With Recent Rain, Drought Eases Across Most Of Escambia County
June 14, 2026
For several months, the entire area was in a drought. But with recent rains, most of Escambia County is now just classified as “abnormally dry” by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
A small area in the northeast corner of the county, including Century, is still classified as being in a moderate drought, as is almost all of Santa Rosa County.
The Drought Monitor does not measure recent rainfall; it tracks how deeply an area’s total water system has recovered from long-term deficits.
Donut Strike For Manna Returns June 24-26
June 14, 2026
In about two weeks, local firefighters and law enforcement officers are answering a different kind of emergency call: the growing need for food assistance in our community. These brave men and women will be trading donuts for donations as they rally the community together to help fight local hunger.
No sprinkles. No glaze. No jelly-filled treats — until families have the food they need. That’s the message behind the annual Donut Strike for Manna. From Wednesday, June 24, through Friday, June 26, first responders are going on strike against the disc-shaped delicacies to inspire donations of food and funds to support hungry neighbors in need. They won’t give in until truckloads of healthy, non-perishable food have been donated.
Each day of the Donut Strike, first responders will be stationed at grocery stores across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties from 3-6 p.m. to collect nutritious food and monetary donations. Locations will be announced the week of the Donut Strike
Entering its ninth year, the annual pastry protest has become a powerful force for good, generating the equivalent of more than a quarter-million healthy meals for local children and families facing food insecurity.
Participating agencies include the Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Gulf Breeze Fire Rescue, Gulf Breeze Police Department, Midway Fire District, Pace Fire Rescue District, Pensacola Fire Department, Pensacola Police Department, and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Manna is a local, grassroots non-profit dedicated to fighting hunger in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Pictured: Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighters collect donations during last year’s Donut Strike for Manna at the Winn Dixie on Highway 29 in Cantonment on June 26, 2025. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Spin Three-Hit Shutout In 4-0 Win
June 14, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Columbus Clingstones 4-0 on Saturday night, riding another dominant start from veteran lefty Luis Palacios to a combined three-hit shutout.
Palacios (W, 4-0), the winningest pitcher in franchise history, earned his 28th career Double-A victory with 5.0 innings of one-hit ball. Jack Sellinger and Holt Jones (S, 1) finished off the shutout with effective relief.
After a 29-minute precautionary pregame weather delay, Palacios and Clingstones starter Julio Robaina (L, 1-2) traded zeroes until the top of the third. Garret Forrester walked, Dylan Jasso reached on an error, and Ian Lewis Jr. hit an opposite-field three-run homer to put the Blue Wahoos ahead 3-0.
Cristian Hernández had a three-hit night, doubling in the ninth inning and scoring an insurance run on an unusual play when he stole third and catcher Archer Brookman’s throw deflected off Forrester in the batter’s box.
That would be more than enough for Palacios and the rest of the Pensacola pitching staff, which allowed only a seventh-inning walk and a pair of ninth-inning singles for the club’s third shutout of the season.
The win brought the Blue Wahoos back to .500 at 31-31, and brings them to within 2.0 games of first place with seven to play in the first half pending the results of first-place Montgomery’s Saturday game.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Clingstones on Sunday afternoon.
written by Erik Bremer
Three Unopposed Century Council Members Automatically Reelected
June 13, 2026
With no opposition, three Century Town Council members were automatically deemed elected on Friday after no one else qualified to seek the seats.
Those elected were:
- Seat 3: Incumbent Shelisa Abraham. She was first appointed as an interim council member in January 2023 and elected during a 2023 special election.
- Seat 4: Incumbent John Bass. He first won election for a term that began in January 2025 after Alicia Johnson was appointed interim mayor.
- Seat 5: Incumbent Sparkie Harrison. She was first elected with opposition in June 2025 to fill a seat left vacant after the resignation of Sandra McMurray-Jackson.
All three will be sworn in for their new four-year terms in January 2027.
The official qualifying period for the 2026 ballot ended at noon, Friday, June 12. The seats are nonpartisan.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Here Are The Escambia County Primary Ballot Races
June 13, 2026
The 2026 ballot is set for local races in Escambia County after the qualifying period ended at noon Friday.
Qualified candidates are listed below, beginning with those that will appear on the August 18 primary ballot, followed by those that won’t appear until the general election in November.
The following race will be on Republican Primary ballots for voters in County Commission District 2:
Escambia County Commissioner – District 2 (Partisan)
- Glenn Dorsey (REP)
- Mike Kohler (REP)
The following races are nonpartisan and each voter in the district is eligible to vote:
Escambia County School Board – District 1 (Nonpartisan)
- Kevin Adams
- Erin Toler
Escambia County School Board – District 2 (Nonpartisan)
- Paul H. Fetsko
- Gerald Washington
Escambia County School Board – District 3 (Nonpartisan)
- David Williams
- Isaac L. Williams
The following race is citywide, and each voter in the City of Pensacola, regardless of party affiliation, will be eligible to vote.
City of Pensacola, Mayor (Nonpartisan)
- Jasmine Brown
- Ann Hill
- D.C. Reeves
- Eric W. Shorter
- Alicia Trawick
- Jermaine J. Williams
Nine Automatically Elected
Candidates who qualified for an office unopposed will not appear on the ballot and were deemed to be elected.
