Blue Wahoos Comes Up Short In 4-3 Loss To Smokies
July 30, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lost game two of their six-game series on Wednesday night, falling to the Knoxville Smokies by a final score of 4-3 in Knoxville.
Knoxville got off to a hot start, scoring four runs in the first inning off of Wahoos starter Luis Moreno (L, 5-5). After inducing a flyout to start the night, the Smokies strung together four consecutive hits: Jefferson Rojas doubled, Andy Garriola singled, Miguel Useche singled, and Carter Trice doubled. This series of knocks gave the Smokies a 3-0 lead before Alex Madera singled home Trice to give the home team a four-run lead.
Moreno settled down after that first inning, pitching the next four scoreless. This performance kept Pensacola in it, and in the top of the fourth, they started to chip away. Without the aid of a hit, the Wahoos managed to load the bases on a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. Jay Beshears then drew a walk with the bags packed, getting the Wahoos on the board. Before the next pitch could be thrown, a balk was issued to Smokies starter Dawson Netz, plating the second run and cutting into the lead.
Netz would be pulled after the fourth and be replaced by Frankie Scalzo Jr. (W, 2-1), who proceeded to pitch the next two innings scoreless. But, in the top of the seventh, Pensacola would add one more off of Tyler Schlaffer.
Following a leadoff single from Jay Beshears, Emaarion Boyd laid down a sac bunt to get him into scoring position. Brendan Jones rewarded the bunt by knocking a single into centerfield and bringing the score to 4-3.
Holt Jones put up a flawless three innings, striking out 4 in the process, but the offense stayed quiet as Marino Santy (S, 6) closed up shop in the 9th. The ‘Hoos threatened, getting a runner to second base with only one down, but came up just short when Juan Matheus struck out with men on the corners to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies on Thursday.
written by Charlie Hobert
Breakfast And Lunch Are Free For Every Student At 44 Escambia Schools; Others Must Apply
July 29, 2026
Breakfast and lunch are free for all students, regardless of income, during the upcoming school year at 44 schools and centers in Escambia County. Applications must be submitted for free or reduced price lunches, or payment made, at 11 other schools.
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program means that parents of the students at these schools are not required to submit an application for the Free and Reduced Meal program at that school.
The free meal schools are selected based upon income levels.
Parents at these schools should plan on providing their child with money for their meals until eligibility is established to avoid creating a deficit in their account. Funds can be added to student accounts online at myschoolapps.com.
This federally funded program has been in place since 2015 in Escambia County.
Meal applications, or payment, will be required at:
- Beulah Elementary
- Blue Angels Elementary
- Cook Elementary
- Cordova Park Elementary
- Hellen Caro Elementary
- Kingsfield Elementary
- Suter Elementary
- Brown Barge Middle
- Ransom Middle
- Tate High
- West Florida High.
Free meal schools are:
Elementary Schools
- Bellview Elementary
- Bratt Elementary
- Brentwood Elementary
- Byrneville Elementary
- C.A. Weis Elementary
- Ensley Elementary
- Ferry Pass Elementary
- Global Learning Academy
- Holm Elementary
- Jim Allen Elementary
- Lincoln Park Elementary
- Lipscomb Elementary
- Longleaf Elementary
- McArthur Elementary
- Molino Park Elementary
- Montclair Elementary
- Myrtle Grove Elementary
- Navy Point Elementary
- Oakcrest Elementary
- Pine Meadow Elementary
- Pleasant Grove Elementary
- Scenic Heights Elementary
- O.J. Semmes Elementary
- Sherwood Elementary
- Warrington Elementary
- West Pensacola Elementary
Middle Schools
- Bailey Middle
- Bellview Middle
- Beulah Middle
- Ernest Ward Middle
- Ferry Pass Middle
- Workman Middle
High Schools
- Escambia High
- Northview High
- Pensacola High
- Pine Forest High
- Washington High
Other Schools and Centers
- Acceleration Academy
- Achieve Academy
- Capstone
- Escambia Westgate Center
- Hope Horizon
- Jacqueline Harris Preparatory Academy
- Success Academy
Pictured: An Escambia County School lunch as served to students. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Grain Elevator Business Office, Warehouse Space In Walnut Hill
July 29, 2026
Fire destroyed the office building and warehouse at Tensley Grain in Walnut Hill on Tuesday evening.
