West Fraser Announces $70.25 Million Expansion In McDavid Following Tax Break Approval
May 9, 2026
The day after the Escambia County Commission approved a tax break for the West Fraser sawmill in McDavid, the company announced a $70.25 million expansion that will create 30 new jobs.
Thursday night, the commission approved an Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemption (EDATE) for the company, giving the company a 70% ad valorem tax exemption over a five-year period. An EDATE under Florida law provides that new and expanding businesses may be exempted from ad valorem taxation. During the current fiscal year, the exemption will be worth $590,969.
The $70 million investment is planned for nearly $28 million in year one, $20.5 million in year two, $13.4 million in year three, and $8.3 million in year four, and the production jobs will have an average annual salary of $49,920 with a gross annual payroll of $10.7 million, according to paperwork West Fraser filed with Escambia County.
Less than 12 hours after the tax break approval, the FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance announced that West Fraser has invested $70.25 million in capital expenditures to expand its existing sawmill operation on Champion Drive, off Highway 29, McDavid. FloridaWest said the expansion will create 30 new “family-supporting jobs.”
“Escambia County offers strong, attractive business fundamentals for long‑term investment such as our McDavid lumber mill expansion,” said Chuck Watkins, vice president, Capital and Technology, West Fraser. “The area’s robust business climate, ample and sustainable fibre basket and skilled local workforce make it an excellent expansion opportunity for our McDavid lumber mill. Combined with quality community amenities and a long history in forestry, the region provides both the resources we need and a great place for our employees to live and work.”
FloridaWest said the company’s McDavid facility has been a cornerstone employer in the region and a key part of the community’s industrial base. The expansion at West Fraser’s McDavid sawmill includes significant capital investment in new construction and equipment upgrades designed to enhance the facility’s production capacity and operational efficiency. The project is expected to generate substantial economic activity across Escambia County, supporting local suppliers, contractors, and service providers.
“West Fraser has been a valued employer in northern Escambia County, and this expansion builds on their commitment,” said Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry. “Creating 30 new jobs with competitive wages in a more rural area of our community demonstrates our economic development efforts are serving the entire county, and I am proud to support it.”
“West Fraser’s continued investment in Escambia County sends a clear message that our community is competitive on the global stage,” said Chris Platé, chief executive officer of FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance. “Retaining and growing established employers is a cornerstone of our economic development strategy, and West Fraser’s decision to expand here is a powerful testament to the strength of our region’s value proposition for the forest products industry.”
Army Warrant Officer Sentenced For Raping Woman At NAS Pensacola
May 9, 2026
An Army rotary wing aviator was convicted by a military jury of raping two women, including one at NAS Pensacola and sentenced to 31 years in prison,
Warrant Officer Dawson Van Manen, 27, assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade, was also sentenced by the military judge to a dishonorable discharge from Army and total forfeiture of pay and allowances.
In addition to the rape charges, Van Manen was convicted of the possession of anabolic steroids, which is a Schedule III controlled substance, and disobeying a lawful order.
Van Manen was apprehended by agents with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and Naval Criminal Investigative Service on August 29, 2024, after the first victim reported a rape that occurred in earlier that month at the Navy Lodge & Suites, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., after a night of drinking and socializing at a bar off base.
The victim started communicating with Van Manen on the dating app Bumble and the couple met in person for the first time that night at the bar in Pensacola.
Agents with Army CID discovered that he had used the false name “2nd Lt. David Johnson” on his dating app profile to conceal his true identity. He also registered at the Navy Lodge & Suites using the first name “David.”
After the assault, she went to the local hospital where medical staff gathered evidence using a rape kit. During the trial, the nurse testified that the victim’s swelling and injuries were the worst she’d seen in her career.
Shortly after the first victim reported her rape, Van Manen’s estranged wife also came forward and informed Army CID that she had endured years of abuse, to include a violent rape in December 2023.
At that time, Van Manen and his then-wife were living in Ozark, Ala., near Fort Rucker. One evening after she rebuffed his request for sex, he became violent, threatening that he had wanted to chop her up and have sex with her dead body. He then proceeded to tie her up, cover her mouth with duct tape and video record himself raping her. After the assault, the victim called her sister saying she was terrified that he would kill her.
While under investigation for these rapes in June 2025, Van Manen was ordered to remain on post at Fort Rucker by his commander but violated that order by going off post to meet up with another woman who was not his wife. Simultaneously, he was caught by his roommate possessing and admitting to using multiple anabolic steroids.
Van Manen will serve his prison sentence at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Upon release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
Canvas Platform, Used By Escambia Schools, Was Hacked
May 9, 2026
The Escambia County Public School system has been identified as one of approximately 9,000 educational institutions caught in a sweeping cybersecurity breach involving the Canvas learning management platform.
The hacking group named ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the Canvas breach, which brought the platform down earlier this week.
