Century Taco Truck Altercation Lands Three Family Members In Jail
July 10, 2026
A physical altercation at a local taco food truck has led to felony charges against three family members, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reports.
The incident occurred during the evening of May 14 at the taco truck in the parking lot of the Century Smoke Shop, located at 8321 North Century Boulevard. Authorities responded to the business following multiple emergency calls reporting a physical disturbance involving three to four individuals.
Deputies identified the suspects as 38-year-old Ashley Lynn McCall, her husband, 42-year-old Freddie Wayne McCall III, and her son, 20-year-old Landen Charles Robertson.
According to the arrest reports, an argument erupted in the taco truck line after a vehicle pulled into the parking lot, and the verbal dispute quickly escalated into a physical fight involving Robertson, the McCalls and a male victim. During the encounter, the victim was taken to the ground and suffered significant physical injuries, including a torn rotator cuff and lacerations that required transport to a local hospital.
While the victim initially declined to pursue legal action at the scene, he later contacted law enforcement to seek charges after learning he would require surgery for his injuries, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said.
Investigators initially looked for business surveillance cameras that may have caught the incident but were unsuccessful. However, a Flomaton Police Department lieutenant later provided deputies with a video of the fight recorded by an independent witness. Florida deputies separately interviewed a 12-year-old bystander at the scene who had also witnessed the alleged altercation.
Following a review of the witness statements and the video evidence, which corroborated parts of the timeline, warrants were issued for the trio. All three suspects were booked into the Escambia County Jail recently, each charged with one count of third-degree felony battery.
All three were released on bonds of $5,000 each and entered not guilty pleas.
Pictured (L-R): Suspects Freddie Wayne McCall, Ashley Lynn McCall, and Landen Charles Robertson.
Reminder: Take A Quick Survey About Century Celebration And Fireworks
July 10, 2026
What did you think about the Independence Day celebration and fireworks in Century?
The Town of Century wants to know, and they are asking you to take a short anonymous survey before Monday, July 13:
https://forms.gle/fbFbZth3zBGbCxy79
The event, a joint celebration presented by the towns of Century and Flomaton, was held at Anthony Pleasant Park and the adjacent Showalter Park on July 3. There were food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, and fireworks after dark.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Summer Sunshine Gives Way To High Weekend Rain Chances
July 10, 2026
Rising rain chances are on the horizon as a typical summer pattern gives way to a highly active storm system by the weekend. While Friday remains mostly sunny with just an isolated afternoon pop-up, precipitation odds jump significantly on Saturday and peak at a soaking 90 percent by Monday, bringing cooler afternoon temperatures in the mid-80s.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 1pm and 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Sunday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, then showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. High near 84. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Salzman To Host Community Food Distribution, Backpack Giveaway On August 1
July 10, 2026
Rep. Michelle Salzman, in partnership with Feeding the Gulf Coast, A Foundation of Hope, and Kevin Stephens, ECUA District 5, along with a coalition of community organizations and local businesses, invites area families to attend a Community Food Distribution and Backpack Giveaway on Saturday, August 1, at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church on W Street.
The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue while supplies last. Vehicles may begin lining up at 6 a.m. to receive assistance.
Families will receive fresh food and grocery items while supplies last, along with backpacks filled with school supplies to help local students prepare for the upcoming school year. The event is designed to provide essential resources that help families start the school year with confidence.
Marcus Pointe Baptist Church is located at 6205 North W Street.
Food and backpacks will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Families are encouraged to arrive early, as demand is expected to be high, so per-car amounts will be limited.
Escambia Man Found Dead Inside Pickup Discovered In Yellow River
July 10, 2026
An Escambia County man was found dead Thursday after his pickup truck plunged into the Yellow River in Santa Rosa County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According to an FHP report released Thursday, the incident occurred at an unknown time at the dead end of Ward Basin Road near Fish Camp Road.
Investigating state troopers reported that a 68-year-old man was driving a pickup truck southbound on Ward Basin Road when the vehicle failed to stop at the end of the roadway. The truck traveled past the dead end and entered the river, where it was later discovered.
The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced deceased at the scene. His name has not been released.
UWF Mourns Loss Of Hall Of Fame Member, Supporter Darrell Gooden
July 10, 2026
The University of West Florida is mourning the loss of Charles “Darrell” Gooden, a proud alumnus, local business leader, and the largest donor in the history of UWF Athletics. Gooden passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, with his wife, Deborah “Debbie” Gooden, by his side following a battle with metastatic adenocarcinoma. He was 74.
