Johnathan David Watters
June 18, 2026
Johnathan David Watters, age 50 of Cantonment, Florida passed away at home on June 12, 2026.
He was born on October 2, 1975 to Karen B. Watters who survives him, and the late Woody Watters. He was also preceded in death by all of his grandparents.
Johnathan was a man of faith who believed in God and trusted in His will throughout his life. He will be remembered for his kind heart, his quiet strength, and the love he had for his family.
He is survived by the mother of his children, Amanda Pace Watters of Cantonment, his three loving daughters, Faith Elizabeth Watters, 25 of Century, FL; Savanah Hope Watters, 22 of Cantonment, Fl & Charity Ray Watters, 17 of Cantonment, FL. & his one grandson that brought him great joy, Liam Karson Watters, 14 months old of Cantonment, FL.
He is also survived by his two sisters, Cynthia Grace (Ricky) Conner of Loxley, AL & Regina Marie (Nathan) Parmely of Morgantown, GA, along with numerous nieces and nephews each of whom hold a special place in his heart, along with extended family members and friends who will miss him dearly.
He enjoyed the simple pleasures in life & will be remembered for his contagious laughter, bright smile, and humorous personality. He had the ability to work with his hands, which was a rare gift—an instinctive talent for bringing broken things back to life and making the difficult look effortless. Whether it was a simple household repair, or a complex project, he had a way of stepping in and making things work again. He would sing to the top of his lungs, enjoyed going fishing on the river, boating, hunting on family land, woodworking, & drawing. He also deeply loved nature & found peace in feeding the wildlife, often enjoying the quiet beauty of God’s creations. For the last 3 years he found peace in ministering to others & faithfully praying each day for those in the cars who passed by his home.
Above all, he loved his family and cherished every moment spent with them. Time with his daughters, grandson, & his mother, meant the most.
Though our hearts are heavy, we take comfort in our faith and the promise of eternal life, knowing he now rests in the arms of the Lord.
Harmon Curtis Fayard
June 18, 2026
Harmon Curtis Fayard, 97, of Atmore, AL, passed away on June 16, 2026. He was born on June 17, 1928, in Saucier, MS, to Elam Elijah and Virilla Scarborough Fayard.
Mr. Fayard was an Army Veteran who served during the Korean campaign. Curtis built a career as a partner of Fayard Construction and later worked as Student Services Coordinator at the Alabama State Technical College Atmore Campus.
For leisure, he was an avid and well-known quail hunter. He particularly enjoyed training and watching his pointer bird dogs on the hunt. He also developed and operated a small Angus cattle hobby farm. Mr. Fayard also served as a Deacon and Committee Leader at Presley Street Baptist Church for over five decades. Mr. Fayard was known lovingly as “Pa” to his sons and “Papa” to his 5 grandchildren and spent 57 loving years with his wife.
Curtis was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Shirley Marilyn Vickery Fayard; his sister, Myrtle Walden; and his brother, Elam “E.P.” Fayard.
He is survived by his sons Greg (Kelly) Turberville of Enterprise, AL; Mike (Terri) Fayard of Seminole, AL; and Bryan (Candace) Fayard of Flomaton, AL; five grandchildren, Erin, Kaylee, Cody, Emily, and Curt; and three great-grandchildren, Arabella, Owen, and Finn.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Otis Thames and Rev. Arnold Hendrix officiating. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore, AL.
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 19, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. until service time at 2:00 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements
Federal Law Enforcement Activity In Cantonment, And Escambia, Alabama
June 17, 2026
Federal law enforcement search warrants took place this morning in Cantonment and Escambia County in Alabama.
The Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office confirmed that they assisted the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with serving two warrants in Cantonment.
“The DEA New Orleans Field Division, assisted by law-enforcement partners, conducted multiple search warrants today across Baldwin and Escambia Counties pursuant to a federal investigation. As the investigation is ongoing, no additional information is available at this time,” a DEA spokesperson said.
Additional federal, state and local law enforcement agencies assisted in the operation.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, Atmore Police Department, and Brewton Police Department issued near-simultaneous, near-identical statements:
“We are aware of the law enforcement activity taking place in (the area) today involving multiple local, state, and federal agencies. We want to reassure our community that this is a controlled, coordinated operation and there is no active danger or safety threat to the public.Because this involves an ongoing federal investigation, our agency cannot release any further details or comment on the matter.”