The building on Arthur Brown Road was heavily involved in fire when the first firefighters arrived on scene. The elevated grain silos were not damaged.
There were no injuries reported and no word yet on the cause of the blaze as the investigation was just beginning. Officials believed the fire started in the office area.
The warehouse reportedly contained mostly animal feed.
The business was formerly known as Escambia Grain, with concrete silos that were constructed in 1965. The warehouse and office space that was consumed by fire was constructed later.
The Walnut Hill landmark is one of just a handful of grain elevators in Florida. First opened in 1965, the facility has six storage silos, each about 100 feet tall, and multiple other buildings.
Multiple Escambia County Fire Rescue stations responded to the blaze, along with the Poarch Fire Department, Atmore Fire Department, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Firefighters battled not only the fire, but also intense heat and humidity.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge. Aerial photos by Jeff Amerson for NorthEscambia, click to enlarge.
Jay Man Gets Maximum 5-Year Prison Sentence for Killing Kitten
July 29, 2026
A Jay man has received the maximum sentence for killing his former girlfriend’s kitten.
Gunner Cole Bush, 21, was convicted by a Santa Rosa County jury of aggravated animal cruelty after a one-day trial. This week, he was sentenced to five years in state prison.
In the early morning hours of December 9, 2023, Bush tortured a kitten to death, according to prosecutors. He moved into the home of his then-girlfriend and her family in the summer of 2023.
During that time, two other cats went missing, the State Attorney’s Office said. One of the cats had been in the family for five years. Bush was also the last person seen with one of the cats. After the death of the kitten on December 9, 2023, the family discovered the remains of the two other cats nearby.
The State Attorney’s Office said a tool used to mutilate the kitten was found in Bush’s truck.
The case was investigated by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and Santa Rosa County Animal Services. Special assistance was provided by the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, which conducted DNA analysis on a tool used to harm the kitten and performed a necropsy on the deceased animal.
Florida Executes Two Inmates In One Day
July 29, 2026
Florida completed a rare double execution on Tuesday, putting Dominick Anthony Occhicone to death about five hours after James Aren Duckett was pronounced dead.
After a flurry of emergency applications and petitions were turned down the past few days at the federal level, including the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Occhicone, 80, became the oldest inmate executed by the state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. He was declared dead at 6:13 p.m. by the Department of Corrections.
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty described the twin executions as an “unprecedented escalation” of the state’s use of the death penalty.
“These are two profoundly different cases, but they point to the same troubling reality: Florida continues to expand the use of capital punishment, despite mounting evidence that it is not what Floridians want,” said Grace Hanna, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
Occhicone and Duckett were put to death by lethal injection at Florida State Prison, bringing the number of inmates executed this year to 12.
A modern era record 19 executions were carried out by Florida in 2025.
The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers issued its own statement claiming that conducting two executions on the same day, a first in six decades, “should give every Floridian pause, especially considering that Florida leads the nation in death row exonerations.”
Attorney General James Uthmeier has pointed to the legal appeals process to defend the state’s use of the death penalty.
“We used to have a lot of litigation on execution nights, where sometimes we’d be up till midnight waiting for courts to decide,” Uthmeier said during an event in Brooksville in May. “We don’t see that as much anymore. I think people realize that the state is carrying out its obligation. We all take an oath to enforce the law.”
Occhicone was executed for killing his former girlfriend’s parents four decades ago in Pasco County.
According to court records, Occhicone went to the Pasco County home of Raymond and Martha Artzner where his former girlfriend was living with her child on June 10, 1986.
Occhicone initially knocked on a sliding glass door, but his former girlfriend refused to talk and threatened to call the police. Occhicone appeared to leave, only to return a brief time later armed with a handgun. He cut the telephone lines to the home and was confronted outside by Raymond Artzner.
