Flood Warnings: Escambia, Perdido Rivers Forecast To Rise Nearly 15 Feet
June 18, 2026
Rivers in North Escambia are forecast to rise by nearly 15 feet by the weekend.
Escambia River
A flood warning is in effect from Friday evening until further notice. Minor flooding is forecast.
Thursday morning, the stage was 4.7 feet at Century, and the river is forecast to rise above flood stage Friday evening and continue to rise to a crest of 19.1 feet by Sunday morning. Flood stage is 17 feet, and low-lying pastures will flood at 19 feet.
Perdido River
A flood warning is in effect from late Thursday night to Monday morning for the Perdido River.
Thursday morning, the stage was 3.2 feet at Barrineau Park. The river is expected to rise above the flood stage of 13 feet to 17.6 feet by early Saturday morning before falling below flood stage on Monday. At 17.6 feet, water reaches the first floor of the Adventures Unlimited Perdido River office building.
Escambia To Consider Data Center Ban; FloridaWest Says No Active Talks
June 18, 2026
Escambia County will soon consider an ordinance to ban data centers in the county.
“FloridaWest has never been in active negotiations to build a data center.”
That’s what Chris Platé, CEO of FloridaWest, told the Escambia County Commission on Wednesday night. FloridaWest is the economic development agency for Escambia County.
“That phrase was not mine; it was the media,” he said. “There is no proposal, no incentive commitment, and no pending public action before this board, PEDC (the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission), or FloridaWest.”
He said the reports by Pensacola media that FloridaWest was in active negotiations with a company looking to build a data center were simply not correct.
Platé said it’s the job and purpose of FloridaWest to field inquiries about economic development in Escambia County, and there have been a “handful” of previous data center inquiries that have not moved forwardt. In addition, he said, local resources are limited for data centers.
“FloridaWest does not pursue any standalone or hyperscale data centers,” he said. “They are not on our target list and our regional power capacity cannot support one to begin with.”
“The large scale box that some people are picturing in their mind is not coming here,” Platé (pictured top) added with great emphasis.
“So again, just to make it clear for everybody, we are not in active negotiations with any data center, and that is not an active target for us. We would rather use the resources that they are claiming that a data center would use, for the targeted industries that we have,” Platé concluded.
Dozens of people spoke out against data centers at Wednesday night’s meeting, fueled by online information and rumors that a data center was headed for North Escambia — particularly Century or The Bluffs, a 6,000-acre site in Cantonment generally bordered by Becks Lake Road near International Paper to the north, and the University of West Florida to the south.
Platé repeatedly denied that there are any active data center negotiations. NorthEscambia.com recently sat down with Century Mayor Ben Boutwell and Town Manager Dave Murzin, who both said they had no knowledge of any data center eyeing Century.
On July 23, the county commission will vote to schedule a public hearing on an ordinance to be considered at the August 6 meeting. That ordinance, as recommended by County Attorney Alison Rogers, would not be a data center moratorium but would be an outright ban.
Rogers told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday night that the ordinance could be written to ban data centers only in the unincorporated areas — not in Century or Pensacola, giving the two municipalities an opportunity to decide their own data center future.
“The incorporated areas can do something different,” the county attorney said by text. “We can make ours only the unincorporated area.” The exact language of the ordinance must be approved by the commission.
New Assistant Principal Appointments Approved For Tate, Northview High Schools
June 18, 2026
New assistant principal appointments have been approved for Tate and Northview high schools, marking a promotion for one local educator and a new assignment for another.
Northview High School Dean Somer Bridges has been appointed as one of the three assistant principals at Tate High, taking the place of current Assistant Principal, Deans and Discipline Brandy White.
White has been named assistant principal at Northview High School after the retirement of Gerry Pippins.
“I am excited to serve the students, staff and communities of Tate High School, a school that is very rich in its traditions and legacies,” Bridges told the Escambia County School Board following her appointment. “I’m excited to begin this new chapter, and look forward to serving the Tate High School community with dedication, integrity and pride. Go Aggies!”
Both positions were approved this week by the school board and will be effective July 1.
