‘Agriculture Security Is National Security’ — Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins Meets With Local Farmers
April 14, 2026
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins met with farmers from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties on Monday in Jay.
“Having grown up on a family farm, touring Diamond Farm in Santa Rosa County today and spending time with those on the front lines of Florida agriculture was personal for me,” Collins said. “We had critical conversations about the current state of the ag industry, the challenges producers are facing, and the opportunities ahead.”
Collins visited several farms in the Jay area to discuss the challenges that farmers are facing from the economy and climate.
“Supporting our farmers isn’t optional; it’s essential to keeping Florida and America strong,” Collins said. “Agriculture security is national security.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Easter ‘Fields Of Faith’ Is Wednesday Evening At Northview
April 14, 2026
Community members are invited to gather for an evening of worship and celebration as “Fields of Faith” comes to the Northview High School’ Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium stadium on Wednesday.
The event, hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), will run from 6 to 8 pm and features a special message from Walnut Hill Baptist Church Pastor Ted Bridges. Attendees will also enjoy live music performed by a band from Walnut Hill Baptist.
Organizers are encouraging children to bring their Easter baskets to join in festivities following the service. The event is free and open to all members of the public.
Pictured: The 2025 Fields of Faith at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Reminder: District 5 Cottage Hill Neighborhood Cleanup Is Wednesday
April 14, 2026
A neighborhood cleanup for residents in Cottage Hill will take place Wednesday, April 15. This is a chance for residents to dispose of items such as old furniture, appliances and household waste free of charge.
Yard debris is eligible for removal during this cleanup.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area can participate in the neighborhood cleanup. All items for pickup should at the curb by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup.
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
During neighborhood cleanups, crew members and volunteers visit different neighborhoods in the county to remove a variety of debris and waste free of charge.
Contact the Escambia County Community Redevelopment Agency at (850) 595-3217 or cra@myescambia.com for questions about the cleanup.
District Baseball Playoffs Begin Tonight
April 14, 2026
High school baseball district tournaments are underway this week, with both Northview and Tate in action.
6A District 1
Location: Pace High School
In the semifinals on Tuesday, No. 2 Tate will play No. 3 Crestview at 4 p.m., and No. 1 Pace will take on No 4 Navarre at 7 p.m**.**
The district championship game will be played on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m.
Rural District 1
Location: Central School
No. 1 Northview has a bye on Tuesday, as does No. 2 Jay.
In Tuesday’s quarterfinals, No. 4 Baker will play No. 5 Paxton, and No. 3 Central will play No. 6 Laurel Hill.
On Thursday, Northview will face either Baker or Paxton, and Jay will face either Central or Laurel Hill in the semifinals. Thursday’s game times are to be determined after Tuesday’s play.
Pictured: In early March, the Tate Aggies walked off with a home run over Crestview. The two teams meet again Tuesday night in the district semifinals at Pace. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flag Football: Gulf Breeze Defeats Northview Chiefs (With Gallery)
April 14, 2026
The Gulf Breeze Dolphins defeated the Northview Chiefs 19-0 on Monday evening in Bratt.
Northview, now 4-5, will travel to Pensacola on Tuesday for the final game of the season against the Escambia Gators.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Piece Together 4-2 Biloxi Win, Start Six-Game Home Series Tuesday
April 14, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were off on Monday ahead of a six-game series against the Knoxville Smokies, Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, that beings on Tuesday.
The Wahoos salvaged the finale of their weeklong road series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Sunday afternoon, using six different pitchers in a 4-2 victory.
After starting pitcher Will Schomberg departed in the third with an apparent injury, Kade Bragg (W, 1-0) entered in relief and twirled 3.0 hitless innings. Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, Logan Whitaker, Luis Palacios and Samuel Vásquez (S, 2) finished off an impressive effort for the Pensacola pitching staff.
