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.
Hurricane Season Now Predicted To Be ‘Well Below Normal’
July 9, 2026
Storm forecasters have further downgraded predictions a little more than a month into the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which has so far produced a single named tropical system.
For a season initially anticipated to be “somewhat below-normal,” Colorado State University researchers on Wednesday reduced their projections for the number of named systems and the duration of activity, stating they “now anticipate a well below-normal season.”
A day earlier, the private meteorological firm AccuWeather slightly reduced the range of named storms it predicted to develop in the Atlantic basin.
In both cases the forecast is tied to moderate El Niño conditions likely to intensify into a “strong” El Niño by the mid-September peak of the six-month hurricane season that began June 1.
The term El Niño refers to a warming of the ocean surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and resulting low-level surface winds that can disrupt normal weather patterns across the U.S. and globally.
“Sea surface temperatures across the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic are near their long-term averages,” Colorado State University posted on Wednesday. “We anticipate the powerful El Niño being the dominant factor for the upcoming hurricane season, driving high levels of tropical Atlantic vertical wind shear.”
Vertical wind shear usually helps weaken or disrupt storms.
“El Niño conditions have always been the driver for why we’re expecting numbers near or below the historical average this year,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert. “The stronger the El Niño gets, the fewer named storms we’re likely to get. Back in 2015, we had a strong El Niño and got 11 named storms. I think that is the sweet spot again this year.”
An average storm season has 14 to 15 named storms, with seven reaching hurricane strength.
AccuWeather, which initially forecast between 11 and 16 named storms, now predicts the formation of eight to 14 named storms for the season. Unchanged is the forecast of four to seven hurricanes, with two to four becoming major systems. AccuWeather also forecasts three to five having a direct impact on the U.S.
“The northern and eastern Gulf Coast, the Carolinas, and the northeastern Caribbean remain higher-than-average risk areas, where storms can develop rapidly,” a release from AccuWeather stated.
With a caveat added, the Colorado State University release noted there is a “below-average probability” for a major hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. coastline before adding that “coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season.”
The school’s forecast now sits at 9 named storms, down from 13 when the initial projections were released in April and 11 when updated in June.
Also, the July forecast has four storms reaching hurricane strength, with winds at or above 74 mph, instead of six as in the pre-season outlook and five when the numbers were revised in June.
The ocean and gulf waters are expected to be active with named storms for a total of 35 days, down from 45 days in the June forecast. A typical year has 69.4 days of storm activity.
Meanwhile, the number of storms reaching major strength — Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with sustained winds of 111-mph or greater — was put at one, down from two in the prior forecasts.
As of Wednesday, the only named storm to arise was Tropical Storm Arthur, which brought flash flooding and tornadoes as it made landfall June 18 near Galveston, Texas.
In 2025, the Atlantic produced 13 named storms and five hurricanes, with four reaching Category 3 — winds of 111 mph to 130 mph, and storm surge of 9 feet to 12 feet above normal tide.
None of the 2025 storms, though, made a direct landfall in Florida or the U.S.
From 2022 to 2024, Florida took direct hits from six hurricanes, including four that were Category 3 or stronger.
by Jim Turner, News Service Florida
Woman Accused of Snatching Cash From Man As He Was In A Fight Behind Century Store
July 9, 2026
A Flomaton woman is facing a felony charge after cellphone video surfaced showing her allegedly stealing cash from a man’s pocket while he was actively engaged in a physical brawl behind a local convenience store.
Lori Ann McCaw, 35, was arrested on a warrant charging her with robbery by sudden snatching without a firearm or weapon. She remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $5,000.
The incident began on the evening of May 13, 2026, when Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a citizen flagging them down near Century Boulevard and Tedder Road. The victim was found bleeding from a gash on his forehead.
According to the arrest report, the victim claimed he had been confronted inside the Southern Pit Stop on Century Boulevard and agreed to go behind the building to settle the dispute. A physical altercation ensued, during which he claimed McCaw attacked him from behind, struck him with a blunt object, and took $2,880 from his wallet.
Initial store surveillance video reviewed by deputies painted a slightly different picture of the fight itself, showing the victim pursuing the other man with a wooden board pulled from a fence row before tackling him to the ground. Store footage did not clearly capture McCaw taking any money, and she initially denied touching the victim or taking any property under oath, claiming she was only at the business to pick up a friend.