His passing comes at a historic juncture for his alma mater. This fall, UWF Athletics officially elevates to NCAA Division I competition, joining the Atlantic Sun Conference as a multi-sport member and the United Athletic Conference (UAC) for football. Anchoring this new era is the construction of the $50 million Darrell Gooden Stadium on campus, a state-of-the-art multi-use venue made possible by his monumental lead gift of more than $10 million. While the full 7,500-seat facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2027, fans will get their first taste of the upgrade this fall with a new 85-foot-by-30-foot HD LED video board in the end zone, which will be operational for the inaugural Division I season while construction continues around PenAir Field.
In a statement, the university expressed profound gratitude for his lasting legacy: “UWF mourns the loss of Darrell Gooden, a proud alumnus and supporter whose extraordinary generosity has helped transform UWF Athletics and fund numerous student scholarships. Our thoughts go out to the Gooden family and all those who had the privilege to know him.”
“Darrell’s extraordinary generosity and commitment to UWF has created opportunities for generations of students and has transformed our campus through investments in scholarships, athletics and student success,” remarked Manny Diaz Jr., UWF president.
A Pensacola native, Gooden graduated from UWF in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He channeled his business acumen into the local housing market, founding Gooden Homes, Inc. in 1980. Under his leadership as CEO, the company built more than 3,000 homes across the Pensacola area, earning numerous Parade of Homes awards—including multiple honors for Outstanding Home—and culminating in Gooden being named Builder of the Year by the Home Builders Association of West Florida in 2009.
While his business footprint shaped the local landscape, his philanthropy transformed the university campus. Gooden was a member of the Sword & Shield Council and the UWF Foundation Board of Directors, becoming a Platinum UWF Football Founder in 2016 when he joined the initial push to launch the university’s football program. He also established an endowed scholarship to support UWF Football student-athletes.
His financial contributions completely reshaped the campus sports infrastructure. His initial lead gift funded the construction of the Darrell Gooden Center, which opened in 2018 to provide a home locker room for the football team and a sports performance center for all student-athletes. Gooden later helped spearhead fundraising for an expansion to the facility, adding the Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center and a new football coaches’ suite. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, Gooden was inducted into the UWF Athletics Hall of Fame in November 2025.
Gooden was able to attend the official stadium groundbreaking ceremony on February 11, 2026, celebrating a venue designed to host not only Division I football but also concerts, high school championships, and major community events.
Gooden is survived by his beloved wife of 17 years, Debbie Gooden; his sister, Debra Axley (John); nephews John Charles Axley (Page), Jason Christopher Axley (Amy), and Nicholas Gooden Woosley (Brittany); alongside several grandnieces, grandnephews, extended family members, and close friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Theodore Gooden and Cornelia Hassebrock Gooden.
In accordance with Gooden’s wishes, no formal services will be held. The family has expressed deep gratitude for the community’s influx of love, prayers, and support. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Valerie’s House.
Photo courtesy UWF for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hernández The Hero As Wahoos Win Another Walk-Off
July 10, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their fourth game in a row on Thursday night, beating the Montgomery Biscuits 4-3 on a walk-off single from Cristian Hernández.
It marked the third late-inning comeback in a row for the Blue Wahoos, and their second walk-off in three games after Fenwick Trimble’s game-winning single on Tuesday and a five-run eighth inning rally sparked by Hernández on Wednesday.
Though the Biscuits scored the first run of the game on a Mac Horvath double, an interference call and a Caden Bodine sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning, Brendan Jones leveled the score for the Blue Wahoos with a solo homer in the bottom of the second.
Luis Palacios allowed just an unearned run over 3.1 innings in his start for the Blue Wahoos, and fellow lefty Christian MacLeod was outstanding in long relief with six strikeouts over 2.2 scoreless frames.
The Blue Wahoos took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth, as Dylan Jasso singled, advanced to third on a Cam Cannarella base hit, and scored on an errant throw when Cannarella stole second base.
Staked to a 2-1 lead, Blue Wahoos reliever Jack Sellinger allowed an unearned run in the seventh when Gregory Barrios tripled and scored on a passed ball from catcher Ryan Ignoffo.
In the top of the eighth, Nigel Belgrave (W, 3-5) allowed a leadoff double to Bodine and nearly got out of the jam, recording a pair of outs before Theo Gillen grounded a single to right field to give the Biscuits a 3-2 lead.
For the third consecutive game, the Blue Wahoos mounted a late rally against the Montgomery bullpen. Beleaguered Biscuits reliever Tommy McCollum (L, 2-7) surrendered a game-tying homer to Juan Matheus in the eighth, and returned for the ninth after Belgrave kept the game tied in the top half of the inning. Jones led off with a walk, advanced to second when Payton Green was hit with a pitch, and gave up the walk-off single to Hernández for a 4-3 final.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biscuits on Friday.
written by Erik Bremer
Planning Board Approves Land Use Changes For OLF-8 Despite Strong Resident Opposition
July 9, 2026
The Escambia County Planning Board voted 4-1 to approve a significant modification to the 540-acre OLF-8 property in Beulah, advancing a request by developers Tri-W Development and Chad C. Henderson Enterprises to shift the site’s future land use designation to Mixed-Use Urban.