Occhicone shot and killed Artzner and then broke into the home. While his former girlfriend was able to flee with her child, Occhicone fatally shot Martha Artzner four times.
Charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Occhicone received a life sentence for Raymond Artzner’s death and a death sentence for killing Martha Artzner.
The jury voted 7-5 to recommend death in September 1987.
Duckett, 68, was declared dead at 1:19 p.m. for the 1987 murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in Mascotte where he was a police officer.
The execution was delayed about an hour awaiting the final action from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Duckett maintained his innocence. Recent DNA testing that required a court-ordered stay in Duckett’s first death warrant signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March failed to exonerate him.
Duckett was a police officer for the Lake County city of Mascotte in May 1987 when Teresa McAbee was last seen getting into his patrol car outside a convenience store. Her body was found in a lake less than a mile away. She had been sexually battered, strangled, and drowned.
He was convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery on May 10, 1988 and sentenced to death on June 30, 1988.
Duckett was also a suspect in the deaths of an unidentified young woman whose body was found in a water-filled ditch near Lakeland in 1986 and 14-year-old Jeanifer Shyan Weldon whose body was found in a rural part of Polk County in October 1987.
William Frances Silvia, 61, is the next inmate scheduled to be executed.
Silvia’s Aug. 18 execution is for the fatal shooting of his estranged wife at her mother’s Casselberry-area home in 2006.
The last time two executions by the state occurred on the same day was May 12, 1964, when inmates charged with murder were put to death in Bay and Gadsden counties.
The executions were the last conducted by the state until 1979, while waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to make a final decision on whether the death penalty was legal.
In 1972, the court in Furman v. Georgia ruled that the way the death penalty was being applied was unconstitutional. But the court reversed itself four years later, determining the death penalty could be used when applied with clear rules for judges and juries.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Pictured: (L-R) Occhicone and Duckett.
Last Navy C-2 Greyhound Escorted By All Six Blue Angels To NAS Pensacola
July 29, 2026
Six decades of naval aviation history came to a close on Tuesday as the last C-2 Greyhound made its final flight, escorted by all six U.S. Navy Blue Angels, landing at NAS Pensacola.
The aircraft was attached to the Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 Rawhides — the last squadron to operate the C-2 Greyhound aircraft. The final flight originated out of Norfolk, the end of an era for the Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft, which is being replaced in that role by the CMV-22 Osprey.
Since their introduction to the fleet in 1966, C-2s have carried tons of cargo, including mail to and from home, and thousands of personnel operating from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers around the world.
For passengers, including many civilians, a COD flight provided the opportunity to experience the thrill of a carrier arrested landing and catapult launch, one normally reserved for qualified air crew. World leaders, high-ranking government officials and entertainers, including Bob Hope and participants in his famous USO Christmas shows, have logged flights in the C-2 during its six decades of service.
“When a C-2 appears on the horizon, it brings with it far more than just cargo,” said Cmdr. Paul “PETA” Ingram, VRC-40 commanding officer. “Every single mission carries a deep, personal meaning for someone aboard the carrier. For a nervous new Sailor, that trap represents the excitement of arriving for their first fleet assignment and for a seasoned master chief, it is the final catapult shot before a hard-earned retirement. It is the joyous flight ferrying a Sailor home to a waiting family, or the delivery of a simple, handwritten letter from a loved one that restores morale during a grueling deployment. In its most urgent capacity, the Greyhound serves as a flying ambulance, executing a life-saving medical evacuation that ensures an injured service member lives to see tomorrow. No other aircraft in the history of Naval Aviation carries so many personal memories for as many people as the C-2.”
Notably, the retirement of the Greyhound also ends an era of enlisted aircrew flying in aircraft equipped with tailhooks. The service of these Sailors dates to before World War II, when enlisted service members began flying as gunners in carrier-based bombing and torpedo aircraft.
Fittingly, the C-2’s final arrested landing and catapult launch occurred in June on board USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the Navy’s oldest operational aircraft carrier.
The C-2 Greyhound will turn over to the National Naval Aviation Museum.
