Alderman, Ortiz-Mayr Power Wahoos To Father’s Day Win
June 16, 2025
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (32-31) capped their road trip with a 5-2 series-finale victory over the Rocket City Trash Pandas (24-37) on Sunday.
After a scoreless first two frames, Pensacola struck first in the top of the third inning. Following a one-out hit by pitch and a walk, designated hitter Kemp Alderman hit a towering three-run home run to left field off lefthander Sam Aldegheri (L, 2-4) to put the Wahoos ahead 3-0. The blast traveled an estimated 471 feet and is the longest Pensacola home run of the season to date, beating out catcher Spencer Bramwell’s 469-foot homer hit just three days prior.
The early offense allowed righthander Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (W, 4-2) to cruise through five effective innings. Ortiz-Mayr did not allow a hit over his outing and struck out six Trash Pandas on the afternoon.
Rocket City’s offense awoke in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Blue Wahoos bullpen. Following a leadoff single by center fielder Nelson Rada against lefthander Justin King, Trash Panda shortstop Denzer Guzman hit a two-run home run to cut the Pensacola lead to 3-2.
Pensacola grabbed back momentum in the top of the seventh inning. The Wahoos brought seven men to the plate and tacked on two runs on RBI singles from right fielder Grant Richardson and first baseman Josh Zamora. After seven innings, Pensacola led 5-2.
In the bottom of the ninth, Rocket City rallied against righthander Alex Williams (S, 1). Back-to-back one-out singles brought the tying run to the plate, but Williams induced a pair of outs to finish off a 10-out save and a 5-2 Pensacola victory.
With the win, Pensacola split its road trip at Rocket City at three games apiece and concluded its regular-season series with the Trash Pandas. The Wahoos went 7-5 in two series against Rocket City.
The Blue Wahoos return home on Tuesday, June 17 when they begin a six-game series against the Montgomery Biscuits to close out the Southern League season’s first half. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Century Man Sentenced For Felony Weapon Possession, Wildlife Violation
June 15, 2025
A Century man has been sentenced to nearly a year in the county jail on state wildlife violations and a felony charge brought by state officials.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) charged 50-year-old Alex Alexander Burt with a misdemeanor violation of Florida administrative code and felony possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon. Last week, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced by Judge John Miller to 11 months and 30 days in jail for the felony and 60 days for the wildlife code violation. He will also be on supervised probation for a year after his release.
On January 23, 2025, FWC officers were patrolling when they observed a pickup truck parked adjacent to an abandoned house off Salters Lake Road in Century on property that is adjacent to the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area. It is an area FWC said has heavy foot and vehicle traffic to enter the management area. Officers were aware of an area being baited with a large amount of corn within the management area directly in front of a hunting blind atop a permanent wooden stand. Officers entered the area and announced their presence as state police.
And individual with an air gun and Burt with nothing in his hands exited the blind, according to an arrest report. Burt told FWC officers that he was hunting and identified a shotgun that was still in the blind in his, and he also had two shotgun shells in his pocket, an arrest report states. FWC said Burt had additional shells in a purple Crown Royal bag, for a total of 20 12-gauge shotgun shells.
The other individual with Burt in the hunting blind was also issued multiple citations.
Escambia County Seeks Appointees For Mass Transit Advisory Committee
June 15, 2025
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Appointee Sought for Mass Transit Advisory Committee
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for the County Administrator’s appointment to the Escambia County Mass Transit Advisory Committee.
Escambia residents interested in serving on the Escambia County Mass Transit Advisory Committee are asked to submit a resume by 5 p.m. Monday, June 23. Resumes should be emailed to boardapply@myescambia.com or mailed to:
Jose Gochez, County Administration Operations Manager
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
221 Palafox Place
Pensacola, FL 32502
Resumes submitted to a BCC agenda for consideration will become part of the official minutes and are subject to public records requests.
The board, in its regular meeting on Oct. 1, 2009, adopted a resolution establishing the MTAC. The MTAC meets quarterly, typically on the second Wednesday of the month from 3-5 p.m.
The duties of the committee include the following:
Establishing a set of benchmarks to periodically evaluate the service and management of existing public mass transit systems operating in Escambia County;
Setting short-range and long-range goals for increasing ridership, expanding routes and instituting new mass transit services;
Assisting the Board of County of Commissioners, the county administrator and Escambia County Area Transit management in developing partnerships with industry groups and employers to foster economic development; and
Identifying opportunities for inter-governmental or regional transportation alliances with entities both within Escambia County and outside of Escambia County.
Happy Father’s Day! Showers And Thunderstorms This Evening
June 15, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 1pm and 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers between 10pm and 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Tuesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 88. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. 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. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Juneteenth: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Sunny, with a high near 92. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 73.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Sunny, with a high near 92.
