Ascend Performance Materials Volunteers Spruce Up The Roy Hyatt Environmental Center
September 7, 2026
A group of volunteers from Ascend Performance Materials worked recently to spruce up the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center.
The group worked to help the facility get ready for upcoming student field trip visitors. They worked to replace pond pumps, trim around ponds, trim the butterfly garden, trim about 120 acres of trails, change animal substrate, build a rain gauge garden, and much more.
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center in Cantonment is owned and operated by the Escambia County School District. Second- and fifth-grade students visit the 120 acres of wilderness where they participate in science activities. The center is not generally open to the public, but does host announced public events during the year, including the free upcoming “Night of Nature” on Friday, October 16, from 5:30 until 8 p.m.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bonus Gallery: Tate Cheerleaders,Showband, Fans, And More
September 7, 2026
Excitement was in the air on Friday night for Week 3 of high school football as the Tate Aggies hosted the Escambia Gators.
Look for more photos and coverage on Tuesday about one very special Aggie guest cheerleader and her inspiring story.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Punch Ticket To Playoffs With Ninth-Inning Comeback
September 7, 2026
The Blue Wahoos battled through a challenging season to fittingly celebrate reaching the playoffs in astonishing fashion.
Trailing 5-2 and down to their final at-bat with no one on base in the ninth inning, the Blue Wahoos incredibly blasted three homers in a five-run, two-out rally to pull off an amazing 7-5 victory Sunday night against the Columbus Clingstones that clinched the South League South Division second-half race.
What a way for the Blue Wahoos to return to the playoffs for the first time in three years.
It will be their eighth post-season trip in the 14-year history of the franchise. The Blue Wahoos, two-time league champions, have done it with three different affiliations. This is the third in six years as the Miami Marlins affiliate.
As the schedule fate turned out, the Blue Wahoos will finish their regular-season schedule at home this week with six games against the Biloxi Shuckers, beginning on Tuesday.
The teams will then turn around and play Game 1 of their best-of-three South Division series on September 15 in Pensacola.
How this unfolded befit the way the Blue Wahoos battled through a season with a slow start, injuries, late-season call-ups and other forms of adversity.
They began the second leg of a two-week road trip by dropping the first three games of this series to the Clingstones, cutting their first-place lead in half, but won an extra-inning game Friday, then swept the weekend to seal the division.
They entered Sunday with a 6.5 game lead, so it figured to happen soon, but not in this disbelieving way.
Cristian Hernández began the improbable rally with a solo homer to center field as the last hope in the ninth. Ethan O’Donnell kept the rally alive with a single. Colby Shade, who hit a solo homer in the eighth inning, blasted game-tying two-run bomb over the left field wall.
Ryan Ingoffo then followed by doubling down the right field line. On a two-strike pitch, Jay Beshears went opposite field to right with a go-ahead, two-run homer to complete the stunning feat.
Reliever Mason Vinyard earned the save in the bottom of the ninth. The Blue Wahoos did not jump into an infield celebration. Playing on the road, mindful of the situation, they were subdued before heading to their dugout.
This is the earliest the Blue Wahoos have clinched a playoff spot in franchise history with a full week of games remaining.
The Blue Wahoos gave up three runs in the first inning, then got excellent pitching and defense from that point, hit a pair of homers to cut the lead to 3-2. Columbus answered with two homers to take a 5-2 lead in the ninth.
But the Blue Wahoos were not done.
It’s only the second time the Blue Wahoos have won the second-half division to reach postseason.
Their first playoff trip in 2015 came by winning the second half race on the second-to-last game of the season. Since then, they won the first half division race four times, and twice qualified as the wild card team with the second-best record behind the full season winner.
The Wahoos will host the Biloxi Shuckers Tuesday through Sunday.
Man Wounded In Early Morning Atmore Shooting Amid Crowd Of Over 500
September 7, 2026
The Atmore Police Department is investigating an early Sunday morning shooting that left an adult male injured amid a crowd estimated at more than 500 people.
Officers were dispatched to Carver Avenue near King and Sims streets following reports of numerous gunshots fired and a person struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers encountered a large gathering and people lining the roadside.
According to police, an adult male suffered a gunshot wound and was transported for medical treatment. He was listed in stable condition, and his identity has not been released.
Personnel from the department’s Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Narcotics/Vice, and Crime Scene divisions responded to the scene.
