The New Nine Mile Road Costco Has A Grand Opening Date
May 19, 2026
An opening date has been announced for the highly anticipated Costco on Nine Mile Road, and it’s just over a month away.
The new warehouse store at 225 East Nine Mile Road, at the corner of Chemstrand Road, is set to open at 8 a.m. on June 25. The 172,580 square foot Costco retail store with a gas station and 830 parking spaces was approved by Escambia County and construction started at the beginning of the year.
In April, the company listed numerous jobs available at the store. Now, those employees will soon start stocking the store and making final preparations for the big opening day.
How much is a Costco membership?
Membership is required for in-store shoppers at Costco. Members must be 16 or older to apply. The pharmacy is open to anyone, regardless of membership.
Costco is expected to start selling memberships location outside the store before grand opening day.
Costco offers two levels of membership for individuals or businesses:
Executive: $130 annually
- Annual 2% Reward
- Costco Services Discounts
- Shop Online and in Warehouses
- Includes 2 Membership Cards
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Gold Star: $65 annually
- Shop Online and in Warehouses
- Includes 2 Membership Cards
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Businesses can purchase either level to purchase items for resale or add additional people at $65 each.
Pictured: The Costco store in Montgomery, Alabama. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Cliff Masaitis From Walnut Hill Bus Garage Recognized As Employee Of The Quarter
May 19, 2026
The Escambia County School District Transportation Department recently recognized Cliff Masaitis as the Garage Employee of the Quarter for his exceptional service and dedication to Escambia County Public Schools over the past 23 years.
Masaitis works at the Walnut Hill Bus Garage.
The transportation department said:
“Cliff is known for consistently going above and beyond in his role. He is a dependable and hardworking employee who takes pride in ensuring that operations run smoothly and efficiently. No matter how busy he may be, Cliff always makes time to assist bus drivers, answer questions, and provide support whenever it’s needed.
His willingness to help in any situation and his commitment to getting the job done make him an invaluable part of the team. Cliff’s positive attitude, strong work ethic, and dedication to his coworkers have earned him the respect and appreciation of everyone he works with.
He truly embodies what it means to be a team player—always stepping in, going the extra mile, and making sure things happen when they need to. Cliff is an all-around outstanding employee and coworker.”
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview High School Names 2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
May 19, 2026
Northview High School has named their Class of 2026 valedictorian and salutatorian.
They are valedictorian Braylan Hope Shelly and salutatorian Ayden Brice Crabtree.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
County Shifting Gears On Design Contract For $10 Million Century Shelter Project
May 19, 2026
A multimillion-dollar federal grant will bring a brand-new emergency community shelter to Century, and the Escambia County Commission is expected to make a decisive pivot this week on the project’s architectural firm.
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is slated to officially award a $611,840 architectural design contract to Montgomery-based firm Seay, Seay and Litchfield, P.C. during its meeting on Thursday. The contract covers the design of the new Century Community Shelter, which will be constructed at 720 Hecker Road — using the “bones” of the the former Century High School gymnasium.
The milestone follows an earlier, vital step in the project’s development. In November 2025, the county commission approved a separate $1,182,900 contract with QSC Services, LLC to provide owner’s representative alongside construction, engineering, and inspection (CEI) services, ensuring strict oversight for the multi-million dollar transformation.
While funding has remained secure, the road to securing a design firm required a sudden pivot. The county originally entered formal contract talks with top-ranked Jacobs Engineering Inc. after advertising the project in January 2026. However, after six extensive negotiation sessions reached a complete standstill, a county selection committee voted on April 27, 2026, to abruptly terminate talks and pivot to the second-ranked firm, Seay, Seay and Litchfield of Montgomery.
For more photos from our October 2025 tour, click here.
County staff hammered out a final deal with the new firm after just one round of negotiations on April 30, 2026, securing a “Best and Final Offer” of $611,840 for all design services.
The upcoming vote on May 21 will officially authorize County Administrator Wesley Moreno to execute the design contract and issue the formal purchase order so blueprints can be drafted. The agreement has already cleared local legal hurdles, receiving sign-off from the county attorney.
Preserving “Good Bones”
Built in 1960 out of steel, concrete, and solid brick, the former Century High Blackcats gym has spent years being ravaged by time and vandals. Despite heavy interior damage, officials note the building remains remarkably resilient.
