The Owner Of This Gonzalez Cemetery Has Been Dead For Decades. Now The County May Take Over.
July 9, 2025
The Jordan Cemetery in Gonzalez is 163 years old, and there’s no official caretaker.
It was founded by owner John H. Hamn in 1862, but he died in 1938.
Now, the Escambia County Commission is considering the use of public resources and funds to provide maintenance for the cemetery at 2300 East Kingfield Road. Florida statutes allow the county to take over maintenance of an abandoned cemetery.
According to paperwork filed with the county, the nearly four-acre cemetery contains 811 graves from 1862 to 2017. The “Find a Grave” website lists the most recent burial as being in late 2023.
Of those, over 100 were listed as unmarked in a 1980 survey. About 79 graves have markings that are illegible or have no inscription, while others are marked with just wood or simple concrete. There are 372 graves marked as historic.
Jordan Cemetery is listed as a Historical Cemetery in the Florida Department of Financial Services master site file.
If the county takes over maintenance, they will use staff and resources from the University of West Florida Archeology Institute to supplement the county’s maintenance efforts.
The county commission will consider the Jordan Cemetery maintenance proposal at their meeting on Thursday, July 10.
Pictured: The Jordan Cemetary on Kingsfield Road, as seen in undated photographs. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
A Deer And A Series Of Events Lead To Unoccupied Jeep Plunging Into Deep Culvert In Bratt
July 9, 2025
A woman’s Jeep Wagoneer ended up deep in a culvert in Bratt Tuesday night in a rather unique sequence of events.
The woman said it all started around 9:50 p.m. when she swerved to miss a deer on Pine Barren Road just south of Bratt Road. She successfully avoided hitting the deer, ran off the roadway, and came to a controlled stop in high grass on the side of the road. The woman and her passengers exited the vehicle unscathed.
But unknown to her at the time, she had parked on the edge of a culvert that is about 20 feet deep. Once she got out of the Jeep, it plunged into the deep culvert—and that deployed all of the vehicle’s airbags, prompting an automatic crash notification to emergency services.
First responders arrived to find everyone standing at the top of the culvert, which was dry and not filled with water. The Jeep was reportedly in park, and the engine was not running.
Authorities on scene said that while the incident was a bit perplexing, everything about the woman’s account of the events to the Florida Highway Patrol matched the scene.
The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Unregistered Machine Gun
July 9, 2025
An Escambia County man has pleaded guilty to charges of possession of an unregistered machine gun.
Prashant M. Jenkins Jr., 24, entered the plea in federal court.
Court documents state that on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers found and seized from Jenkins’ residence an AR-style machine gun conversion device, a Glock pistol with a loaded magazine, a loaded AR-15 magazine, approximately 500 grams of marijuana, and other suspected drug trafficking paraphernalia. The conversion device, considered a machine gun under federal law, was not marked with a serial number and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal ATF agents to make our community safer by getting this dangerous individual off the streets. My office remains fully committed to aggressively prosecuting those who illegally manufacture and possess these dangerous weapons, fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting violent criminals with the full force of the law.”
Sentencing is currently set for September 30, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Jenkins faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment and will be prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
Pedestrian Injured In Molino Hit And Run
July 9, 2025
A pedestrian was injured in a hit-and-run Tuesday night in Molino.
The incident was reported just after 9 p.m. in the 4200 block of Suncrest Lane, just off Sunshine Hill Road. The adult victim was later airlifted to a Pensacola hospital.
Further details, including a possible vehicle description, were not available as the Florida Highway Patrol continues its investigation.
File photo.
Beulah Road At Beulah Church Road Closed For Drainage Work
July 9, 2025
Beulah Road was temporarily closed Sunday at the Beulah Church Road intersection. It is expected to remain closed through July 24.
The closure is required for crews to construct drainage improvements. Signage is in place for a detour using Rebel Road, Mobile Highway, and Nine Mile Road.
The overall project will include
- Constructing a 6-foot sidewalk on the west side of Beulah Road from the Beulah Academy of Science to Nine Mile Road.
- Various sidewalk and crosswalk improvements, including Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades.
- Improvements at the Beulah Road at Nine Mile Road intersection.
- Stormwater management enhancements.
- Utility relocations.
- Guardrail installation.
- Signalization upgrades.
- New signing and pavement markings.
FDOT anticipates that the full project will be complete in late 2026.
Late Comeback Not Enough In 7-5 Wahoos Loss To Clingstones
July 9, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos nearly dug themselves out of an early hole, but couldn’t complete their comeback in a 7-5 loss to the Columbus Clingstones on Tuesday night.
The Clingstones broke a scoreless tie with a six-run fourth inning, capped by a grand slam from E.J. Exposito for his first Double-A home run.
That would be the only rough spot for Blue Wahoos starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (L, 4-5), who set a career high with nine strikeouts over a season-high 6.0 innings despite the losing decision.