While probable cause was initially found to charge the victim for his role in the fight, there was not enough evidence at the time to charge McCaw.
However, the investigation later took a turn when the victim provided law enforcement with a cellphone video captured by a bystander at the scene.
Upon reviewing the new footage, a deputy observed McCaw watching the two men fight on the ground. While the victim was pinned down, McCaw approached and pulled the wallet from his pocket. The video showed the victim kicking at her in a futile attempt to stop the theft. McCaw was then seen walking away, removing cash from the wallet, tossing the wallet back, and stuffing the money into her shirt before leaving the scene, according to the arrest report.
Based on the newly uncovered video evidence, a warrant was issued for her arrest.
FPL Addresses Fourth Of July Power Outages That Left Thousands Without AC
July 9, 2026
Florida Power & Light is addressing outages that left thousands without power on a hot Fourth of July afternoon.
“They are still investigating the cause and determining what, if any, additional work might need to be done to prevent the multiple outages that customers experienced,” said Sarah Gatewood, senior manager, communications for FPL. “We apologize for the interruption of service; we know how frustrating that can be, especially when celebrating a holiday with friends and family. Thank you to our customers for their patience as our team worked to get power restored throughout the afternoon.”
FPL first reported over 4,000 customers without power in an area generally south of Nine Mile Road and north of Longleaf along Pine Forest Road, including Wilde Lake Boulevard and West Detroit Boulevard.
Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to multiple calls of people stuck in elevators at hotels, and someone stuck in a self-storage business because the door would not open. Several minor traffic crashes were reported at intersections with no power.
Power was restored to a larger portion of that area by about 3:15 p.m., but FPL reported nearly 7,000 customers without power on and north of Nine Mile Road to about West Roberts Road in Cantonment. A later outage of over 3,000 customers was reported in an area centered around Nine Mile Road and Milestone.
NorthEscambia.com readers across the outage area reported that their power would come back on briefly, only to go out a few minutes later.
Most customers had power restored by 5 p.m., according to FPL’s reporting system.
Four More Homers And A Big Inning Lead to Comeback Win For The Wahoos
July 9, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos completed their second consecutive come from behind win by a final score of 8-7 over the Montgomery Biscuits.
The Biscuits wasted no time getting the scoring going against Alex Williams. Two batters into the game, Montgomery took a 2-0 lead after a leadoff single from Austin Overn and a two-run home run off the bat of Brayden Taylor. An inning later, Taylor would strike again in the second inning when he brought home two more runs on a two-run single to give the Biscuits an early 4-0 lead.
Pensacola struck back in the third inning thanks to a Payton Green homer off of Biscuits starter Santiago Suarez. Green’s seventh blast made it a 4-1 game, and the Wahoos offense continued to chip away at Suarez to climb back into the game. They grabbed another run back in the 5th on an RBI single from Jay Beshears and then one more in the 7th courtesy of Connor Caskenette sending his third homer of the year out to left-center to bring the score to 4-3.
Santiago Suarez left in line for the win after pitching a career high 7.0 innings, but Livan Reinoso kept the Wahoos within a run, pitching a scoreless 6th and 7th. Kade Bragg (W, 5-2) entered to pitch the 8th and struggled through the bottom of Montgomery’s order. After retiring the first two batters on two pitches, the Biscuits added two insurance runs on Mac Horvath’s RBI-triple and Gregory Barrios’ RBI-single to bring the Biscuits lead to 6-3. But the Wahoos had been here before and were ready for the challenge.
Cam Cannarella led off with a walk and Cristian Hernández proceeded to absolutely demolish a 2-run blast into Pensacola Bay to bring the Wahoos within a run. Following a groundout, Fenwick Trimble got in on the home run action by launching a no-doubter to left-center field to tie things up at 6-6. Brandon Compton then singled and Connor Caskenette grounded into what looked like an inning ending double play, but he was called safe at first because first baseman Xavier Isaac brought his foot off the bag when making the catch. The safe call proved to be huge when Brendan Jones ripped a double off the top of the wall in center field to score Caskenette and give Pensacola a 7-6 lead. Payton Green added an insurance run on an RBI single.