“It has good bones,” Century Mayor Ben Boutwell noted during a walkthrough last year. “With a steel frame and solid brick and concrete construction, it will make a good shelter.”
County staff indicated that the building’s structural integrity appears stout enough to meet strict hurricane shelter ratings, which a structural engineer will formally verify. The finalized plans will convert the building into a fortified complex featuring an expansive multipurpose area for community meetings, shelter space, and indoor youth sports. It will also feature a full kitchen and a heavy-duty emergency generator.
The property originally belonged to Pensacola State College, which deeded the gym over to Escambia County at no cost following an environmental study. While the existing football field will be preserved for youth sports, the old remaining bleachers and a press box—severely damaged during a 2016 tornado—will be removed for safety reasons.
Pictured:Town and county officials toured the old Century High School gym in November 2025. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Hospital Parking Lot Wreck Leaves Man Dead
May 19, 2026
A motorist died Sunday afternoon in a single-vehicle crash in a local hospital parking lot.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident occurred at approximately 4:06 p.m. at West Florida Hospital on North Davis Highway.
State troopers reported that a silver sedan driven by a 48-year-old Pensacola man was traveling westbound within the hospital parking lot near the emergency room. The driver failed to negotiate a turn, causing the vehicle to strike a curb, a sign, and a junction box.
“The driver of the sedan was subsequently pronounced deceased at the nearby hospital,” FHP said.
Troopers did not say if a medical emergency may have contributed to the crash.
File photo.
Non-profit Gifts Fishing Rods To Century Youth To Close Outreach Program
May 19, 2026
The non-profit Extra Mile Club Straight Up Soul Train Club closed its Friday-only outreach program at Century Woods Apartments by gifting fishing rods to 25 youth.
The youth also enjoyed pizza on Friday afternoon at the apartment complex’s playground.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UWF Professor Awarded Patent For Early Alzheimer’s Detection Tech
May 19, 2026
Dr. James Arruda, professor of psychology at the University of West Florida, has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for an electroencephalographic, or EEG, platform capable of detecting mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s dementia, a milestone that brings a non-invasive, accessible early-detection tool one step closer to clinical use.
The allowed patent covers the Flash Visual Evoked Potential-P2, or FVEP-P2, platform, which Dr. Arruda developed and refined over the course of his research career. The technology measures the speed at which the brain responds to brief flashes of light, a response that is selectively delayed in patients with the type of mild cognitive impairment that often precedes Alzheimer’s disease. This neurophysiological marker may allow clinicians to detect abnormalities years before cognitive symptoms appear. Unlike diagnostic approaches such as positron emission tomography, or PET, imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, the EEG-based platform uses widely available clinical equipment and offers a non-invasive, lower-cost alternative for identifying patients who may be at risk.
“This Notice of Allowance brings us closer to giving clinicians a tool that is less expensive, more accessible and less invasive than the current standard for early Alzheimer’s detection,” Arruda said.
Alzheimer’s disease is typically diagnosed after symptoms are already present, limiting the effectiveness of available treatments. With the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the first disease-modifying therapies for early Alzheimer’s disease, the need for accessible tools that can identify patients earlier in the disease process has become increasingly urgent. Dr. Arruda’s newly patented platform offers a non-invasive, cost-effective method to enable earlier detection and intervention, potentially slowing disease progression and improving quality of life for patients and caregivers.
In 2022, UWF entered a licensing agreement with BIOPAC Systems Inc., a California-based biomedical research company, to support continued development of the FVEP-P2 platform and potential commercialization of the technology to be used in primary care practices, memory clinics, neurology offices and more. The agreement marked UWF’s third licensing agreement and a significant milestone in the University’s efforts to translate faculty research into real-world solutions, with the newly allowed patent representing another critical step toward advancing the technology as a scalable clinical or research tool.
“The FVEP-P2 developed by Dr. Arruda is a significant innovation that allows non-intrusive detection of early cognitive declines,” said Jerry Lin, associate vice president of Research Administration and Engagement. “This is a unique technical advancement with commercialization potential that will benefit many patients in need and substantially reduce the medical costs associated with treating cognitive impairments.”
Initial clinical trials conducted at Brown University produced results supporting continued development. With the patent now allowed and clinical work continuing, Dr. Arruda and BIOPAC are preparing for pre-submission with the FDA on the regulatory pathway toward clinical deployment, a process that may be expedited by the fact that the underlying EEG hardware is already an established, FDA-cleared medical device.