The proposal comes after a series of financial and contractual renegotiations between the county and the development team. In June 2025, Escambia County originally approved a sale agreement for the property for $42.5 million, with the area subsequently rebranded as Outlying Fields. However, in March 2026, Henderson returned to county leadership to restructure the contract. The county ultimately approved an updated deal that dropped the purchase price by roughly $14 million to $28,429,000. In exchange for the lower price, Escambia County retained ownership of 171 acres intended specifically for technology and job creation.
The property was originally slated for development under the community-backed DPZ Master Plan, a design adopted into county code to create a walkable community with a town center, parks, and dedicated areas for job growth. Under the previous commercial mix designation, housing was required to remain secondary to commercial development. Local residents voiced heavy opposition at the meeting, arguing that shifting the entire site to Mixed-Use Urban completely flips this priority. Critics warned the change could even impact the 171 acres the county kept for job creation, giving a developer the freedom to build entirely residential housing without the promised commercial spaces.
Nearly a dozen citizens addressed the planning board to raise concerns about infrastructure strain, taxpayer burdens, a lack of developer transparency, and the potential introduction of distribution warehouses and data centers.
One resident told the board that under the previous rules, jobs came first and housing had to be a secondary use. He warned that the new designation reverses that structure and could allow the housing market to take over the entire field, resulting in zero commercial space or job opportunities.
Beulah resident Theresa Blackwell also spoke to the board, noting that the revised contract from March required the project to stay generally consistent with the original design code. Blackwell stated that the developers broke that agreement by creating their own rules instead, and she requested that the board reject the proposal. Another resident told the board that Escambia County was being manipulated and dragged along, and she stated that local leadership needed to regain control of the project.
Representing the developer, land planner Melissa Hadley addressed the board to explain that the amendment would tailor the regulations to their specific project goals. Hadley stated that the shift provides better flexibility to establish their guidelines and allows residential areas to be relocated so they are more compatible with existing neighborhoods.
Developer Chad Henderson also spoke to the planning board, defending the request as a complicated but necessary technical refinement that creates a custom subcategory built specifically for the property. Henderson stated that the changes were not based on superficial preferences, but rather on evidence-based decisions backed by significant financial investments and extensive resource gathering.
Planning board member Jonathan Owens cast the lone dissenting vote, stating that the decision disregarded and erased the immense time and effort Beulah citizens put into the original DPZ plan. The remaining board members supported the change, stating that there is a broader need for development in the county and expressing their trust in the developer’s vision.
The proposal now moves to the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners for a final decision. Commissioners can either deny the request or transmit the proposal to the state planning agency for an infrastructure impact review before holding a second public hearing.
NorthEscambia.com and courtesy photos, click to enlarge.
Hot, Scattered Showers Thursday And Friday; Rain Likely For The Weekend
July 9, 2026
Hot temperatures in the lower 90s will pair with isolated afternoon storms for Thursday and Friday before a major shift in the weather pattern brings widespread rain to the area. A high-pressure system begins to weaken by Friday night, opening the door for a surge of tropical moisture. Rainfall chances skyrocket to 70 percent on Saturday and peak at a soaking 90 percent on Sunday and Monday. The heavy cloud cover and persistent downpours will offer some relief from the heat, knocking daytime highs down into the mid-to-lower 80s by early next week, though muggy conditions and evening storms will linger through Wednesday.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 1pm and 4pm. Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 89. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 86. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Drone Nabs Pensacola Man Facing Attempted Murder, Eluding Charges
July 9, 2026
A Pensacola man faces an attempted murder charge and a slate of narcotics offenses after leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit and firing at officers early Wednesday morning in Atmore.
Dyllan Thompson was charged with attempted murder, felony attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine), possession of marijuana second degree, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to Atmore Police, the incident began when officers with the Atmore Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. The driver pulled over in a gas station parking lot, let out a female passenger, and then fled from officers to initiate the pursuit. Shortly after the chase began, the lead officer observed Thompson discharging a firearm from the vehicle.
Officers continued the pursuit as the vehicle traveled to the end of Martin Luther King Drive at the intersection of Northgate Road. The vehicle traveled through the intersection and entered a field, where it became disabled after getting stuck.
Officers deployed a drone to assist in locating the suspect. The drone quickly located Thompson, and officers used the drone’s public address system to communicate with him, issuing commands to surrender and providing instructions for his arrest. Thompson complied with the commands and was taken into custody without further incident, according to police.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed illegal narcotics and drug paraphernalia inside, APD said. Thompson was transported to the Escambia County Detention Center. A jail photo will be added when available.
