Organizers Fear Annual MLK Ceremony At Risk Due To Town’s Rental Fee Hike
November 19, 2025
Robert Mitchell fears that an annual Martin Luther King, Jr. ceremony may not happen this year at a Century community center.
The program is held every year by the Century-Flomaton Improvement Association (CFIA) at the town-owned community center on West Highway 4 that is known as the Ag Building.
In June, the Century Town Council voted to hike community center rates. Previously, the daily rental fee was $380. However, a provision allowed a pastor or officer to sign off, dropping the rental to $200 for churches or non-profits.
The new rental policy is $500 for everyone, with a fee waiver that can only be approved by the council for any governmental agency using the facilities. Security, provided by either the sheriff’s office or a Florida-licensed security company, will be required at the renter’s expense for all events with more than 75 attendees.
“We just don’t have any money,” Mitchell told the town council Tuesday night. “We’d still like to keep one (MLK program) in Century…but we need a fee waiver, or a lower one to help us.”
As CFIA treasurer, Mitchell stood at the last Century MLK event last January and asked for small donations fund the event, which includes a lunch for well over 100 attendees celebrating on the national holiday. A guest speaker, a student essay contest, music and other events celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The town’s mayor and most of the town council traditional attend.
Tuesday night, Councilman John Bass said the town is going to revisit community center rental rates in time for the CFIA and their 2026 MLK program. Town Clerk Carrie Moore confirmed the discussion will be on the December 2 council agenda.
Pictured top: Robert Mitchell asks for donations during the 2024 Century-Flomaton Improvement Association Martin Luther King, Jr. program. Also pictured: The program honors King’s legacy NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
District 5 ECUA Member Stephens Elected Board Chairman
November 19, 2025
District 5 Emerald Coast Utilities Authority board member Kevin Stephens was elected board chairman during an organizational meeting on Tuesday. Larry Williams, Sr., District 3, was elected to the vice-chairmanship.
Lois Benson, District 3, was elected to the chairmanship of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC) and Vicki Campbell, District 1, was elected to serve as the CAC vice-chairman.
The Board then re-appointed the following citizens to serve on the CAC:
- Chuck Kimball – District 1
- Dean Kirschner – District 2
- Louis Brown, III – District 3
- Mark DeNunzio- District 4
- David Murzin – District 5
- Imelda Cromartie – At-large
- Louise Ritz – At-large
Pensacola Issues 26,085 Red Light Citations
November 19, 2025
On Tuesday, the City of Pensacola has issued a red light camera update.
The intersection of 9th Avenue and Gregory Street continues to be the city’s top hotspot for red light camera violations.
From February 1 to October 31, the city issued 26,085 citations and nearly 32% of them came from 9th Avenue at Gregory Street. The second-highest number came from 9th and Bayou, which has four approaches.
Here are the latest numbers:
- 9th Avenue & Bayou: 7,777
- • 9th Avenue & Airport: 3,616
- • 9th Avenue & Fairfield Drive: 4,969
- • 9th Avenue & Gregory Street: 8,274
- • Fairfield Drive & Davis Hwy: 1,449
Fugitive Arrested Near Oak Grove After Fleeing From Deputies
November 19, 2025
A wanted felon with outstanding warrants was arrested Monday near Oak Grove after a K-9 search.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a home in the 3100 block of North Highway 99, just south of Breastworks Road, to arrest 54-year-old Floyd Scott Mooney, Jr. on outstanding warrants issued by the State Attorney’s Office for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft, and grand theft of a firearm.
Mooney arrived back at the property on a John Deere tractor and fled, leaving the tractor lights on and the keys in the ignition, according to an arrest report.
An ECSO deputy and his K-9 partner arrived at the scene to conduct a search, tracking Mooney north from the property.
A deputy posted near a hunting trail saw Mooney cross a hunting road and gave him commands to stop. Mooney first told the deputy “no” and was attempting to cross a fence before he was taken into custody, the report continues.
An additional charge of resisting arrest was filed against Mooney.
Mooney was booked into the Escambia County Jail and released on a $45,500 bond just under 10 hours later.
Sunny Warm Days, Clear And Cool Nights
November 19, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: Becoming sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Widespread dense fog, mainly between 3am and 4am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 59. Calm wind.
Thursday: Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
MILO, The Mobile ID And Licensing Office, Will Be In Century On Thursday
November 19, 2025
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO) will be in Century on Thursday, November 20, from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse.
MILO, a fully functional tax collector office on wheels, is also scheduled to be at the Walnut Hill Community Center on December 18.
MILO offers a convenient way for residents to access essential tax collector services, including:
- Driver License Services: Renewals, replacements, out-of-state license conversions/reciprocations, and address/name changes.
- Identification Cards: First-time issuance and renewals.
- Vehicle Services: Registration renewals and replacements, title transfers, and parking placards.
- Tax Payments: Property tax payments.
- Business Tax Receipts: Applications and renewals.