“BIOPAC is proud to continue working alongside Dr. Arruda and the University of West Florida to advance this promising technology toward clinical use,” said Frazer Findlay, CEO of BIOPAC Systems, Inc. “The patent allowance marks an important milestone in the commercialization process, and as we move into the next phase of development and engage with the FDA, we remain focused on bringing this innovative diagnostic tool to clinicians and, ultimately, to the patients who could benefit from earlier intervention.”
For Dr. Arruda, the patent represents the culmination of decades of research, clinical investigation and collaboration aimed at developing a more accessible approach to detecting Alzheimer’s disease in its earliest stages. As the technology advances toward regulatory review and potential clinical deployment, the milestone marks both a significant professional achievement and a promising step toward bringing the platform from the research lab to the patients and clinicians it was designed to serve.
“I have been studying this particular brain response for the past 29 years,” Arruda said. “It is gratifying to know that my work has contributed to the scientific and medical community’s understanding of information processing in general, and that it may also prove clinically useful to those with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s dementia.”
Photo by UWF for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Missing 86-Year-Old Atmore Man Found Safe
May 18, 2026
UPDATE; THIS MISSING MAN HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has issued a missing person alert for an 86-year-old Atmore man.
Atmore Police said Billy Joe Lambert is believed to be living with a condition that may impair his judgment. He was last seen Friday, May 15 at approximately 4:15 p.m. in the area of Point Escambia Circle in Atmore, and was last seen wearing a gray or blue baseball cap, a white button-up shirt, blue jeans, and gray slip-on shoes.
Lambert is about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds. He may be in a 2014 gray Jeep Compass with Alabama tag 30A28TN.
Anyone who may have any information regarding the whereabouts of Billy Joe Lambert is asked to contact the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141 or call 911.
Lady Chiefs At State: Northview Chasing Championship Ring This Week
May 18, 2026
The Northview Lady Chiefs hit the road early Sunday morning on their way to the FHSAA Rural Division Final Four near Orlando.
On Tuesday, the No. 2 seeded Chiefs (20-5) will take on the No. 3 Liberty County Bulldogs (23-5) at 2 p.m. Central time at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood. The winner will advance to the state championship on Wednesday against either Trenton (23-3) or Madison County (19-3).
Trenton was Northview’s nemesis last year, when the Tigers defeated the Lady Chiefs 11-1 for the state championship.
For more photos from Friday’s Lady Chiefs practice, click here.
“They want another shot at Trenton. They want another shot at that ring,” Northview head coach Amy Holland said on Friday afternoon as the team wrapped up a final practice at Northview. “They’re excited; they want this really bad this year.”
In cooperation with the FHSAA, the NFHS network will stream the games on Tuesday and Wednesday (click here). There are no other video streams; any other service is a scam.
The NFHS network is $13.99 per month with immediate access. The subscription can be canceled prior to the end of the monthly period. Fans can also use the code UPGRADEANNUAL26 for $39.99 annual access and have live game streams next season across many Northview sports, including softball, baseball, football, and basketball.
Pictured top (submitted): The Northview Lady Chiefs left for Orlando early Sunday morning. Pictured inset and below: A final practice at Northview on Friday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Shot After Early Sunday Morning Altercation At Atmore Bar
May 18, 2026
A woman was shot early Sunday morning following a confrontation at an Atmore bar.
According to the Atmore Police Department, officers responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 3:18 a.m. on Sunday.
Preliminary reports indicate that the incident began as a physical or verbal altercation at The Tavern, a local bar on Highway 31. The dispute reportedly continued after the involved individuals left the business, eventually migrating onto the roadway. The situation turned violent in the area of Highway 31 and Rockaway Creek Road, where the female victim was shot.
The victim, whose identity has not yet been formally released, is a resident of Monroe County, Alabama. Authorities confirmed she sustained injuries during the gunfire and was transported to an area hospital, where she is currently receiving medical treatment.
Following the shooting, local law enforcement completely closed the roadway at Highway 31 and Rockaway Creek Road. Motorists were advised to seek alternate routes for several hours.
Atmore Police said on Sunday afternoon that all parties involved in the altercation and subsequent shooting have been successfully identified, and that the suspected offender is also a resident of Monroe County. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the case.
The Atmore Police Department said the case will be presented to the Office of the 21st Judicial Circuit District Attorney for review and presentation to a grand jury to determine any formal charges.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.