“While Canvas is currently operational, some components have been disabled as a precaution. Instructional staff has been given access to several immediate instructional alternatives, in order to mitigate the possibility of any disruption to the educational process,” Escambia County Public Schools said Friday.
Canvas is also used locally by the University of West Florida, Pensacola State College, and to a limited degree, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. ECSO does not use Canvas for any day-to-day law enforcement purposes, but in education and training.
Instructure said it does not appear that social security numbers, birthdays, or passwords were compromised. The company said compromised information may include names, email addresses, student ID numbers, and messages exchanged using Canvas.
Susan Moorhead Named Byrneville Elementary Teacher Of the Year
May 9, 2026
Susan Moorhead as been named the Byrneville Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former Volunteer Coach Sentenced In Child Sexual Abuse Case
May 9, 2026
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to seven years in state prison after pleading no contest in a child sexual abuse case.
Bryan Anthony Parker, 58, entered the plea to charges of lewd, lascivious molestation against a victim between 12 and 16 and promoting sexual activity of a victim less than 16 years old. An additional charge of sexual assault was dismissed.
He will be on sexual offender probation for two years following his release.
Parker was arrested in August 2024 for sexually abusing an underage boy.
He had been a volunteer coach at St. John the Evangelist Catholic School in Pensacola.
Northview FFA Alumni, Member Selected As Finalists For State Awards
May 9, 2026
The Northview High School FFA Alumni has been selected as a finalist for the State Outstanding Alumni Chapter Award, and a member is also being honored individually.
Donnie Dixon is a finalist for State Outstanding Young Alumni Member.
The alumni chapter and individuals work to support the Northview High FFA chapter.
The finalists and winners will be recognized this June on stage at the 98th Florida FFA State Convention & Expo at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando.
Ignoffo’s Walk-Off Salvages White’s Great Night In Wild Wahoos Win
May 9, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos played through rain to beat the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Friday night, surviving a late ninth-inning collapse to win 5-4 on a Ryan Ignoffo walk-off single.
On an evening devoted to a bobblehead giveaway of 2025 staff ace Thomas White, it was Brandon White who wowed the crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The righty allowed just a single and a walk over 6.2 scoreless innings while striking out a career-high 11 batters.
As steady rain accumulated, the Blue Wahoos took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an Emaarion Boyd double and Ignoffo sacrifice fly. They added another run in the fourth on a Jay Beshears double and Gage Miller RBI groundout.
White was flawless aside from a first-inning walk and third-inning Mac McCroskey single, and struck out the side in the top of the fifth to make the game official. The Blue Wahoos doubled their lead in the bottom of the fifth against Rocket City starter Ryan Costieu, as Fenwick Trimble hit an RBI double and Ignoffo hit an RBI single for a 4-0 advantage.
White became the first Blue Wahoos starter to work into the seventh inning this season as he finished his outing with a strikeout of Matthew Lugo, his career-high 11th of the night.
The Trash Pandas got a run back in the eighth with a Raudi Rodriguez sacrifice fly off Luis Palacios, though Nigel Belgrave (W, 1-2) entered to strike out Matthew Lugo as the potential tying run with two men aboard. Belgrave couldn’t quite shut the door in the ninth, however, as the Trash Pandas collected three consecutive two-out hits to tie the game 4-4. Pinch hitter Gustavo Campero singled to keep the game alive, and Kyren Paris followed with a pinch-hit, two-run triple. Wade Meckler tied the game with an infield RBI single, though he was stranded at second as Belgrave struck out Tucker Flint to stop the rally.
The Blue Wahoos got their leadoff man on in the bottom of the ninth against Trash Pandas closer Kenyon Yovan (L, 2-1), as Boyd reached on catcher’s interference. He stole second, took third on a groundout, and came in on Ignoffo’s two-out RBI single to center field.
The victory marked Pensacola’s first walk-off win of the season, and Ignoffo’s first of his Blue Wahoos career.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Saturday night.
written by Erik Bremer
Tate Showband Of The South Performs For American Idol Finalist Keyla Richardson
May 8, 2026
The Tate High School Showband of the South played a big role in Wednesday’s Keyla Fest to celebrate and honor Keyla Richardson, a top 3 finalist on American Idol.
The band not only marched in a celebratory parade downtown, but also had the unique opportunity to perform a custom arrangement for Richardson.
Richardson visited the Life Shifting Learning Academy on Highway 29 in Ensley, where she teaches, and the Showband was there to bring a pep rally type atmosphere as she arrived.
“We had a special song as she had sung on American Idol on the way to her top three journey, which was ‘Signed, Sealed, and Delivered’ by Stevie Wonder. Myself and Mr. Joshua Nobles (assistant band director) went through her catalog of everything she sung and we made the decision that it has a special touch to it,” Showband director Ronald Gray said Thursday. “We contacted our arranger and had him write a very similar rendition to what she sung on TV so she could hear us perform it when she got there to the event.”
It took band students just three days to learn the music and put the entire presentation together after returning from state concert band evaluations in Tallahassee. At the school, students got a taste of Hollywood and real TV production, spending about two hours performing multiple takes for the American Idol film crew.