Police stated the shooting remains an active investigation, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Sentenced To Community Control, Probation For Breaking Victim’s Jaw Outside Bar
September 7, 2026
A Molino man was sentenced recently to one year of community control and probation for punching a man and breaking his jaw during an altercation outside a Pensacola bar in January.
Travis Keith Hethington, 28, entered a plea of no contest to felony battery under a plea agreement. Judge Amy Brodersen sentenced Hethington to one year of community control, to be followed by 24 months of probation.
As part of the plea agreement, Hethington must also pay restitution, complete an anger management course, surrender all firearms, and have no contact with the victim.
According to an arrest report, officers responded on January 29, 2026, to O’Riley’s Uptown Tavern on Creighton Road regarding a fight. The victim told police he was recording a fight between several women on the porch when one of the women began arguing with him about the video. Shortly after, a man with a beard and mullet struck him in the face and fled the scene.
The victim suffered a concussion and two fractures to his jaw, requiring surgery and his jaw to be wired shut for several months to heal.
Investigators initially suspected another man due to actions captured on video, but after interviewing witnesses and presenting photo lineups, detectives positively identified Hethington as the assailant. Witnesses and surveillance footage confirmed Hethington struck the victim before fleeing.
The victim, according to the report, suffered a broken jaw in two places and a concussion.
Labor Day Gas Prices Spike Significantly Over Last Year Across Florida
September 7, 2026
As Florida drivers headed into Labor Day, gas prices were up just pennies over last week but 80 cents over a year ago, according to AAA.
Sunday night, the average price per gallon in Florida was $3.91, up two cents over last week but significantly over one year ago’s $3.11.
Escambia County’s average was $2.88, up 20 cents over last week and 94 cents over a year ago.
Sunday night, a North Escambia low of $3.77 was available at a station on Muscogee Road, while $3.64 could be found at the warehouse clubs in Pensacola.
File photo.
Flomaton Attempted Murder, Child Torture Suspects Extradited To Alabama
September 6, 2026
Two Flomaton parents have been extradited back to Alabama to face charges in connection with the abuse of a 15-year-old child.
Eric Douglas McClure, 41, and Cynthia Danielle Tedder, 36, are both behind bars in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton on charges of attempted murder and torture and willful abuse of a child under 18 years of age by a responsible person. Both are being held without bond.
The Flomaton Police Department was notified about the child’s critical condition around 5:13 a.m. on September 1 by Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. They were arrested by Florida authorities as fugitives from justice.
Flomaton investigators obtained the willful abuse charges, and then filed upgraded attempted murder charges in cooperation with the Escambia County (AL) District Attorney’s Office after a search warrant was served Tuesday afternoon at the couple’s home on Titi Street in Flomaton.
FPD has not detailed the allegations against McClure and Tedder.
Police said the case remains an active investigation. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Lt. Thaihee Staples at the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811.
Eric Douglas McClure and Cynthia Danielle Tedder are pictured in their mugshots from the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center (above) and the Escambia County (FL) Jail (below).
Historic Road Rout: No. 25 UWF Dominates No. 24 Central Arkansas, 42-14
September 6, 2026
If the opening act in UWF’s football foray into Division I wasn’t stunning enough, the road-show encore Saturday night became more proof.
In a complete, dominating performance that will assuredly propel UWF into the Top 25 of both Football Championship Series (FCS) national polls, the No. 25 Argos (in one poll) blew out No. 24 Central Arkansas 42-14 on a sweltering night and crowd of 5,138 at Estes Stadium.
After a 538-mile bus trip to Conway, Arkansas, then playing amid on-field temperatures above 110-degrees throughout the first half, the Argos made their first game in the United Athletic Conference look like a day at the beach.
“We’re just excited about our guys and proud of them for how they played and how they prepared,” said UWF coach Kaleb Nobles. “Just coming off a good win at home (in opener). It’s easy to get excited about your first home game, but now you’ve got to find out what you are about… get on a bus for eight hours and come play a really good Central Arkansas team. So, you kinda figure out what your guys are about. And I found out (Saturday). We’re resilient. We played real good, complimentary football, so I am proud of our guys. Just love how we played.”
MORE HISTORY ATTAINED
It was only the second time Central Arkansas, which had cracked into the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 poll, lost its home-opening game in the team’s 21-year history as a Division I member.
For perspective, that’s 11 years longer than UWF has existed as a football program.
The Argos (2-0) will get to savor these back-to-back debut wins over nationally-ranked teams. They don’t play next Saturday – not until Sept. 19 at home vs. Austin Peay – something at this point that UWF might wis- it could do.