They are:
Escambia County Soil & Water Group 1
- Carolyn Taylor
Escambia County Soil & Water Group 3
- Norman Jeffrey DeWeese
Escambia County Soil & Water Group 5
- Misha Moyer Phillips
Santa Rosa Island Authority
- Steven Luppert
Pensacola City Council, District 6
- Allison Patton
County Judge Group 2
- Charles Philip Young
Century Town Council Seat 3
- Shelisa Abraham
Century Town Council Seat 4
- John Bass
Century Town Council Seat 5
- Lizbeth “Sparkie” Harrison
RELATED STORY: Three Unopposed Century Council Members Automatically Reelected
November 4 General Election
State House District 1
- Michelle Salzman – R
- Francesca Yabraian – D
Escambia County Commissioner District 2
- Mathious Robinson – D
- Winner of the Republican primary
Escambia County Commissioner District 4
- Ashlee Hofberger – R
- Joe Vinson – Non-party affiliated
ECUA District 2
- Lois Benson – R
- Gloria Horning – Independent Party
ECUA District 4
- Jacob Cavender – D
- Greg Litton – R
- Ralph Schofield Jr. – Non-party affiliated
Pensacola City Council District 2
- Charles Bare
- Sherri Myers
Pensacola City Council District 4
- Brian Cole
- Boyce White
Beulah Middle FFA Members Attend Debate Camp; Nunn Named Champion
June 13, 2026
This week, eleven Beulah Middle School FFA members attended debate camp hosted by the Pensacola High School Debate Club.
Beulah FFA’s Olivia Nunn was named Debate Camp Champion for the week.
Henry White spearheaded the camp for Beulah, and Krysta Wilcox was debate coach.
Pictured: The Beulah Middle FFA with sponsor Leanne Jenkins at the Pensacola High School Debate Club. Several members were unavailable for the photo. Pictured below: Debate Camp Champion Beulah FFA’s Olivia Nunn. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Robert ‘Bobby’ Govoni Named ECSO Employee Of The Month
June 13, 2026
Robert “Bobby” Govoni has been named the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Employee of the Month
Govoni is the information systems network analyst at the ECSO, and makes sure all of its technology used daily is updated and running as needed.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former Northview Coach Jeremy Greenwell Named J.U. Blacksher Offensive Coordinator
June 13, 2026
Former Northview High School Coach Jeremy Greenwell has been named the new offensive coordinator for the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs in Uriah, Alabama.
Greenwell is the former head baseball coach at Northview, former football coach at Ernest Ward Middle School, and, most recently a football coach at West Florida High School.
Pictured: New J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs offensive coordinator Jeremy Greenwell with his family — wife Savannah and children Coy and Joanna. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Homer Not Enough For Wahoos In 6-3 Loss To Clingstones
June 13, 2026
Aiva Arquette hit his third home run in as many weeks for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, but mid-inning bullpen woes proved costly in a 6-3 loss to the Columbus Clingstones on Friday night.
Columbus took a 2-0 lead in the second inning against Blue Wahoos starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr by stringing together four consecutive two-out singles, capped by run-scoring hits from Keshawn Ogans and Patrick Clohisy.
The Blue Wahoos chipped away against Columbus starter Lucas Braun (W, 1-3), as Arquette hit a solo homer in the fourth and Jay Beshears hit a game-tying RBI single in the fifth to bring the score to 2-2.
The game turned in the fifth, as Colby Martin (L, 2-3) struggled to find his command in relief for the Blue Wahoos. The righty allowed a two-out hit-by-pitch and a single before Logan Braunschweig hit a go-ahead RBI single for a 3-2 lead. A pair of bases-loaded walks followed, putting the Clingstones ahead 5-2.
Drew Compton added a sacrifice fly in the seventh against Blue Wahoos reliever Michael Perez for a 6-2 Columbus advantage. The Blue Wahoos got a run back in the eighth with a Ryan Ignoffo RBI double, but Samuel Strickland (S, 2) quieted the rally and worked around a single in the ninth to earn a five-out save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Saturday night.
written by Erik Bremer
Development Plans Filed For $25 Million John R. Jones Ballpark Upgrades
June 12, 2026
Preliminary plans have been filed with the Escambia County Development Review Committee (DRC) for planned John R. Jones Complex upgrades on Nine Mile Road.
The $25 million project will include:
- $20 million – Artificial turf for 20 Fields
- Approx. $1 million per field
- 18 multi-dimensional diamond fields,
- Plus, two rectangular multi-use fields
- $500,000 – Landscaping & Common Areas
- Flower beds and aesthetic landscaping
- $1.2 million – Sidewalks & Parking Upgrades
- Entryway and sidewalk connectivity
- $1 million – Fence, Shade & Dugout Work
- Overall fence work, shade areas & dugout upgrades
- $1.5 million – Concessions & Building Upgrades
- Remodeling and upgrading buildings.
- Miscellaneous Expenses – $400,000
- Various Aesthetic Upgrades
- Design – Permits or Consulting Fees – $400,000
- Potential fees for design or consulting
In January 2025, the Escambia County Commission approved a Tourist Development Tax (TDT) Revenue Note not exceeding $25,100,000 for capital improvements at the John R. Jones Park and Sports Arena. The annual debt service for the bank loan will be paid from Escambia County TDT with a structured level annual debt service of approximately $2.495 million over an approximate 15-year period which ends on October 1, 2039.
According to the plan, the upgraded park will attract hundreds of teams, players and fans for tournaments and be competitive with similar facilities in nearby communities such as Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, Daphne, and more.
To date, the project has only reached the internal review process with the DRC and has not yet been set for a public meeting.