Clingstones starter Lucas Braun, staked to a 6-0 lead, was unable to qualify for the win as Tony Bullard lined a comebacker off his pitching arm in the fifth inning. Jose Cuas (W, 1-1) picked up the win in relief, allowing the first Pensacola run on a wild pitch but delivering 1.2 innings on short notice.
The Blue Wahoos mounted a rally in the eighth, as Nathan Martorella laced a solo homer to right field to trim the deficit to 7-2. Bullard lined a two-run double and Dalvy Rosario brought in a run with a groundout, drawing the score to 7-5. Elison Joseph (S, 3) entered with the tying run at the plate, recorded the final two outs in the eighth, and worked a spotless ninth to seal the 7-5 final.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Wednesday. First pitch from Synovus Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT (6:05 p.m. CDT).
State Warns That Subscription Scams Are On The Rise – Don’t Take The Bait
July 9, 2025
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is warning consumers to be on high alert for a growing wave of email subscription scams. Cybercriminals are targeting Floridians with phishing emails posing as legitimate streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and others, all in an attempt to steal personal information and credit card numbers.
“These scams look real — but they’re designed to trick you into taking the bait and handing over sensitive information,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “We want Floridians to recognize the red flags and protect themselves before they click.”
The fraudulent emails often mimic the branding of popular subscription services and will use scare tactics, such as claiming your account has been locked or payment has failed. The goal: get you to click a malicious link or share your financial information.
FDACS offers these tips to help spot a phishing scam before it’s too late:
- Check the sender’s email address. Scammers often use addresses that look official but aren’t. If it doesn’t come from the service’s verified domain — like @netflix.com — don’t trust it.
- Look for spelling and grammar mistakes. Reputable companies don’t send sloppy emails.
- Be cautious with links. If you receive an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply or open the link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email.
- Beware of urgent language. Phrases like “Your account will be locked!” are designed to make you panic and act quickly without thinking.
- Go straight to the source. When in doubt, open the app or type the website directly into your browser. Never click through an email you weren’t expecting.
Consumers who believe they’ve received a scam email or have been targeted by a phishing scheme can report it to the FDACS Division of Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA
Escambia School Grades Released. See How Your Child’s School Scored.
July 8, 2025
The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) released district and school grades on Monday, and Escambia County Public Schools maintained a grade of “B”.
In Escambia County, 86% of schools upheld or exceeded their performance last year. Warrington Prep, Navy Point and Global Learning Academy were “D” schools.
In the North Escambia area, Byrneville Elementary, Beulah Middle School, Ernest Ward Middle School and Northview High School each improved from a “C” to a “B”. Beulah Academy of Science and Ransom Middle School both improved from a “B” to an “A”.
Here are the school grades for Escambia County Public Schools. North Escambia area schools are listed first, and the entire list is in the graphic at the bottom of the story.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
- Beulah Elementary School — remained at B
- Bratt Elementary School — remained at B
- Byrneville Elementary School — improved from C to B
- Jim Allen Elementary School — fell from A to B
- Kingsfield Elementary School — remained an A
- Lipscomb Elementary School — remained at B
- McArthur Elementary School — fell from A to B
- Molino Park Elementary School — remained an A
- Pine Meadow Elementary School — remained an A
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
- Beulah Academy of Science — improved from B to an A
- Beulah Middle School — improved from C to B
- Ernest Ward Middle School — improved from C to B
- Ransom Middle School — improved from B to an A
HIGH SCHOOLS
- Northview High School — improved from C to B
- Tate High School — remained at B
- West Florida High School — remained an A
All Escambia County School grades:
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Escambia Commissioners, City Of Pensacola To Hold Joint Meeting On Bay Center’s Future
July 8, 2025
Escambia County and the City of Pensacola will hold a joint meeting later this week to discuss the future of the Pensacola Bay Center.
The meeting is set for 9 a.m. Thursday at the Bay Center.
County commissioners, city council members, and Mayor D.C. Reeves are expected to discuss establishing an Escambia County Bay Center and Environs Advisory Committee, and there will be an open discussion on the Bay Center.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Century’s Pediatrician Is Moving — But Only Across Town
July 8, 2025
Century pediatrician Dr. Marian Stewart will be moving soon — but only a few minutes down the road as she continues to remain a key part of pediatric health care in the area.
Beginning July 21, Dr. Stewart will see new and existing patients at Community Health Northwest Florida Century Adult and Family Care at 6021 Industrial Boulevard. Her practice’s phone number will remain the same at (850) 724-4054. The change moves Dr. Stewart just a short, 5-minute drive from her current location on Church Street to the west side of North Century Boulevard.
The move brings Community Health Northwest Florida’s adult and child care under a single roof in Century.
Stewart has practiced in North Escambia and Santa Rosa counties since early 1999 and joined Community Health Northwest Florida in 2017. She graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine after receiving her Bachelor’s degree from the University of West Florida. She completed her residency locally, and Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, specializing in pediatrics.
Pictured top: Community Health Northwest Florida on Industrial Boulevard in Century. Pictured below: Dr. Marian Stewart’s previous office on Church Street. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