After shocking No. 16 Southern Illinois (34-31) — a three-touchdown oddsmaker favorite, in the Argos DI debut game Aug. 27, this feat Saturday as a 7.5-point underdog became eye-opening for how one-sided the game turned before halftime.
It brought more history for UWF.
Researchers on the ESPN-plus broadcast uncovered it was the first time a team moving from Division II has ever started its first Division I season with two wins over ranked opponents.
Central Arkansas was coming off a 36-24, season-opening road win against then-No. 23 ranked Tennessee-Martin. In that win, Bears’ sophomore quarterback Donovyn Omolo, passed for 243 yards and rushed for 118 yards in one of the more spectacular games on college football’s opening week.
Omolo was also making a homecoming, returning back to Conway, Arkansas where he was a star high school player. But UWF’s swarming, blitzing defense, forced Omolo to run from trouble most of the game.
He was sacked three times, intercepted for a touchdown by UWF’s A’khoudry Lyde – his second pick-6 in two games – as the Argos contained him until the game was decided.
Meanwhile UWF quarterback Ty’Ray Davis, making his second start for UWF, completed 14 of 17 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns. The Orlando native rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown.
“He’s a great player, a great kid who is just learning and growing,” Nobles said. “He is learning every single rep he gets. We are really excited about him. He did a lot of really good things with his legs, but he’s also a really good passer. You’ve got to hang on to him in the pocket, or otherwise he’ll make you pay.”
The only struggle Davis had was keeping his helmet attached. He missed four plays in the game after his helmet unfastened from tackles.
That was about the only adversity UWF faced.
VARIETY OF WEAPONS
The Argos (2-0) will get to savor this for a while. They don’t play next Saturday, which at this point, it might be something UWF wishes it could do.
Six different UWF players scored touchdowns. In addition to Davis, who rushed for the first touchdown, running back TJ Lane had a score, along with three receivers – Gage Armbruster, Cannon Brite and Tyler Dostin.
The other score was Lyde’s 37-yard interception return. Six UWF running backs had carries in the game. Ten players caught passes, led by Armbruster with 80 yards on two catches.
“Just a lot of running backs. We have a stable that we like a lot and do a lot of good things,” Nobles said. “And Gage Ambruster showed out making some good plays… he had a hamstring the first week and had to miss, but we knew he was a good player. I love how our guys are playing.”
The Argos wasted no time asserting control. They took a 14-0 first-quarter lead, thanks to outstanding special teams play, then brushed aside Central Arkansas’ lone sequence of emotional edge, which occurred following the Bears 99-yard scoring drive to halve the lead.
UWF’s defense answered back with a pair of bar-jarring hits and fumble recovers, both of which led to Argos touchdowns and 28-7 halftime lead.
The Argos scored just six minutes into the game, then opened the second half with a Lyde’s interception return on the second play of the half.
POWERFUL HALF
The Argos produced 204 yards total offense in the first half, getting a pair of turnovers and shining on special teams play.
They blocked a punt, had a great punt return and Argos punter Michael Shine twice pinned Central Arkansas inside its own 5 with textbook punts.
“I think it starts with Mike Shine and the punt unit.” Nobles said. “Special teams guys did a great job of scheming one up… that’s complimentary football. That’s how you play football at UWF.”
UWF didn’t take long in this game to produce a shock effect.
The Argos went from their own 15 to the Bears’ 36 on the opening possession. Shine, a graduate student from Mobile, had his first contribution with a punt caught at the UCA 3.
It led to points.
After the Argos defense forced a fourth-down punt, UWF linebacker Eli Bertrand blocked the kick and sent the ball spiraling out of bounds at the 7. On the ensuing snap, Davis rolled out the left side and jogged untouched into the end zone for UWF’s first touchdown with 9:09 left in the first quarter.
The next UWF special teams splash play was Brite Cannon’s 42-yard punt return to the Central Arkansas 47.
After a couple pass completions, Lane finished off the five play drive with his 3-yard run.
The Argos defense then made its biggest impact. Kenyan Hunter dislodged the ball with the first of his two forced fumbles. Will Fennema recovered at the UCA 46. On a first-down play from the 35, Davis hit Brite for a wide-open touchdown.
The Argos then made it 28-7 when Jamari Dickens forced a running play fumble on the ensuing possession and Eli Webb recovered at the Bears 35.
Davis compliment the turnover by throwing an 8-yard TD pass to Dostin.
