Highland Christmas Market Is Saturday In Molino
November 21, 2025
Highland Baptist Church will host the Highland Christmas Market on Saturday, November 22 from 9 a.m. until noon.
The market will feature gifts, crafts, and food.
Highland Baptist Church is located at 6240 Highway 95A in Molino.
Suspect Indicted For Sexual Battery Of Child, Murder, Arson And Animal Cruelty After Trailer Fire
November 21, 2025
An Escambia Man has been indicted for murder, sexual battery of a child, arson and animal cruelty .
A grand jury returned indictments against John Henry Walston, Jr., for two counts of first degree murder, one count of sexual battery of a child under 12, one count of arson, and one count of animal cruelty.
In the early hours of November 7, 2025, emergency responders were called to a house fire on Flaxman Street where two children and a dog were found deceased inside the home. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Walston allegedly sexually battered one of the children before he killed both children and then set his house on fire.
Walston is due back in court on November 26.
Tate Aggies Win Nailbiter Over Bartram Trail To Advance To Tourney Semifinal
November 21, 2025
The Tate Aggies beat the Bartram Trail Bears in a 21-19 nailbiter in the 4A-7A Florida Invitational Tournament (FIT) regional finals Thursday night.
Tate took a 7-0 lead on a quarterback keeper—by sophomore Tanner Clark—as time expired in the first quarter. Clark added the second score on the night for the Aggies on another QB keeper with 31 seconds to go in the half.
With about a minute to go in the game, the Bears were inside the 12-yard line when the Aggies picked it off to seal the win.
For a photo gallery, click here.
*Look for a gallery with the cheerleaders, band, fans, and more coming soon.
Tate will host Chiles in the 4A-7A semifinals on Friday, November 28—the day after Thanksgiving.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
UWF Argos Seek First Playoff Win In Two Seasons On Saturday
November 21, 2025
Two months ago in Tigerville, South Carolina the University of West Florida football team walked away with a 25-17 win over North Greenville to improve their season record to 4-0. It was the first tight game the Argos had played in all season, needing a fourth quarter scoring drive to widen their lead to eight points. The Argos defense then needed a stop which they got by the graze of a knee in the redzone. The call was controversial at the time as NGU’s quarterback Dylan Ramirez found an open receiver in the back of the endzone to score what was thought to be touchdown, setting up a two-point conversion to tie the game. But the refs blew the play dead and credited Eli Webb with a sack to end the game.
It wasn’t the prettiest of wins for the Argos this season but they got the job done and faced some much needed adversity in a game to help the team march forward to a 9-1 record.
The Argos will now face that same North Greenville team at home on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. for the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The Trailblazers are coming into the game on a three-game win streak including a 34-20 win over UNC Pembroke to win the Conference Carolinas title. UWF is entering the game following a regular season finale loss to Valdosta State in overtime.
With a win-or-go-home mindset, coming off a loss and the adversity faced in the previous NGU matchup, the Argos are hungry and prepared to win their first NCAA playoff game in two years.
The first round game features two of the top quarterbacks in the country. Marcus Stokes is a legitimate Harlon Hill Award nominee and has led the Argos to a prominent offense all season. The redshirt sophomore was named the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year this week. He’s thrown for 2,886 yards and 28 touchdowns. Ramirez was named the Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year following a season throwing for 2,747 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Argos’ defensive front will be a major factor in the outcome of the game with getting pressure on Ramirez. UWF has registered 34 sacks this season – tenth most in NCAA DII. The defense also boasts the top run defense in the nation, allowing just 48.9 rush yards per contest. The defensive unit is led by GSC Defensive Player of the Year Ja’Kobe Clinton who led the conference in tackles for loss and sacks.
A victory on Saturday will head coach Kaleb Nobles first playoff win at the helm with UWF.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN + which does require a subscription to watch. Tickets to attend the game are still available.
Woman Injured In Bratt Pine Barren Road Crash
November 21, 2025
One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover crash Thursday afternoon in Bratt.
The crash happened around 2:45 p.m. on North Pine Barren Road about one-third of a mile north of Breastworks Road.
The driver of a Nissan car was southbound when her vehicle left the road, struck a small ditch and overturned into woodline. She was able to walk out of the vehicle after first responders removed the windshield.
The adult female was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital with injuries that were not considered to be serious.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
PSC Approves FPL Rate Schedule Increase
November 20, 2025
Thursday morning, the Florida Public Service Commission approved a Florida Power & Light comprehensive four-year rate settlement agreement with state regulators. The agreement reduces FPL’s original revenue request by nearly one-third.