Troublewide Saloon? Development Planned For Highway 95A At Highway 29
June 15, 2025
A development application has been filed for a property on Highway 95A at Highway 29 in Cantonment, but the exact details are a bit unclear.
A handwritten application filed by Robert Carlson states the project name is BDR Towing/Troublewide at 160 North Highway 95A. The application states the estimated parcel acreage is 2.3. According to Escambia County Property appraiser records, the parcel is 1.1365 ares — a lot with about 646 feet of road frontage that ranges in depth between 72 and 100 feet located near the intersection.
Associate drawings filed with the county show a 24×36 modular office building that will be placed at the southwest corner of an existing foundation next to a 22×46 shop and a variety of other development including some sort of train, parking that appears to back out into Highway 95A, a gravel path for truck and RV parking or storage and food trucks.
A rendering filed with the county also shows a two-story building labeled “Troublewide Saloon” and train cars. One page of the application also contains an unexplained logo for “Outlaw Country Music Festival”.
No other details were provided in the count application, but county staff did notate “possible code enforcement case” on the application.
The proposal is set for a pre-application meeting this Wednesday with the Escambia County Development Review Committee.
(Immediately above: NorthEscambia.com graphic.)
Read With A Dog Tuesday At The Century Library
June 15, 2025
Zofie from the West Florida Public Libraries’ Read With a Dog program will make a special appearance this week at the Century Library.
Zofie will be at the Century Library on Tuesday, June 17 at 1 p.m. Children can visit the library and, as the program name suggests, read with Zofie.
The Century Library is located at 7991 North Century Boulevard, next to the Century Town Hall.
Stock image.
These Are This Week’s Road Construction Trouble Spots
June 15, 2025
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projectsin Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 98 (Garden Street) City of Pensacola Martin Luther King Jr. Parade – Motorists will encounter road closure from A Street to Tarragona Street Thursday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade.
- Garden Street (Business U.S. 98) Construction from Pace Boulevard to the Interstate 110 (I-110) Ramp – The week of Sunday, June 15, drivers may encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- Garden Street, between Pace Boulevard and N. Donelson Street, is reduced to two travel lanes (one in each direction), as crews perform construction activities on the south side of the street. This temporary traffic configuration will be in place through early 2026.
- Temporary side street closures south of Garden Street, from B Street to J Street, as crews perform utility and stormwater management enhancements.
- On-street parking is closed on the south side of Garden Street, between B Street and L Street. Additionally, periodic on-street parking closures will occur on Garden Street, between A Street and Alcaniz Street, for sidewalk and crosswalk improvements.
- Signage will be in place to direct drivers and pedestrians around the work zone.
- Michigan Avenue (State Road (S.R.) 296) Resurfacing from Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) to North Palafox Street (U.S. 29) – The week of Sunday, June 15, drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on Michigan Avenue, from Mobile Highway to North Palafox Street, between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., for utility work and manhole adjustments.
- Brent Lane/Bayou Boulevard (S.R. 296) Resurfacing, from Davis Highway (S.R. 291) to Baisden Road – Drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on Brent Lane/Bayou Boulevard, from Davis Highway to Baisden Road, Monday, June 16 through Thursday, June 19, between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., for milling and paving operations.
- Interstate Circle Bridge Over Eight Mile Creek Construction – Interstate Circle is closed at the Eight Mile Creek Bridge through mid-2025 while crews replace the bridge. Signs are in place to detour drivers around the work zone using Pine Forest Road, Longleaf Drive and Wymart Road.
- Interstate 10 (I-10) at Nine Mile Road Interchange (Exit 5) Construction – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- Intermittent I-10 inside lane closures near the Nine Mile Road interchange, Sunday, June 15 through Thursday, June 19, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction between the I-10 ramps, Sunday, June 15 through Friday, June 20, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Law enforcement will be on site, and directional signage will be in place to guide drivers through the work zone.
- I-10 at U.S. 29 Interchange (Exit 10) Construction – The week of Sunday, June 15, drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- The U.S. 29 southbound turn lane access to the I-10 eastbound on-ramp will be temporarily shortened Monday, June 16 through Thursday, June 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The reduced turn-lane length is required for daytime construction activities and will reopen nightly from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- I-10 between U.S. 29 and I-110, is reduced to two travel lanes in each direction.
- The U.S. 29 northbound ramp to I-10 eastbound is closed. U.S. 29 northbound drivers are being detoured to make a U-turn at Broad Street onto U.S. 29 southbound to access I-10 eastbound.
- Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) Resurfacing from Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) to Blue Angel Parkway (S.R. 173) – The week of Sunday, June 15, drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures and periodic detours on Pine Forest Road, from Mobile Highway to Blue Angel Parkway, between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., for milling and paving operations. Signage will be in place to direct drivers around the work zone.