U.S. Navy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Tuesday Afternoon Cordova Mall Disturbance
July 29, 2026
A 22-year-old man was charged after an incident at Cordova Mall on Tuesday afternoon.
The Pensacola Police Department responded around 12:20 p.m. to a report of a man with a gun at the mall.
Shoppers reported police entered the mall with guns drawn to search for the suspect.
PPD said the man ran from officers and attempted to hide on the second floor of the Belk department store, but he was taken into custody.
Theodore Jermaine Jackson, 22, was charged with resisting officers and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $1,250.
Pictured: The scene outside Belk and Cordova mall on Tuesday afternoon. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Sports Names Jason Libbert New President, CEO
July 29, 2026
Jason Libbert has been named the new president and CEO of Pensacola Sports.
Libbert returns to Pensacola Sports after serving for 12 years as director of events, where he helped recruit, create and manage many of the organization’s signature events while working to strengthen Pensacola’s reputation as a premier sports tourism destination. He brings more than two decades of experience in sports management, event operations, marketing and sponsorship development.
Since leaving Pensacola Sports in 2022, Libbert has remained active in the Pensacola community while continuing to build relationships throughout the region. His return marks both a homecoming and the beginning of a new chapter for the organization as it continues its mission of using sports to improve the quality of life and economic vitality of Northwest Florida.
“I’m incredibly honored to return to Pensacola Sports and lead an organization that has meant so much to me throughout my career,” said Libbert. “Pensacola Sports has built an outstanding reputation for bringing premier sporting events to our community while creating lasting economic impact and unforgettable experiences. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated staff, Board of Directors, volunteers, sponsors and community partners as we continue to grow our mission, strengthen our partnerships and build on an incredible legacy.”
Libbert succeeds Ray Palmer, who is retiring after nearly 25 years of leadership at Pensacola Sports.
“Serving Pensacola Sports has truly been the honor of a lifetime,” said Palmer. “Jason understands our mission, our partners and the important role Pensacola Sports plays in our community and throughout the sports tourism industry. His passion, experience and leadership make him the right person to guide the organization into its next chapter. I couldn’t be more excited for Jason and for the future of Pensacola Sports.”
Charges Dropped Against 16-Year-Old Arrested In July 5 Downtown Pensacola Shooting
July 29, 2026
All charges were dropped on Monday against a 16-year-old charged in connection with a July 5 downtown shooting that claimed one life and injured six others.
Kanye Dewayne Walker had been charged with principal to attempted first-degree premeditated murder, principal to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor. Prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case against Walker is not closed.
When Walker was charged, Pensacola Police said he handed a gun to another suspect. “Walker was observed on surveillance video handing Nicholas Safford the firearm that he used to fire shots. The investigation is continuing to determine who or what was struck by those shots,” PPD said on July 13.
Nicholas Safford, 26, of Daphne, Alabama, is facing multiple charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, firing a weapon in public, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Surveillance video from the scene captured Safford running toward Shepard multiple times and arguing with him before firing a weapon in Shepard’s direction. Ten shell casings recovered at the scene were linked to Safford’s gun. While Safford is accused of firing toward the victims, autopsy results indicated the fatal shot that killed Shepard came from a different angle.
Lillian Meyers, 25, was also arrested in connection with the incident. Surveillance footage showed Meyers taking the handgun from Safford while he was being treated for injuries after the shooting. Meyers later turned the 9 mm handgun over to officers at her apartment and was charged with tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact.
Marley Foster, 17, has been charged with possession of a weapon by a Florida delinquent and firing a weapon in public.
The suspected gunman who fired the fatal shot in a Fourth of July weekend mass shooting in downtown Pensacola died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on July 16 as law enforcement officers attempted to serve a warrant.
As police attempted to serve a manslaughter warrant on 20-year-old Trevon Bradley for the shooting death of Philip Deon Monte Shepard Jr., he reportedly shot himself.
Pictured: (L-R) Safford, Meyers, and Foster.
No Injuries In Highway 29 Crash
July 29, 2026
There were no injuries in a minor two-vehicle crash on Tuesday afternoon on Highway 29 near North Tate School Road. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