The Blue Wahoos scored their first first-inning run of the season, turning a leadoff single from Ian Lewis Jr. into a 1-0 lead with a Dillon Lewis RBI single. That lead would be short-lived, as Schomberg hit two batters and walked one before a Mike Boeve RBI fielder’s choice tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning.
Shuckers starter Jaron DeBerry (L, 1-1) surrendered a leadoff walk to Emaarion Boyd in the fifth inning, and committed a balk allowing the speedy center fielder to reach second base. A single from Lewis Jr. advanced Boyd to third before a Cristian Hernández double play grounder brought him home for a 2-1 Pensacola advantage.
In the sixth, Gage Miller floated a two-out, two-run single to center field to give the Blue Wahoos a 4-1 lead.
The Shuckers chipped away in the seventh, as Jesús Made singled home Kay-Lan Nicasia to bring the score to 4-2, but made three baserunning blunders to run themselves out of a bigger inning. Dasan Brown was caught stealing third base for the first out, Dylan O’Rae was picked off and caught stealing third base for the second out, and Made was thrown out at home trying to score from second on a throwing error from Hernández at shortstop.
After escaping trouble in the seventh, Palacios returned for a 1-2-3 eighth and Vásquez worked around a one-out single to work a scoreless ninth for a 4-2 final.
No Relief: North Escambia Area Gripped by Severe Drought
April 13, 2026
The entire North Escambia area remains in severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and there is no relief in sight.
A portion of nearby central and eastern Escambia County in Alabama is in an extreme drought.
Currently, there is no chance of rain in the seven-day forecast.
MILO, The Mobile ID And Licensing Office, Is In Walnut Hill And Century This Week
April 13, 2026
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO) will be in Walnut Hill and Century this week.
MILO will be at the Walnut Hill Community Center (Ruritan Building) on Tuesday, April 14, from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m, and the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century or Thursday, April 16 from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
MILO offers a convenient way for residents to access essential tax collector services, including:
- Driver License Services: Renewals, replacements, out-of-state license conversions/reciprocations, and address/name changes.
- Identification Cards: First-time issuance and renewals.
- Vehicle Services: Registration renewals and replacements, title transfers, and parking placards.
- Tax Payments: Property tax payments.
- Business Tax Receipts: Applications and renewals.
- Certified Driver Transcripts
Written and driving tests are not available at the MILO unit.
This initiative aims to bring services to areas of Escambia County that may have limited access to traditional tax collector offices, particularly during disaster recovery or for residents in assisted living facilities, community centers, and correctional facilities.
Florida drivers may renew their vehicle registrations for a period of one or two years and may renew up to three months in advance of the registration expiration. Vehicle registrations expire at midnight on the first owner’s birth date unless the owner is a business.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate High FFA Wins State Aquaculture Championship; Beulah Middle Takes Fourth
April 13, 2026
The Tate High School FFA Aquaculture CDE Team made history by earning first place at the Florida FFA State Aquaculture Career Development Event Contest on Friday at the UF IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory in Ruskin, Florida. The Beulah Middle School FFA took fourth in the state in the middle school division.
A Career Development Event (CDE) is a competitive activity that allows students to apply agricultural knowledge and skills gained through classroom instruction, laboratory experiences, and supervised agricultural experiences in real-world scenarios.
Under the leadership of FFA Advisor Rachel Veninga, the team of sophomores Henry Merritt, Aden Bailey, Luke Graham, and Daniel Aldridge delivered an exceptional performance in one of the most rigorous and competitive CDE events in the state. The Aquaculture CDE challenges students in areas such as aquatic species identification, water quality analysis, production systems, fish health, and real-world industry problem solving.
All four Tate High School team members also placed among the top 10 individuals in the state:
Henry Merritt – 1st High Individual
Aden Bailey – 2nd High Individual
Luke Graham – 3rd High Individual
Daniel Aldridge – 6th High Individual
The Beulah Middle School team members were Caleb Pitts, Lydia Arnold, Lawson Simons, and CJ Parker.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO Honors Outstanding Service, Bravery At Annual Award Ceremony
April 13, 2026
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office presented several awards during a ceremony last week.