Related Tate’s Laura Touchstone Named Escambia County Director Of High School Education
Pictured: New Tate High School Assistant Principal Somer Bridges (left) and new Northview High School Assistant Principal Brandy White. Pictured below: Bridges is congratulated by the school board. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Laura Touchstone Named Escambia County Director Of High School Education
June 18, 2026
Tate High School Principal Laura Touchstone has been appointed director of High School Education for Escambia County Public Schools. The school board unanimously approved the appointment this week following the retirement of Lesa Morgan. The position of Tate High School principal remains open, but is expected to be filled by the start of the 2026-27 school year, according to the district.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the students, staff, and families of Tate High School,” Touchstone said after thanking the mentors, administrators, and teachers she worked with along the way. “Serving as principal has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional life… I will always be proud to be part of the Tate family.”
“Education changes lives. I look forward to supporting our principals and teachers as we continue the important work of creating opportunities for students and preparing them for the futures they deserve across all of our high schools,” Touchstone added. “My commitment is to serve with integrity, work with purpose, and always keep students at the center of every decision.”
Related: New Assistant Principal Appointments Approved For Tate, Northview High Schools
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Curiosity Catches the Kitty: Stuck Kitten Rescued From Tree By Escambia Animal Welfare
June 18, 2026
The Escambia County Department of Animal Rescue successfully rescued a curious little kitten on Wednesday.
The kitten somehow managed to get her head stuck in a tree. Animal Welfare officers were able to free the curious little kitty and get her back on solid ground. She was uninjured.
The kitten is now in the county shelter and under veterinary care.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Cantonment Residents Uninjured In Three-Vehicle Serious Escambia County Crash
June 18, 2026
Two Cantonment residents escaped injury in a three-vehicle crash Wednesday evening in Escambia County.
The crash occurred at approximately 7:05 p.m. at the intersection of Fairfield Drive and Hollywood Avenue.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the Cantonment residents, a 62-year-old male driver and a 63-year-old female passenger, were traveling eastbound on Fairfield Drive in an SUV as a 27-year-old Pensacola man driving a sedan was also traveling eastbound in the outside lane.
According to state troopers, the Pensacola driver attempted to make a left turn onto Hollywood Avenue from the outside eastbound lane. As he turned, the rear of his sedan collided with the front of the Cantonment residents’ SUV, which was traveling in the inside lane. Both Cantonment residents were wearing their seat belts.
Following the initial collision, the Pensacola man’s sedan continued through the intersection and entered the westbound lanes of Fairfield Drive. A third vehicle, a sedan driven by a 21-year-old Pensacola man with a 20-year-old female passenger, was traveling westbound and collided with the passenger side of the crossing sedan.
The 27-year-old driver of the first sedan, who was not wearing a seat belt, sustained critical injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The 21-year-old driver and 20-year-old passenger of the third vehicle both sustained serious injuries and were also hospitalized.
The crash remains under investigation by FHP.
Blue Wahoos Split Twin Bill With Barons
June 18, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Birmingham Barons 6-4 in the first half of their Wednesday doubleheader, but blew a late lead in the nightcap to lose 6-3.
Combined with a Biloxi Shuckers loss, the doubleheader split puts Pensacola in second place by 0.5 games with four to play before the end of the first half on Sunday.
In game one, the Blue Wahoos went deep three times to account for five of their six runs. Aiva Arquette hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning, Dillon Lewis added his team-leading 14th later in the frame, and Cristian Hernández laced a two-run shot in the fifth inning.
Alex Williams (W, 4-5) outpitched Birmingham’s Gabe Davis (L, 0-2), working 5.2 innings of four-run ball. After surrendering a first-inning homer to Alec Briley, the righty settled down and effectively protected the Pensacola lead. Jack Sellinger (S, 3) inherited a pair of baserunners with the tying run at the plate in the sixth, but escaped the jam and returned for the seventh to secure a five-out save in a 6-4 final.
In game two, Lewis once again provided early offense with an RBI groundout in the first inning and an RBI single in the third. Connor Caskenette forced in the third Pensacola run with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth, though the Blue Wahoos squandered a chance to add on with the bases loaded and nobody out against reliever Phil Fox (W, 2-2).
