Century Correctional Inmate Assaulted Multiple Staff Members, FDC Says
March 20, 2026
A Century Correctional Institution inmate assaulted multiple staff members recently, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Jeremy Lockhart, 47, assaulted multiple staff members by striking and spitting on them, causing injuries, according to the FDC.
Since 2022, Lockhart has been serving a 6-year sentence out of Palm Beach County for charges including felony fleeing and eluding and drug possession.
Police: Unborn Baby Dies After Crash Caused By Red Light Runner
March 19, 2026
A pregnant Escambia County woman lost her baby in a traffic crash on Wednesday in Pensacola.
The crash happened just before 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of North 9th Avenue and Bayou Boulevard, near Sacred Heart Hospital and Cordova Mall.
The crash occurred when a southbound vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on 9th Avenue ran a red light at Bayou Boulevard and struck the woman’s vehicle on the driver’s side, Pensacola Police said in a release.
“The female, who was pregnant, was transported to the hospital,” the release stated. “Her baby did not survive.”
PPD said charges are pending against the driver who ran the red light. No names have been released.
Anyone that may have seen the pickup (pictured) speeding near 9th Avenue after 7 a.m. Wednesday is asked to contact Pensacola Police at (850) 435-1946 or call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP
Early Thursday morning, PPD closed the intersection for a follow-up investigation.
File photo.
Driver Crashes Off Highway 95A In Gonzalez
March 19, 2026
A driver ran off Highway 95A in Gonzalez on Thursday morning.
The crash occurred shortly after 10 a.m. on Highway 95A just north of North Tate School Road, near a Gonzalez Waster System water tower.
The driver of a Kia Forte left the roadway for an unknown reason, with the sedan coming to a stop after it reached the railroad tracks.
One person was reportedly transported to an area hospital.
The Florida Highway Patrol investigated.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Court Records Reveal New Weapons Charge for McDavid Man in FDLE Sex Offender, Snapchat Upload Probe
March 19, 2026
Court documents are revealing a weapons charge and more details about a McDavid man arrested in January on 14 sex offender violations when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement served a search warrant at a Highway 164 home.
As we previously reported, Daquan Eric Ball, 22, was arrested at the home in the 100 block of Highway 164, about one-third of a mile west of Highway 29, shortly after 7 a.m. on January 28. He was charged with 14 counts of failure of a sexual offender to report an email address or internet identifier. Those charges were later refiled as felony failure to provide registration information. He also faces an additional felony charge of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Ball remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $72,000.
In October 2018, Ball was adjudicated as a juvenile for sexual battery on a victim under 12 in a Santa Rosa County case, and he was previously convicted of one count of felony battery in Escambia County.
For additional photos from the service of the search warrant, click here.
FDLE opened the investigation after a Snapchat user uploaded an image of child sexual abuse material to their Snapchat account, according to court documents. The upload was traced to the residence on Highway 164, leading to the search warrant when FDLE determined Ball, a registered sexual offender, lived at the address.
During the execution of the search warrant, FDLE agents located a Glock 30, .45-caliber handgun in Ball’s bedroom, and he admitted it was his and purchased at a gun show, FDLE said.
During the search warrant execution at the home, state agents seized Ball’s cell phone. FDLE said a preliminary forensic analysis revealed Ball had 14 unreported email addresses and internet identifiers, including TikTok, Discord, Zoom, Adult Friend Finder, and FeetFinder.com accounts, along with two distinct email addresses. FDLE said a forensic analysis conducted by Homeland Security Investigations extracted the 14 internet identifiers from the phone that were not reported to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office or FDLE. The analysis determined that each that of the accounts were utilized.
FDLE said the investigation remains active.
Numerous FDLE agents were seen entering and exiting the small 1,500-square-foot, single-family home and around campers located on the property. Before the operation, the agents gathered on Main Street in McDavid, across from the Post Office, to organize and prepare.
FDLE said the arrest is the result of the agency’s statewide initiative to locate and arrest criminals targeting children and sharing files depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Pictured: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement served a search warrant on Highway 164 in McDavid on January 28. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge. Pictured small inset above: FDLE gathered with its Bearcat tactical vehicle across from the McDavid Post Office to prepare for the operation (reader submitted photo from the post office).
Buck Powell And Frankie Bell: Two Champion Coaches Born In Century Pass Away
March 19, 2026
Two legendary state champion high school coaches born in Century recently passed away, leaving a legacy of success that spanned decades of local sports history.