The agreement uts FPL’s four-year revenue request by approximately 30%, keeping Northwest Florida rates nearly flat for a couple of years. The agreement, developed in collaboration with a broad coalition of customer groups, sets rates for 2026 through 2029.
In Northwest Florida, the typical residential customer bill will drop nearly $2 next year, going from the current $143.60 to $141.36 in 2026. In the ret of Florida, the typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill will increase by $2.50 a month, or about 2%, from the current $134.14 to $136.64.
The settlement significantly scales back FPL’s initial rate request.
Beginning in 2027, FPL customers in NorthWest Florida will pay the same rates as the remainder of the state. Panhandle customers will see an overall average monthly increase of $6.79 by the end of the four-year agreement, while the rest of the state will have increased by $14.01.
“We appreciate the Florida Public Service Commission’s thorough review of our rate plan. Today’s vote enables FPL to continue to deliver some of America’s most reliable electric service and meet the needs of our fast-growing state—and we project will keep customer bills well below the national average through the end of the decade,” said FPL President and CEO Armando Pimentel. “As we begin our second century of serving Florida, approval of this plan is a win for our customers and a win for the entire state.”
Sheriff’s Dive Team Recovers Car From Bluff Springs Lake
November 20, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team recovered a vehicle from a lake Wednesday evening in Escambia County.
The unoccupied Honda Civic was found in a gravel lake in a remote area of the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area off Bluff Springs Road near the Escambia River about two miles south of Century.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Witnesses told authorities that the driver got out of the vehicle at a boat launch, accidentally leaving the vehicle in neutral. The vehicle rolled down the boat launch into the lake and then floated slowly until it sank nearly 100 feet from shore.
With the assistance of a boat and crew from the Cantonment Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue, the ECSO located the vehicle using sonar in about 15 feet of water.
The Sheriff’s Office dive team assisted a wrecker company in hooking to the sedan. The vehicle was slowly winched to the shore, where it was confirmed that no one was inside.
Preliminary information indicated the vehicle, which had a Colorado license plate, had not been reported stolen.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the incident as a traffic crash.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Century Approves Development Fee Increases Up To 900%
November 20, 2025
The Town of Century has updated their permit fees schedule for the first time in 11 years. Fees are increasing from 100% to 900%.
The town’s current plans review fee schedule, adopted in 2014, set rates for planning actions such as development certificates, sign review, and comprehensive plan amendments. The town currently contracts with the planning organization Emerald Coast Regional Council (ECRC) for plan reviews, which generally costs more than the fees paid by citizens as the existing fees no longer reflect true administrative costs.
Town Administrator Dave Murzin, Mayor Ben Boutwell and ECRC Planner Eric Christianson have agreed that the town has been losing money on every permit issued, rather than at least covering costs.
The permit fee schedule, approved 4-0, with council president Dynette Lewis absent this week, is as follows:
The proposed fees are less than those charged by Escambia County.
NorthEscambia.com photos/graphic, click to enlarge.
Eagle Scout Project Drains Flooding, Brings Relief To Panhandle Equine Rescue
November 20, 2025
Panhandle Equine Rescue (PER) in Cantonment is breathing a sigh of relief following the successful completion of a much-needed drainage project spearheaded by a local Boy Scout.
Thomas Beck, with Boy Scout Troop 632, chose PER as the beneficiary of his Eagle Scout Service Project, installing a French drain for the main barn to combat chronic flooding issues caused by heavy downpours. The project, completed during a very productive day at the facility, is expected to significantly improve conditions for the horses and volunteers.
Beck selected the non-profit PER for his project because he felt their mission was worthy of the effort.
The new French drain system will divert water away from the barn, a critical improvement that addresses a long-standing challenge and ensures a drier, safer environment for the rescued horses.
Boy Scout Troop 632 meets at Windy Hill Baptist Church in Beulah.
Pictured: Thomas Beck’s Eagle Scout Service Project was the installation of a french drain around the barn at Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment. Beck is pictured above, far right in the top row. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Opinion: 60,000 Locals Rely On SNAP. Nonprofits Can’t Meet The Gap Alone.
November 20, 2025
The following editorial opinion letter was submitted to North Escambia.com by 15 local nonprofit organizations.