- I-10 Routine Utility Maintenance from Exit 5 (U.S. 90) to west of Exit 22 (S.R. 281) – Drivers may encounter intermittent eastbound lane closure Monday, June 16 through Thursday, June 19 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. for routine utility maintenance.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 90 Resurfacing from west of Avalon Boulevard to east of Stewart Street – Drivers may encounter intermittent U.S. 90 lane closures, between Avalon Boulevard and Stewart Street, Sunday, June 15 through Thursday, June 19, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., for shoulder work and placement of thermoplastic striping.
- U.S. 90 Bridge Replacement over Simpson River – Drivers on U.S. 90 may encounter intermittent lane closures over the Simpson River Bridge, Sunday, June 15 through Thursday, June 19, between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. as crews perform bridge construction work. Drivers are reminded that the speed limit is 35 mph through the work zone.
- S.R. 87 Resurfacing, from south of East Bay Boulevard (County Road 399) to Vonnie Tolbert Road – Drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on S.R. 87, from East Bay Boulevard to Vonnie Tolbert Road, Monday, June 9 through Friday, June 13, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., for concrete repair work.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Median and turn-lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Lake Drive.
- Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between Bayshore Road and Tiger Lake Drive, Sunday, June 15, through Friday, June 20, from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for paving operations.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Fulton Leads Wahoos To 4-2 Win In Rainy Rocket City
June 15, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got back in the win column and returned to the .500 mark on Saturday night, beating the Rocket City Trash Pandas 4-2.
After a 56-minute pregame rain delay, Blue Wahoos starter Dax Fulton (W, 3-4) kept the Trash Pandas off balance with 5.1 innings of two-run ball.
The Trash Pandas strung together three hits in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead on an Oscar Colas RBI single. The Blue Wahoos answered back right away in the second against Rocket City starter Joel Hurtado (L, 5-5), building a threat with a Johnny Olmstead single and Cody Morissette double before Mark Coley II’s two-out RBI infield single extended his hitting streak to 10 games and scored Olmstead to tie the game 1-1.
One batter later, Jared Serna laced the second of his three hits on the night to bring home Morissette and put Pensacola ahead 2-1. Rocket City second baseman Mitch Daly then misplayed a sharp Kemp Alderman grounder, allowing Coley to score for a 3-1 Blue Wahoos lead.
Fulton settled into a groove, pitching into the sixth inning before running into trouble and exhausting his pitch limit. The lefty departed with two runners on and one out leading 3-1, and though Nigel Belgrave allowed an inherited runner to score on a Joe Redfield RBI single the Trash Pandas were unable to do anything else against the Pensacola bullpen for the remainder of the night.
Shane Sasaki added insurance for the Blue Wahoos in the sixth, singling before stealing two bases and coming in to score on a throwing error. Armed with a 4-2 lead, Belgrave, Josh White and Josh Ekness (S, 7) shut the door on the Trash Pandas with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
The series against the Trash Pandas wraps up on Sunday, with a first pitch from Toyota Field scheduled for 2:35 p.m
Two Injured In Crash Involving U.S. Mail Carrier
June 14, 2025
UPDATE — FHP: U.S. Mail Carrier At Fault In Highway 29 Crash With Improper U-Turn
Previous story:
Two people were injured in a crash Saturday morning on Highway 29 involving a car and a rural mail carrier’s vehicle.
The crash happened around 9:40 a.m. on Highway 29 northbound between Cox Road and Sigler Road north of McDavid.
Firefighters extricated the mail carrier from their vehicle following the crash. Both drivers were transported by Newman’s Ambulance and Escambia County EMS to area hospitals. Their conditions were not available.
A representative of the U.S. Post Office in Century collected the mail for later delivery.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released the cause of the crash. The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash.
NorthEsccambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bratt Woman Accused Of Elderly Exploitation, Grand Theft, Credit Card Fraud
June 14, 2025
A Bratt woman is accused of two felonies for allegedly using an elderly man’s debit card over five dozen times without his permission.
Sara Jo Workman, 43, was charged with exploitation of elderly, felony credit card fraud, grand theft, misdemeanor credit card fraud, fraud/impersonation, and larceny of a credit card. She remained in the Escambia County Jail Saturday morning with bond set at $17,500.
Workman allegedly took possession of a debit card belonging to a 77-year-old McDavid man’s account. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Workman used the card with the name of the victim’s deceased wife 63 times in about a month in 2024 to purchase items, goods and services to totalling $1,960.
The victim told deputies that Workman had stayed in their home and worked for the couple.
The victim was alerted by his bank of suspicious charges and also noticed a $50 transaction to Escambia River Electric Cooperative. With the assistance of his bank, the victim determined that the payment was for electric service at Workman’s home on Ashcraft Road in Bratt.
Deputies were at first unable to locate Workman but were unable to interview her with the assistance of the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office when she had an unrelated court appearance in Brewton.
Investigators noted in their report that information was provided to other jurisdictions in reference to possible charged for use of the card outside of Escambia County, Florida.