Melvin “Buck” Powell and Franklin “Frankie” Nelson Bell are both being remembered for their contribution to both athletics and education.
Melvin “Buck” Powell
October 14, 1943 – March 14, 2026
Melvin Powell, 81, was born in Century on October 14, 1943. He grew up in Flomaton and graduated from Flomaton High School. Buck went on to attend Auburn University, where he graduated in 1966 with a B.S. in Education. He also received his M.S. in Educational Leadership from Troy University in 1983.
Powell began his teaching and coaching career at Lyeffion High School in Evergreen and then at Greenville High School. In 1970, Coach made a move that had a huge impact on his life; he became the head coach at Century High School. During his six seasons leading the Blackcats, his teams went 46-15-2. Powell was named Escambia River Conference Coach of the Year in 1973, 1974, and 1975. Also in 1975, he was named Florida Coach of the Year.
In 1976, Powell was named the athletic director and head football coach at Escambia County High School in Atmore. During his tenure, the Blue Devils were 33-17 in region play. In 1983, the Blue Devils posted a record-setting season of 13-2 and won the 3A Alabama State Football Championship. Powell was also named Alabama Football Coach of the Year.
He served as an assistant principal at Rachel Patterson Elementary School and principal at Escambia County High School in Atmore. In 2000, he was appointed Escambia County (AL) Superintendent of Education. He retired from public education in 2006.
For the complete obituary, click here.
Franklin “Frankie” Nelson Bell
July 10, 1944 – March 14, 2026
Franklin Nelson “Frankie” Bell, 81, was born in Century on July 10, 1944, and graduated from Flomaton High School in 1962. After high school, he attended Mississippi State College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and proudly played football for the Bulldogs for all four years. He graduated with the Class of 1966.
Bell began his coaching career in Talladega, Alabama, and Tallapoosa, Georgia. He returned to Escambia County High School in Atmore in 1976 with a career that ended as head football and tennis coach in 2025. Bell led the Blue Devils to a state championship in 1983.
For the complete obituary, click here.
Molino Woman Charged With DUI After Highway 196 Rollover Crash
March 19, 2026
A Molino woman has been charged with DUI following a single-vehicle rollover crash on Highway 196 last week.
As we previously reported, the crash occurred just before 8:20 p.m. in the 3600 block of Highway 196 near Schifko Road, about 2.5 miles west of Highway 29. The Florida Highway Patrol said the Toyota FJ Cruiser ran off the roadway, causing it to overturn before it came to rest on its side on the highway.
FHP said the driver, 33-year-old Alix Madison Brown, had a strong odor of alcohol as the trooper approached, and was confused on how many drinks she had consumed. She failed field sobriety exercises, according to the trooper, and was placed under arrest.
“Brown stated that she was headed to the liquor store to get a few drinks and that she had one drink earlier today,” the trooper wrote in the arrest report.
At the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office facility, about an hour and 45 minutes after the crash, Brown provided breath samples as high as .101, the report states, above the Florida legal limit of .08.
Brown was later released from the Escambia County Jail on a $1,000 bond.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristu Barbour, click to enlarge.
Elementary Students Honored As Shining Stars
March 19, 2026
WSRE recently hosted the Shining Star Awards, honoring outstanding fifth grade students who have demonstrated exemplary citizenship and leadership, as well as demonstrating the core values of the Escambia County School District.
This was the 28th year that WSRE hosted this event, originally in partnership with the Greater Escambia Community Foundation and now in partnership with the Escambia County Principals Association, which raised the funds to purchase bicycles and also coordinated the event.
Each Shining Star student received a certificate and a brand-new bicycle.