Every day, health and human service non-profits provide essential support to local households, including food, shelter, healthcare, and more. These services are funded by donations from individuals and businesses, corporate and foundation grants, and state and governmental funding. This array of funding supports direct services and agency operations.
Non-profits fill the gaps when other services are unavailable or unaffordable. However, these organizations do not have the financial resources to provide the full range of assistance necessary to meet all a household’s needs. That requires a variety of resources, including jobs, private benefits, public benefits, and government-funded programs. When some or all of those cease to exist, it strains the safety net supported by the non-profit sector.
When communities shut down because of COVID, people lost jobs, and the non-profit safety net kicked in. Households received assistance from non-profits, which had enough funds and resources for a while. As the pandemic continued, the federal government provided important funding, which many non-profits used to provide food, rent, utilities, and other assistance to households in need.
A major source of support for households in our area, SNAP, was temporarily without funding due to the government shutdown. SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides food benefits to low-income families to help with their grocery budgets. This helps ensure people can afford nutritious food that is necessary for them to lead healthy lives.
As of this week, SNAP funding and eligibility remains unclear. Proposed changes suggest that many Americans may lose SNAP benefits entirely as they return. Even those who continue to receive SNAP benefits face financial hardships as they have dipped into other limited funds to pay for food in the past weeks.
U.S. Citizens, or individuals with qualified non-citizen status, are eligible for SNAP. Undocumented immigrants cannot qualify for SNAP. Other requirements vary from state to state.
In Florida, households must earn less than or equal to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level which is $64,300 for a family of four. These ALICE, Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, families are working yet living paycheck to paycheck. People over 60 must meet income and asset tests to qualify. Thirty-seven percent of individuals receiving SNAP are in working families. Individuals who are blind or are on federal disability are also eligible for SNAP.
In the United States, nearly 42 million people, or 12% of the population, participate in SNAP. In the state of Florida, 2.98 million people, or 12.7% of the population, receive SNAP benefits. Of those, 1.1 million are children, which represents 39% of all SNAP recipients in Florida.
Forty percent of older adults in Florida are on SNAP. About 30% rely on other programs to have enough to eat, which means that in some cases, multiple services are not enough to feed seniors.
Across the country, National Guard, reservists, military families, and veterans benefit from the SNAP program. In the state of Florida, 108,000 veterans, or 7% of veterans, are SNAP recipients. Locally, in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, 60,000 individuals rely on SNAP.
The dollar amount of the benefit depends on the state of residence. In Florida, the average SNAP benefit per household member per month is just $186, or $6.12 per day. That’s not a lot, but it means households are closer to having enough to eat.
Loss of SNAP is not detrimental to just the individuals who rely on it, but to communities as well. Every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 in economic output. SNAP recipients spend their benefits quickly, boosting sales for grocery stores and their suppliers, which in turn supports jobs and wages, directly stimulating the local economy.
The loss of SNAP benefits, in the middle of a government shutdown, is causing tremendous strain on households. That strain is also being felt by the local non-profits, who are committed to helping people. Non-profits are designed to provide support and a safety net when needed, but they are not built to meet all the needs of struggling households. Communities thrive when local, state and federal governments, businesses, foundations, and non-profits work together to provide support to households in need. The absence of one or more of these creates a gap that jeopardizes the health and well-being of hardworking citizens, vulnerable children and adults, and members of our military and veterans.
The non-profit sector in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties works hard to keep families safe and healthy, but we cannot do it alone. You can help your favorite non-profit, or the non-profit sector, by making a financial gift, volunteering your time, and/or advocating for policies that support struggling families in our communities. In turn, you are bringing hope to our friends and neighbors.
Respectfully submitted by,
Laura Gilliam, United Way of West Florida
Katie Ballard, Studer Community Institute
Connie Bookman, Pathways for Change
Shirley Cornett, Interfaith Ministries
Rev. Ashlee Mosley Brown, Bright Bridge Ministries
Rachelle Burns, EscaRosa Suicide Prevention Coalition
Karen Egozi, Epilepsy Alliance Florida
Cheryl Etheridge, The Black NonProfit Group
Carolyn Grawi, Center for Independent Living of Northwest Florida
Christeia Hawkins, Northwest Florida Community Outreach
Rachel Iverson, Gulf Coast Freedom Schools
Josh Newby, Council on Aging of West Florida
Gladys Scott, Sisters of Hope
Paula Shell, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida
DeDe Flounlaker, Manna Food Bank