Major Awards
- Officer of the Year
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Sergeant Burt Craft: Sergeant Burt Craft was awarded the Officer of the Year for his specialized expertise in missing persons investigations, his innovative and effective use of the Real Time Crime Center, and his continued service on the ECSO SWAT team, all of which had a meaningful impact on both the agency and the community. Sgt. Craft consistently demonstrated exceptional diligence, remained readily available, and showed unwavering commitment to supporting ECSO personnel, often placing mission success above personal time.
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- Employee of the Year
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Carissa Mitchell: Carissa Mitchell was awarded the Employee of the Year for her exceptional professionalism, legal expertise, and unwavering commitment to the agency’s mission. In 2025, Carissa’s proactive handling of complex litigation and public records matters reduced agency risk and helped achieve record-low caseloads, earning widespread trust and respect across ECSO.
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- Bronze Medal of Courage
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Deputy Larry Richardson: On November 9, 2024, and on December 17, 2024, Deputy Larry Richardson responded to two separate, highly dangerous incidents in which armed suspects fired at law enforcement; Deputy Richardson acted decisively to protect deputies, the public, and himself.
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Life Saving & Civilian Awards
- Life Saving Award
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Deputies Nayanna Fichtner, James Gilman, and Christopher Mohan: On December 5, 2025, these deputies found an unresponsive overdose victim in a vehicle. Their quick actions, including Narcan administration, revived the victim and prevented the loss of life.
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Colonel David Ingram: When an individual began choking and was unable to breathe, Colonel Ingram immediately recognized the severity of the situation, responded without hesitation, and successfully administered the Heimlich maneuver, preventing the loss of life.
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Civilian Medal
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Jannice Barnett: On November 10, 2025, Escambia County School District bus driver Jannice Barnett acted with courage when a five-year-old passenger began choking on a ring during transport. Her immediate 911 call and effective lifesaving intervention stabilized the child before EMS arrival.
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Commendations & Unit Citations
- Commendation Medal
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Lieutenants James Barnes and David Brown, and Sergeants Scott Rivkin, Chase Horne, and Raymond Matheny: These individuals were awarded for outstanding leadership during the 2025 Pensacola Beach Air Show featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, ensuring safe, professional management of a large public safety event.
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Deputies Donald Griffin and Connor Fenton: In August 2025, Deputies Griffin and Fenton investigated a series of vehicle burglaries near Island Spirit Way, using video, forensics, and neighborhood intel to identify suspects. Their work led to clearing 12 cases.
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- Achievement Award
- Sergeant David Cripe: Sergeant David Cripe was awarded the Achievement Award for successfully completing the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Leadership Training Series in February 2026. His completion of this rigorous program reflected a strong commitment to professional growth, leadership development, and continued excellence within the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
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Unit Citation
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Precinct 2/South: Lieutenant Anthony Tampary, Sergeants David Cripe, Joshua Rasmussen, and Deputies Donald Griffin, William Hollingsworth, Connor Fenton, Sean Wisenall, Bo Nesmith, Ryan Bolton, Garrett McClelland, Shanna Ciano, Chase Tennyson, Makayla Dicola, Robert Johnson, and Nolan Bishop. From November 17 to December 15, 2025, Perdido deputies conducted the “Western Gate” warrant sweep, apprehending 21 individuals in just 28 days—all while maintaining regular duties and handling increased holiday call volume. Their proactive and persistent efforts significantly enhanced public safety.
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Years of Service
- 35 Years of Service
- Lt. Tama Barber
- Dispatch Supervisor Julie Weaver
- 30 Years of Service
- Security Monitor Latonja Crocker
- Evidence Supervisor Shirley Padgett
- 25 Years of Service
- Communications Manager Matt Pike
- Dispatch Supervisor Jeannine Ingram
- 20 Years of Service
- Sgt. Melissa Bunn
