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Florida Blocks Undocumented Students From UWF, 11 Other State Universities

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

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 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.

Winning Wahoos Reach Threshold Of Playoffs

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lowered their magic number to one on Saturday night, homering five times in a 10-2 victory over the Columbus Clingstones.

The win grows Pensacola’s division lead over the Clingstones to 6.5 games with 7 to play in the regular season. They can clinch a second half South Division title possible as soon as Sunday with a win in their road trip finale.

Ryan Ignoffo and Max Williams each homered twice to power an offensive outburst for Pensacola. Ignoffo homered in the second and ninth innings, breaking a homerless drought dating back to mid-April for the stalwart Blue Wahoos catcher. Williams continued to impress in his first taste of Double-A, launching a three-run homer in the third inning and a solo homer in the fifth inning after hitting a clutch ninth-inning homer in his debut on Friday night.

It marked just the third time in Blue Wahoos history that two different players had multi-homer games on the same night, following Aristides Aquino and Nick Senzel on August 13, 2017 and Griffin Conine and Peyton Burdick on August 4, 2021.

Payton Green also homered off Clingstones starter Braden Scott (L, 3-2) to complement a strong pitching effort from Pensacola’s Jacob Kisting (W, 4-0), who fanned seven and allowed only two runs over 5.0 innings. The Blue Wahoos bullpen was even better, as Juan Reynoso struck out seven batters over 3.0 perfect inning and Jack Sellinger fanned two more in a 1-2-3 ninth. The Blue Wahoos pitching staff struck out 16 batters, one shy of tying a season high, and did not allow any baserunners after the fourth inning.

The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Clingstones on Sunday with a chance to clinch their first playoff berth since 2023.

written by Erik Bremer

Honduran National Pleads Guilty To Production Of Child Pornorgraphy In Escambia County

A Honduran national has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges after recording sexual acts with an underage girl in Escambia County.

Osman Edgardo Cubas-Alvarenga, 38, a Honduran illegally present in the United States, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography and one count of illegal reentry of an alien, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“For more than a year, this criminal alien preyed upon and sexually exploited a minor child while he was illegally present in our country,” said John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “This heartbreaking story underscores the commonsense reason why we must secure our borders and aggressively enforce our nation’s immigration laws: because the safety of our communities depends upon it. I appreciate the incredible investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to help bring this criminal alien to justice, and commit that my office will continue to aggressively prosecute sexual predators, like this defendant, to keep our kids and our communities safe.”

According to court documents, between January 2025 and February 2026, Cubas-Alvarenga was engaging in a secret “relationship” with a 16-year-old victim in Escambia County. He would communicate with the minor via encrypted social media applications, which included them exchanging sexually explicit material. He also recorded sexual acts with the victim. Law enforcement obtained search warrants to uncover all the digital evidence and arrest the defendant.

Cubas-Alvarenga faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, and a lifetime of supervision upon release as well as registration as a sexual offender. He also faces removal from the United States.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 24, at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Florida Highway Patrol.

Nine New George Stone Grads Joining Escambia County Corrections

Nine new corrections officers will be joining the Escambia County Corrections Department after graduating from the George Stone Criminal Justice Training Center Corrections Academy.

Escambia County Corrections is offering sign-on bonuses for certified corrections officers and officer trainees. Certified corrections officers are eligible for an $8,000 sign-on bonus, and officer trainees who want to join the George Stone Corrections Academy and become certified are eligible for a $5,000 sign-on bonus, plus a paid scholarship to attend the Corrections Academy.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Sheriff’s Office Investigating Disturbance Involving Gun at Cantonment Whataburger Following Football Game

Deputies are investigating an altercation involving a firearm that forced a Cantonment fast food restaurant to shut down Friday night following a local high school football game.

Deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office 5th Precinct in Cantonment were dispatched to the Whataburger on Highway 29 around 10:30 p.m. for a reported shots-fired disturbance, according to Sgt. Melony Peterson.