The final cut remains to be seen, but the Showband of the South performance, the parade, Richardson’s hometown concert and more will, in some form, air in a lengthy segment during American Idol’s national Monday night broadcast on ABC.
“I don’t think the kids have really digested the magnitude of what they have done,” Gray said. “I think once they see themselves on TV and see the coverage it is potentially going to get at the finale of American Idol, it’s probably going to hit them like, ‘wow.’”
“Despite the intense pressure to work with the TV crew, it was a unique and fun experience for not only myself, but for the Showband and Tate High School,” said senior Annika Spiekermann. “It’s not every day you can hear someone say they got to perform for an American Idol contestant, especially from your hometown. This is a huge opportunity for Pensacola and showing the world what we are about.”
“Wednesday was such a fun, unique experience,” sophomore Gracie Ferlo said. “We were all so proud of Keyla and we did our best playing as well as we could to celebrate her incredible feat.”
“I think this is a side of performance and show biz that the kids aren’t going to get to experience a whole bunch just because it is high school,” assistant band director Nobles remarked. “Having that experience so early in their musical careers is something I don’t think that they’ll ever forget about.”
“We did a whirlwind of events with these kids, and they did a phenomenal job, and it’s a testament to the consistency in which these kids show up and really want to perform and be at the next level with their presentation,” Gray added.
“Even amid the last-minute changes in our schedule and the pressure of working with television professionals, we continued to play our best for the chance we were given,” Courtney Gunter, a senior Showband member, said. “Being a part of the community that Ms. Richardson came home to after all of her hard work was absolutely amazing. This was an incredible experience and a perfect way to get the Showband back into the exposure and view of the crowd.”
Now, the Tate Showband of the South members are waiting with great anticipation to see the video from Keyla Fest events on national TV on Monday night. And they are getting ready to vote as many times as possible to help Richardson become the next American Idol.
But regardless of the outcome, Gray said she’s already a winner.
“She’s already a winner for us; she’s already won in life. People enjoy her presence, her poise on the stage,” he said. “Her performance ability is something that is very unique to her. It’s very attractive to people to fall in love with not just her voice but her story.:
“For us here in the Showband , she’s already a winner.”
Images above courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com. Photos below for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Man With 23 Felony Convictions Facing New Trafficking and Weapon Charges
May 8, 2026
A Century man with a lengthy criminal history remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond following an incident involving multiple types of narcotics and a firearm.
Travis Montes Mitchell, 40, is facing several felony charges, including trafficking in methamphetamine (14 grams or over) , trafficking in fentanyl (4 grams or over) , possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine) with intent to distribute , possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted Florida felon , and possessing a controlled substance without a prescription.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, the incident began around 8:38 AM when EMS personnel observed a blue Chevy Malibu parked in the middle of the roadway at the intersection of Beverly Parkway and North W Street. Medics reported seeing a male, later identified as Mitchell, slumped over the steering wheel.
Mitchell initially complied with a request to enter the ambulance for evaluation. However, upon seeing a law enforcement vehicle arrive, he reportedly jumped out of the ambulance and fled on foot. He was quickly detained by a nearby deputy and transported back to the scene.
Because the vehicle was a rental posing a traffic hazard, an Enterprise rental employee was called to take possession of the car. While conducting a company-mandated inventory of the Malibu, the employee discovered a clear bag containing a crystalline substance in the center console.
A subsequent search of the vehicle by deputies allegedly uncovered a significant cache of illegal items, including 304 grams of methamphetamine , 17 grams of fentanyl , and 25.5 grams of crack cocaine, according to an arrest report. Deputies also reported finding two Oxycodone pills , a silver Detonics .45 caliber handgun with ammunition , digital scales, and plastic baggies.
Mitchell told investigators he had been using the rental for about two weeks after it was rented for him by a friend and claimed he had passed out at the red light. He further stated he kept his clothing and personal items in the vehicle so that he could “always stay ready”, the report states. He told deputies that he jumped out of the ambulance because he did not like the way the EMT was treating him.
Records checks revealed Mitchell has 23 prior felony convictions, including past charges for trafficking in methamphetamines and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Barrineau Park Historical Society Awards Five Scholarships
May 8, 2026
The Barrineau Park Historical Society recently presented five scholarships.
Recipients were:
Carter Hayden was the recipient of a $1,000 Barrineau Park Historical Society scholarship. He will attend Mississippi State University.
Austin Jackson was the recipient of a $1,000 Barrineau Park Historical Society scholarship. He will attend the University of West Florida.
Ava Jacobi was awarded a $1,000 Lynda Minchew scholarship. She will attend the University of West Florida.
Sa Dayveon “Davy” Bradley was alwarded a $500 Mildred Haupert scholarship. He will attend Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.
Ayden Crabtree was awarded the $500 Louis Crabtree, Jr. scholarship. He will attend the University of West Florida.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.