Blue Wahoos starter Jacob Miller allowed a Brenden Dixon RBI double in the second inning, but otherwise looked sharp over 2.0 innings in his first start since coming off the injured list. Holt Jones was dominant in long relief, striking out seven batters over 3.0 one-hit innings, and Kade Bragg (L, 3-2) worked through a 1-2-3 sixth to send the game to the seventh and final frame.
Tasked with protecting a 3-1 lead, Bragg allowed an infield single and a pair of walks to load the bases. Colby Martin entered from the bullpen, getting a strikeout before allowing a game-tying two-run double to Pensacola native T.J. McCants. Martin struck out Samuel Zavala and intentionally walked Briley to load the bases for Caleb Bonemer, the top prospect in the White Sox organization who had made his Double-A debut in game one. A four-pitch walk forced in the go-ahead run, and Anthony DePino muscled a broken-bat single up the middle to score two more.
Jackson Kelley (S, 5) worked around a Lewis double in the seventh to close out a 6-3 Barons win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Thursday.
written by Erik Bremer
Federal Law Enforcement Activity In Cantonment, And Escambia, Alabama
June 17, 2026
Federal law enforcement search warrants took place this morning in Cantonment and Escambia County in Alabama.
The Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office confirmed that they assisted the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with serving two warrants in Cantonment.
“The DEA New Orleans Field Division, assisted by law-enforcement partners, conducted multiple search warrants today across Baldwin and Escambia Counties pursuant to a federal investigation. As the investigation is ongoing, no additional information is available at this time,” a DEA spokesperson said.
Additional federal, state and local law enforcement agencies assisted in the operation.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, Atmore Police Department, and Brewton Police Department issued near-simultaneous, near-identical statements:
“We are aware of the law enforcement activity taking place in (the area) today involving multiple local, state, and federal agencies. We want to reassure our community that this is a controlled, coordinated operation and there is no active danger or safety threat to the public.Because this involves an ongoing federal investigation, our agency cannot release any further details or comment on the matter.”
Residents across the county reported seeing heavily armed officers conducting in multiple locations, along with a helicopter circling overhead in some of the areas.
Century CRA Board Members Call For Effort To ‘Get Something Started’ On Local Improvements
June 17, 2026
“Sometimes we have a tendency to not do things. We have a discussion and we never do anything.”
That’s what Century Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board member Henry Cunningham said Tuesday night as board members generally agreed that it’s time to stop being all talk and actually look at how to improve the CRA.
In October 2018, the council approved a Tax Increment Financing plan for its redevelopment area, allowing the CRA to receive property tax revenues each year in excess of an established base rate. The appraised value of the property within the designated district was “frozen” in 2018, with that amount of tax revenue generated still designated for the town’s general fund, the county, and other taxing authorities.
The redevelopment area receives 95% of the property tax generated in excess of the frozen base value as property values rise. Along with small interest earnings, the CRA has spent nothing on improving the area to date, as far as we know from financial reports that were last published nearly three years earlier.
The CRA funds can be used to improve conditions in the 510 acres bounded by Jefferson Avenue to the south, Jefferson Avenue to the east, East Highway 4 to the north and the center line of North Century Boulevard to the west. It also extends north on the east side of North Century Boulevard to include commercial properties up to, and including, the former Burger King (see map below).
The CRA has over $191,000 in the bank, and has not moved to spend any significant funds.
“At least have a discussion and try to make some effort to try to get something started,” Cunningham said.
The entire Century Town Council sits as the CRA board, along with Michelle Cunningham, daughter of Henry Cunningham. Council and CRA board members Shelisa Abraham and Dynette Lewis were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
The attending members discussed how CRA funds could be used to improve the area, including roads, drainage, and developing a “Main Street” of sorts along Highway 29. No formal actions were taken.
The next regular Century CRA Board meeting will be in November.
Pictured: Century town council member Henry Cunningham, sitting as a CRA member, listens to discussion Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured below: The Century CRA boundary map, click to enlarge.
Rev. Janet K. Lee Retires After 43 Years Of Ministry At Century UMC
June 17, 2026
A community worship service and retirement celebration was held for Rev. Janet K. Lee at Century United Methodist Church.
After 43 years, she is returning in her retirement to her home state of Kentucky.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.