The incident occurred shortly after the Tate High School Aggies hosted the Escambia Gators just over a mile away.

“Upon arrival, deputies found a large crowd of juveniles in the parking lots of Whataburger, Circle K, and the Ashley Medical Clinic,” Peterson said. “These juveniles had gathered here after the Tate High School game.”

Investigators quickly determined that a physical altercation had erupted inside the Whataburger dining room.

“An investigation determined that a fight occurred in Whataburger, which disrupted and trashed the business, resulting in the business having to close,” Peterson stated.

During the chaos, a weapon was produced.

“During this fight, a suspect, described as a juvenile black male with short dreads and wearing a green shirt, pulled a gun,” Peterson said. “The manager tackled the suspect to the ground, but the suspect escaped.”

Despite the initial report of gunfire, authorities confirmed no shots were fired during the incident.

“It was determined that the suspect did not fire the gun,” Peterson added, noting that “this incident was caught on camera and will be admitted into evidence when the corporation releases it.”

No major injuries were reported, and the search for the suspect remains ongoing.

Anyone with information or video is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 63-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Escambia EMS Ambulance Collides With E-Bike Rider While Responding To Another Crash

An Escambia County EMS ambulance responding to a call collided with a bicyclist on an e-bike on Friday afternoon.

The crash occurred about 1:20 p.m. The ambulance was responding with lights and sirens to another traffic crash about a block away at the intersection of W Street and Massachusetts when the person on the e-bike traveled into the path of the ambulance, according to witnesses.

The bicyclist was transported by another EMS unit to an area hospital. An update on his condition was not available. An additional ambulance responded to the original traffic crash.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating, and Escambia County is also conducting an internal review of the crash with the cyclist.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Man Arrested Shortly After Gunfire, Robbery At Hotel In Atmore

A robbery suspect considered armed and dangerous was taken into custody shortly after fleeing a scene in Atmore on Friday.

According to the Atmore Police Department, officers responded to the Greenlawn Hotel in the 1400 block of East Nashville Avenue following reports of shots fired. An initial investigation determined an armed robbery had taken place, and authorities identified Tyler Standing-Elk as the suspect.

Police issued an alert warning the public not to approach Standing-Elk, noting he had fled the area and was wanted for first-degree robbery while considered armed and dangerous.

A short time later, police confirmed that Standing-Elk was taken into custody.

NorthEscambia.com file photo (top), click to enlarge.

Tate Aggies Fall To The Escambia Gators

Mike Bennett’s Escambia Gators were looking for their first win of the season following two shutouts, while Rhett Summerford’s Tate Aggies were aiming for 3-0.

Friday night ended with the Gators just getting past the Aggies with a close 6-3 final. The Aggies were first on the big video board in Pete Gindl Stadium with a good field goal with just 14.5 seconds to go in the first quarter, and the Gators answered late in the second half.

• For a game action photo gallery, click here.
• For cheerleaders, Showband of the South, fans and more, look for a gallery by Tuesday.

Up next, the Aggies (2-1) will hit the road next week to take on the Crestview Bulldogs (0-3).

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

High School Football Scoreboard

Here are high school football scores from across the North Escambia area:

FLORIDA

Friday

• Escambia 6, Tate 3 [Story, photos...]
• Northview 50, Graceville 6
• Jay 41, Central 0
• Washington 35, Pensacola 13
• West Florida 31, Fort Walton Beach 15
• Freeport 36, Gulf Breeze 35 (OT)
• Choctawhatchee at Pace
• Milton 51, Navarre 13

Thursday

• Godby 21 Pensacola Catholic 10
• Pine Forest 38, Crestview 29

ALABAMAA

• Opp 28, Flomaton 20
• Jackson 14 Escambia County, 13
• Thomasville 27,  W.S. Neal 27
• T.R. Miller (open)
• Escambia Academy (canceled due to no available officials)

NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

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