten gains from the IRS.”
Century’s Splash Pad Is Not Open. Here’s Why.
May 24, 2025
Memorial Day marked the unofficial start to the summer, but a splash pad is not open in Century’s Showalter Park.
Town officials say the problem is twofold. First, there’s no electrical pad to the splash pad due to an electrical problem after a small fire in the ballpark. Second, without power, the town can’t properly diagnosis and fix a problem with the pumps and controls that operate the splash pad.
The town says they are working to fix both problems and open the splash pad as soon as possible.
Century’s splash pad first opened in 2017, funded by a $50,000 state grant.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