The 2026 Shining Stars are:
- A. K. Suter Elementary — Saanvika Gampa
- Bellview Elementary — Veronika Yasenovska
- Beulah Elementary — Alyson Woods
- Blue Angels Elementary — Dominic Jackson
- Bratt Elementary — Lane Stuart
- Brentwood Elementary — Jameson Manni
- Byrneville Elementary — Kipton Little
- C.A. Weis Elementary — Za’Riyah Goble
- Cordova Park Elementary — Maren Fox
- Ensley Elementary — Malia Newberry
- Ferry Pass Elementary — Emma Smith
- Global Learning Academy — Zy’Tranna Mitchell
- Hellen Caro Elementary — Marlie Walters
- Holm Elementary — Brooklyn Hines
- Jim Allen Elementary — Elaine Ladieu
- Kingsfield Elementary — Alessa Zavala
- L.D McArthur Elementary — Amelia Yepishin
- Lincoln Park Elementary — Fabian Coronado
- Lipscomb Elementary — Jeffery Mensah
- Longleaf Elementary — Shanell English
- Molino Park Elementary — Ella Campbell
- Montclair Elementary — Liam Lionheart
- Myrtle Grove Elementary — Khloe Cobb
- N.B. Cook Elementary — Weston Berry
- Navy Point Elementary — Auburn Haruguchi
- O.J. Semmes Elementary — Tanayia Milton
- Oakcrest Elementary — Angela Austria
- Pensacola Beach Elementary — Olivia McPherson
- Pine Meadow Elementary — Nolan Spencer
- Pleasant Grove Elementary — Logan Dunlap
- Scenic Heights Elementary — Janae Kisor
- Sherwood Elementary — David Contreras Casteneda
- Warrington Elementary — Jakobi Henry
- West Pensacola Elementary — Lluany Jimenez-Zebadua
Photos courtesy WSRE for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Pleads To Federal Charges Of Selling Unregulationed Animal Medication
March 19, 2026
An area man has pleaded guilty to federal charges of selling unregulated animal medications.
Scott Robinson, 51, of Pace, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of drug adulteration.
Court documents reflect that from 2022 to 2025, Robinson advertised and sold the animal drug toltrazuril to customers across the United States through his website. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, toltrazuril is deemed an adulterated new animal drug, which is subject to specific requirements for its production, labeling, and sale. The FBI conducted multiple purchases of items labeled and advertised as toltrazuril from the Robinson’s website. Those items were tested by the FDA and confirmed to contain toltrazuril. Prosecutors said he never complied with FDA regulations regarding his production, labeling, and sale of toltrazuril.
Robinson faces up to one year imprisonment on each count, followed by a term of supervised release.
Sunny Skies and Warm Afternoons Ahead
March 19, 2026
Bright sunshine and warm temperatures will highlight the next few days, with afternoon highs climbing into the low 80s by the weekend. Clear skies will persist through early next week as a calm weather pattern settles over the region.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 58. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
Citizen Joins Century CRA Board As Efforts Resume To Revitalize Blighted Area
March 19, 2026
The Century Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board set out to add two citizens — asking anyone interested to attend a meeting this week. Only one did, and she was appointed to the board.
In a four minute meeting the CRA Board voted to appoint Michelle Cunningham to the board, which was approved by the town council. As a citizen, Cunningham has been involved with the CRA since it was in the planning stages. She is the daughter of Henry Cunningham, who is a member of the town council and CRA board.
The five members of the Century Town Council and up to two citizens sit on the CRA board, which is expected to meet quarterly. However, a meeting in February was the first in years.
The CRA includes, by definition, a blighted area of the town. In October 2018, the council approved a Tax Increment Financing plan for their redevelopment area, allowing the CRA to receive property tax revenues each year in excess of an established base rate. The appraised value of the property within the designated district was “frozen” in 2018, with that amount of tax revenue generated still designated for the town’s general fund, the county, and other taxing authorities. The redevelopment area receives 95% of the property tax generated in excess of the frozen base value as property values rise.
Along with small interest earnings, the CRA has spent nothing on improving the area to date, and has $191,151.89 in the bank.
The CRA funds can be used to improve conditions in the 510 acres bounded by Jefferson Avenue to the south, Jefferson Avenue to the east, East Highway 4 to the north and the center line of North Century Boulevard to the west. It also extends north on the east side of North Century Boulevard to include commercial properties up to, and including, the former Burger King (see map above).
Tax Increment Financing is a unique tool available to cities and counties for redevelopment activities. It is used to leverage public funds to promote private sector activities in the targeted redevelopment area. Property owners in the CRA pay the same tax rate as those in the remainder of the town.
TIF revenue can be used on a “pay as you go” basis, where the annual stream of revenue is used to fund small projects, or used to pay debt service costs over the life of a project lasting 10 or more years. Historically in Florida, TIF has been effective at generating large amounts of funding for capital investments for roadway improvements, flood control programs, water and sewer and drainage infrastructure improvements, parking lots and garages, neighborhood parks, sidewalks, street and sidewalk tree plantings, signs and building construction.
After a February 2016 tornado damaged or destroyed 40 homes and businesses, the town looked to address the long-term effects on the community of a downturn in economic development. That led to the redevelopment area.