Holt Jones (S, 2) gave up one run in the 9th, but ultimately locked down his second save of the year, securing the team’s second straight comeback victory with an 8-7 final. Andrew Lindsay (L, 1-1) was tagged with the loss for Montgomery and the Biscuits dropped to 39-44 overall and 4-10 in the second half while the Wahoos improved their record to 44-39 overall and 8-6 in the second half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biscuits on Thursday.
written by Charlie Hobert
Two Arrested In Connection With Downtown Pensacola Shooting That Killed One, Injured Six Others
July 8, 2026
Two people have been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting in downtown Pensacola that claimed one life and injured six others.
Nicholas Lilane Safford, 26, of Daphne, Alabama, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and discharging a weapon in public. Lillian Myllicen Meyers, 25, of Pensacola has been charged with tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact. Pensacola Police say a shooter gave her one of the weapons used after she removed it from the scene. Both are being held without bond.
Pensacola Police have not yet made an arrest for homicide, and that at least three shooters were involved in the incident. The investigation is continuing.
The shooting during the early morning hours of July 5 claimed the life of 19-year-old Phillip Devon Monte Sheppard Jr., and all but one of the six other victims have been released from the hospital. Pensacola Police Chief Eric Winstrom said Monday that an ongoing feud led to the shooting.
800-Acre Opt-Out Approved By Escambia Planning Board, Threatening Midwest Sector Plan Future
July 8, 2026
Escambia County’s first and only large-scale attempt at long-range growth planning is on life support following a narrow vote by officials to essentially dismantle its central hub.
The Escambia County Planning Board voted 3-2 on July 7 to recommend approving an opt-out request for more than 800 acres in the heart of the Optional Sector Plan. The targeted acreage, owned by Jerry Long, encompasses virtually the entire area designated as a 300-acre urban-style town center in the original 2011 vision. Board members Ben Nelson and Jonathan Owens voted against the 800-acre opt-out.
The decision now moves to the Escambia County Commission, which will decide whether to transmit the opt-out request to the Florida Department of Commerce for final review.
Authorized under a Florida statute, a sector plan is a state-sanctioned process for long-term planning across massive geographic tracts The Escambia County Optional Sector Plan—originally known as the Midwest Sector Plan—covers approximately 15,000 acres north of I-10, west of Highway 29, and south of Highway 196.
The county first signed a formal agreement for the tract on April 3, 2008, and officially adopted the master blueprint by ordinance on January 20, 2011. This was followed on September 15, 2011, by an ordinance which enacted a Detailed Specific Area Plan (DSAP) to govern specific land uses, infrastructure networks, and environmental protections.
The master plan was envisioned as a public-private partnership driven by the county and three primary landowners, including Long, who sought consistent regional development. The 2011 vision centered on a new four-lane north-south road corridor linking to a new Interstate 10 exit in Beulah. The proposed town center was meant to serve as a pedestrian-friendly, high-density retail, commercial, and residential hub for Cantonment, surrounded by suburban neighborhoods, rural conservation zones, and preserved wetlands.
However, the boundaries adopted in 2011 ultimately extended beyond the three core developers to loop in more than 1,500 individual property owners. The plan has faced steady attrition since 2016, when landowners were first permitted to withdraw their land following complaints over restricted development rights and diminished property values.
Long told the planning board that he sought the exit because the county has failed to advance the plan or secure the necessary infrastructure financing over the past fifteen years, pointing out that critical connection discussions stalled more than a decade ago.
The massive opt-out faced swift pushback. Pensacola attorney Will Dunaway, representing Fred Hemmer, argued against the withdrawal. Hemmer, who owns more than 1,500 acres in the northern part of the sector plan, purchased his property from one of the other original founding landowners. Dunaway stated that a pre-existing memorandum of understanding legally binds the landowners to donate the necessary right-of-way for the primary north-south connector road as development occurs. Opponents also warned that removing the central town center invalidates the traffic data previously used to secure state and federal backing for the upcoming Beulah Road I-10 interchange.
“Long range planning is important. That is the purpose of having a planning board. It is the purpose of having a comprehensive plan. Escambia County put in place a plan for development, and investors have invested in that plan,” Dunaway said. “We do not oppose the concept of opt-outs. It was put in place for the parcels on the periphery in a sense negatively impacted by the plan.”
Click map to enlarge (pdf).