In the second half, after building a 42-7 lead midway through the third quarter, the Argos were able to play backup players on both sides of the ball to further build experience.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Argos will have next weekend off, as one of two bye weeks this season. That will provide extra time to prepare for their second home game on September 19 at 6 p.m. at Pen Air Field against Austin Peay, a team that lost 28-9 Saturday against Vanderbilt, while playing up a level against an SEC opponent.
Austin Peay was ranked No. 14 in the AFCA poll for FCS teams entering the game against Vanderbilt.
by Bill Vilona, UWF correspondent
Florida Blocks Undocumented Students From UWF, 11 Other State Universities
September 6, 2026
Florida’s State University System Board of Governors voted last week to ban undocumented students from attending the state’s 12 public universities, including the University of West Florida
According to the approved rule, any person “who is present in the United States unlawfully” will not be eligible for enrollment beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year.
The move is the latest in a series of illegal immigration-related rules created by the two policymaking bodies that control the state’s public higher education institutions – the BOG and the Florida Board of Education.
After the vote, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said the rule was “common sense,” in a social media post on X.
“Florida’s public universities are for students who are here legally. Period,” said Collins, a former state senator whom Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed as lieutenant governor in August 2025. “Florida taxpayers should not be expected to subsidize opportunities for people who broke our laws to come here.”
Republican lawmakers have attempted several times to restrict the ability of undocumented immigrants from enrolling in higher education institutions in Florida. During the 2026 regular session, legislators filed bills to prohibit all higher education institutions from admitting any non-citizen who wasn’t legally present in the country and to limit the number of enrolled students who are citizens of foreign countries and who are not permanent U.S. residents.
But the measures barely moved through the process and died in committee.
Since then, the State University System and the Florida Board of Education have created their own policies to restrict the admission of undocumented students
The State University System’s decision on Thursday closely followed the Florida Board of Education’s move in June to bar undocumented students from the state’s 24 public colleges and General Educational Development (GED) programs.
Most recently, Education Commissioner Henry Mack approved a rule that would block undocumented students from attending the state’s postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) programs.
The programs train students in a wide variety of career fields and industries, including for entry level and management positions in agriculture, health care, energy, transportation, tourism and construction.
That rule will be discussed at a Board of Education meeting on Sept. 16 at Polk State College.
The State University System does not currently keep track of students who are not lawfully present in the U.S.
In 2025 DeSantis pushed lawmakers to repeal a 2014 law offering qualified undocumented immigrants entering universities in-state tuition rates. The 2014 law had been sponsored by DeSantis’ first lieutenant governor, Jeanette Nuñez, when she was a state House member.
by Ana Goñi-Lessan, The News Service of Florida
Pictured: Fall 2025 commencement for the University of West Florida, one of Florida’s 12 public universities. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Labor Day Closures, Trash Schedule Info
September 6, 2026
Here are Labor Day closures from across the area:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
In observance of Labor Day, the following Escambia County offices will be closed Monday, September 7.
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners (all departments)
- Escambia County Area Transit Administration and Customer Service
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare and Animal Shelter
- Escambia County Extension Office
- West Florida Public Libraries (all locations)
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Tax Collector
Escambia County Special Notes:
- Waste Services Administration and the Perdido Landfill will be closed Monday, Sept. 7.
- The Palafox Transfer Station, located at 2906 N. Palafox St., will be open from 5:30-10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 7.
ECAT Labor Day Bus Schedule:
- ECAT will not run regular bus service, UWF trolley, or FlexTransit services Monday, Sept. 7.
- All FlexTransit reservations for Tuesday, Sept. 8 must be scheduled by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4.
- The Pensacola Beach Island Trolleys and Seasonal Beach Jumper will run regular service Monday, Sept. 7..
TOWN OF CENTURY
Town of Century offices will be closed on Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day.
ECUA
ECUA business offices will be closed on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day. Residential and commercial sanitation collections will remain unchanged.
CITY OF PENSACOLA
The following will be closed for Labor Day:
- City of Pensacola administrative offices
- City Hall
- City of Pensacola community resource centers
Exception:
- Osceola Golf Course and Roger Scott Tennis Center will remain open.
Some City of Pensacola Sanitation Services customers will experience a change of schedule the week of Sept. 7, with Monday and Tuesday services occurring one day later than their normal pickup days. This applies only to City of Pensacola Sanitation customers.
- Customers who normally receive service on Mondays will receive service on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
- Customers who normally receive service on Tuesdays will receive service on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
- Thursday and Friday customers will see no change.