- Certified Driver Transcripts
Written and driving tests are not available at the MILO unit.
This initiative aims to bring services to areas of Escambia County that may have limited access to traditional tax collector offices, particularly during disaster recovery or for residents in assisted living facilities, community centers, and correctional facilities.
Florida drivers may renew their vehicle registrations for a period of one or two years and may renew up to three months in advance of the registration expiration. Vehicle registrations expire at midnight on the first owner’s birth date unless the owner is a business.
Pictured: The Escambia County Tax Collector’s MILO at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Four Escambia County Women Plead Guilty To Federal Drug Charges
November 19, 2025
Four Escambia County woman have pleaded guilty to federal drug diversion charges.
Alexandra M. Christensen, 31, Lindsay N. McCray (also known as Lindsay Rogers), 42, Heather T. Bradley (also known as Heather Thomas), 37, and Jennifer E. Purves, 39, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges in connection with the unlawful diversion of controlled substances
“The opioid epidemic has plagued our communities with addiction and death for years as criminal offenders like these defendants flooded our streets with drugs. Now, thanks to the close collaboration between our state and federal law enforcement partners, this illegal drug diversion scheme has been dismantled and these offenders will be held accountable,” said John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida..
According to court records, between 2015 and 2024, McCray, while employed by a medical practice, forged controlled substance prescriptions using the names, signatures, and Drug Enforcement Administration registration numbers of the practice’s two physicians without their knowledge or authorization. McCray issued these fraudulent prescriptions using the names and identifiers of people who were not actual patients of the clinic, had never seen either of the physicians, and in many instances were fictitious. The controlled substance pills were dispensed by area pharmacies, picked up by Christensen and others, and unlawfully sold for shared profit. As a result of the conspiracy, McCray, Christensen, and others caused to be unlawfully distributed and dispensed over 300,000 hydrocodone pills and over 30,000 oxycodone pills. McCray further coordinated with Bradley and Purves to distribute amphetamine in the form of Adderall pills or its generic equivalent. On multiple occasions each, Bradley and Purves obtained and filled prescriptions in their own and others’ names to unlawfully distribute for profit to a third party, payments for which passed through McCray.f
The women face sentencing at hearings set for December 2025 and January 2026.
The pleas were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division, with assistance from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force.
Tate Aggies Open Season With Win Over Niceville
November 19, 2025
The Tate Aggies opened their season with a 75-66 win over Niceville Tuesday night at Tate.
Up next, the Aggies will travel to Pensacola High to take on the Tigers. The next home game for Tate is two weeks away on December 2 against the Escambia Gators.
NorthEscambia.com file image.
Trial Postponed For Suspect In 2024 Death Of Teen At Cottage Hill Party
November 18, 2025
Trial has been postponed for a now 21-year-old charged in the April 2024 fatal shooting of a 16-year-old at a party at a Cottage Hill home.
Ethan Alexander O’Brien remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond on charges of second-degree negligent manslaughter, tampering with evidence and improper exhibition of a firearm.
Jury selection was set to begin Monday for O’Brien’s trial, but Judge John Simon granted the state’s request for a continuance. The State Attorney’s Office requested the continuance because prosecutors learned that a key expert witness in the case, Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Pagacz, is traveling out of the country. O’Brien’s attorney did not file any objections.
O’Brien is now set to appear in court February 2026.
The investigation determined that during a large gathering at the residence, O’Brien, then 19, was showing off his firearm, at which time it accidentally discharged, hitting 16-year-old Bryson Allen.
The incident happened about 11:30 p.m. Friday, April 12. 2024, at a home in the 600 block of Wishbone Road. Allen was pronounced deceased at the scene, and investigators said O’Brien fled the scene.
Pictured top: The scene on Wishbone Road in Cottage Hill late Friday night, April 12, after a teen was shot and killed. Pictured below: Crime scene tape still surrounded the home the following morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
‘Slightly Smarter Than A Toaster’ — Beulah Academy Of Science Robotics Team Competes
November 18, 2025
The Beulah Academy of Science Robotics Team, led by Mrs. Bruening, completed a successful eight-week journey, culminating in their participation in the BEST Robotics Competition 2025 Game Day on Saturday at Troy State University in Troy, Alabama.
The Bobcats, competing as Team 2296, “Slightly Smarter than a Toaster”, showed exceptional resilience and teamwork throughout the day. Despite finishing 11th out of 13 teams in the regular rounds, the team secured a surprise spot in the Wildcard Round.
The advancement was due to the strength of the team’s presentation, as their Engineering Notebook scored in the top four of all entries. This unexpected wildcard berth marked an amazing achievement for the team’s inaugural year.
While they did not advance to the semi-finals, the students were celebrated for their tenacity and their impressive Expo Booth, built by Wesley and Allison Moore and featuring a logo designed by Lucas Stammer. The team demonstrated great problem-solving skills, perseverance, and passion in their first competitive season.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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