Residents across the county reported seeing heavily armed officers conducting in multiple locations, along with a helicopter circling overhead in some of the areas.
Tropical Storm Arthur Forms; Heavy Rain, Not Wind Our Local Concern
June 17, 2026
UPDATE: Tropical Storm Arthur dissipated Wednesday night.
Tropical Storm Arthur has formed near the middle Texas coast. The biggest concern will be heavy rain across the South, not wind.
Tropical storm warnings have been issued from Texas to Louisiana.
Maximum winds were at 40 mph.
Significant development is not forecast due to heavy wind shear, and Arthur is expected to move inland over Louisiana tonight.
In Northwest Florida, there is a high risk of rip currents at the beaches, and there is an increasing risk of flash flooding through Friday as periods of heavy rain and storms move across the area. For North Escambia, the current rain forecast is 6-8 inches, with higher amounts in some areas.
MILO Mobile ID And Licensing Unit In Walnut Hill Tomorrow
June 17, 2026
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO) will be at teh Walnut Hill Community Center on Thursday, June 18 from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
MILO offers a convenient way for residents to access essential tax collector services, such as driver’s license renewals, identification cards, vehicle services, tax payments and business tax receipts.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Century CRA Board Members Call For Effort To ‘Get Something Started’ On Local Improvements
June 17, 2026
“Sometimes we have a tendency to not do things. We have a discussion and we never do anything.”
That’s what Century Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board member Henry Cunningham said Tuesday night as board members generally agreed that it’s time to stop being all talk and actually look at how to improve the CRA.
In October 2018, the council approved a Tax Increment Financing plan for its 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, as far as we know from financial reports that were last published nearly three years earlier.
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 below).
The CRA has over $191,000 in the bank, and has not moved to spend any significant funds.
“At least have a discussion and try to make some effort to try to get something started,” Cunningham said.
The entire Century Town Council sits as the CRA board, along with Michelle Cunningham, daughter of Henry Cunningham. Council and CRA board members Shelisa Abraham and Dynette Lewis were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
The attending members discussed how CRA funds could be used to improve the area, including roads, drainage, and developing a “Main Street” of sorts along Highway 29. No formal actions were taken.
The next regular Century CRA Board meeting will be in November.
Pictured: Century town council member Henry Cunningham, sitting as a CRA member, listens to discussion Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured below: The Century CRA boundary map, click to enlarge.
Flash Flood Watch: Days Of Tropical Rain
June 17, 2026
A flash flood watch is in effect until Friday evening for the entire area.
Wednesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. High near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. South wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 82. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 75. South wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Juneteenth: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. High near 86. Southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 76.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Rev. Janet K. Lee Retires After 43 Years Of Ministry At Century UMC
June 17, 2026
A community worship service and retirement celebration was held for Rev. Janet K. Lee at Century United Methodist Church.
After 43 years, she is returning in her retirement to her home state of Kentucky.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
This Is Only A Test: Residents May Hear Alarms From Ascend Thursday Morning
June 17, 2026
Ascend Performance Materials in Cantonment will hold a plant-wide “Shelter-in-Place” safety drill on Thursday morning.
Sometime between 7:30 and 10:30 a.m., nearby residents may hear the shelter-in-place alarm (nine horn blasts) followed by three area alarms and all-clear signals, according to Ascend.
“This is a routine, site-wide safety drill to help us be prepared to respond in case of an actual emergency,” Ascend said.
NorthEscamia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Trial Delayed For Cantonment Felon Indicted On Federal Weapons Charges
June 17, 2026
A Cantonment felon indicted on federal gun charges has been granted a trial continuance.
Jesse Allen Hudson, 43, was indicted for one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
Hudson was originally scheduled to face a jury trial on June 15. However, U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II granted an uncontested defense motion to continue the trial to July 20 to allow defense counsel additional time to review discovery materials and consult with Hudson.
In January, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance on Winston Street in Cantonment. The victim reported that a rifle and pistol had been removed from the home.
Deputies first discovered a loaded AR-style magazine and an empty one on the ground near the back door, positioned next to a pile of Hudson’s clothing, according to an arrest report. A later search of the property revealed a loaded AR-style rifle with a round chambered, hidden inside a white laundry basket within a black trailer parked near the garage. A third loaded magazine was later recovered from another laundry basket inside the living room.
According to the report, Hudson was convicted in Florida of felony battery in 2012.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.