American Magic Opens High Performance Center in Pensacola
January 8, 2026
American Magic opened the $20.8 million American Magic High Performance Center (AMHPC) at the Port of Pensacola on Wednesday, marking a milestone in the team’s mission to build a world-class sailing and performance platform in the United States.
The center serves as the team’s operational base and hub for American Magic Services (AMS), where the team’s composite manufacturing and engineering expertise drives advanced manufacturing, marine technologies, and aerospace projects. By combining elite sailing programs with cutting-edge design and precision engineering, Pensacola is positioned as a global center for performance sailing and technological innovation.
The High Performance Center will also operate as the official North American training base for SailGP teams, following a partnership announcement between American Magic and the global sail racing championship. Beginning in September 2026, the Pensacola facility will provide SailGP teams with access to world-class on-water and shore-based training infrastructure, supporting year-round preparation, technical development, and athlete performance.
Doug DeVos, Co-Founder of American Magic, said: “The American Magic High Performance Center is the foundation of our long-term vision: building a sustainable, high-performance American sailing platform. By positioning Pensacola and the U.S. as a destination for world-class training, we strengthen our ability to support all sailors in national and international competitions such as youth, women, Olympic, and SailGP programs.”
“American Magic’s commitment to Pensacola is transformational. This facility creates jobs, stimulates economic activity, and firmly plants a flag in our city as a leading sailing destination. We are proud to host a world-class operation that supports innovation, education, and elite competition,” said Mayor D.C. Reeves.
Established in 2017 to challenge for the America’s Cup, the American Magic team has expanded to integrate U.S. Olympic pathways and SailGP, and to develop further Women’s and Youth programs. Based at the newly opened High Performance Center in Pensacola, Florida, American Magic combines elite athletic preparation with advanced design, engineering, and manufacturing technologies. The team is dedicated to winning at the highest level while creating a sustainable future for American sailing.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
‘She Saved A Lot Of Lives’: Witness Praises School Bus Driver Involved In Crash Near Bratt
January 7, 2026
“She deserves something like a Purple Heart. She saved a lot of lives.”
That’s how a witness described the action of an Escambia County Public Schools bus driver that avoided a potentially serious crash Wednesday morning on West Highway 4 near Bratt.
The witness said the driver of a white Hyundai Sonata, identified by the Florida Highway Patrol as an 18-year-old female, attempted to pass the bus in a no-passing zone on Highway 4 near Still Road. The Sonata sideswiped a red Toyota Camry, and one of the vehicles made minor contact with bus No. 21-21.
The bus was barely scratched as dust was wiped off a small area of the driver’s side.
There were 28 students from Ernest Ward Middle School and Northview High School on the bus, and there were no injuries. The students were later transported, on the same bus, to school. The drivers of the cars were not seriously injured.
“But it could have been much worse,” the witness said. “She (the bus driver) reacted very fast and got off the road to miss hitting the other two. She really deserves a Purple Heart or something.”
The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing its investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
‘Full Speed Ahead’ – Growth and Infrastructure Concerns Dominate District 5 Q&A Session
January 7, 2026
Development and concurrency were the hot topics during an Escambia County District 5 Q&A session Tuesday evening at the Molino Community Center.
With continued residential development in District 5 — approximately the northern 60% of Escambia County that is roughly north of Nine Mile Road — numerous residents passionately called for better regulation on the growth and concurrency. In development, concurrency is a growth management policy requiring that the necessary public facilities and services are available at the same time the impacts of a new development occur.
“Full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes doesn’t work without infrastructure,” local resident Richard Beck told the panel — Molino Utilities president Vernon Prather, School Board member Tom Harrell, Rep. Michelle Salzman, County Administrator Wes Moreno, and ECUA board member and president Kevin Stephens, who hosted the event. District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry did not attend.
Moreno said the county can’t pick and choose which developments are allowed but is instead required to apply a uniform standard.
“The bible for the development is the land development code, and if the developer meets all the criteria in the land development code, it is very difficult for the board to deny that development,” the county administrator said. “Now, that is something that we can look at, and we’ve talked about it being looked at as far as a rewrite.” He noted that some development applications have been sent back to the Escambia County Planning Board, and some developers have taken the county to court.
“I think what I hear is we could be doing better communication on what’s coming forward and what we’re doing to prepare for it,” Salzman said after further discussion about traffic and schools. She said better planning would involve studies on traffic, drainage and other overall impacts of a new development.
“The school board looks at this the same way you do, and it’s a problem,” Harrell said. He said while some schools have room for growth, like Molino Park Elementary which was planned as a potential K-8 school, other schools simply don’t have any room for growth.
He specifically cited Jim Allen Elementary, which causes arrival and dismissal traffic problems on Highway 95A. He said a new wing could be added or a new school could be constructed if funding were to be available, but there’s currently no good way to get traffic off Highway 95A and onto the school campus with limited acreage and an adjacent park and cemetery.
Salzman said she will consult with the Florida Department of Transportation on potential traffic solutions for Jim Allen “to keep kids safe.” Stephens said ECUA looks for the most cost effective ways to address new developments, often seeking a cost-sharing agreement for utility upgrades that benefit neighborhoods surrounding the development. Prather said the much smaller Molino Utilities struggles with plans on how to serve growing demand from developments, some of which could increase their customer base exponentially.
Another District 5 resident, Bryan Davis, expressed concerns about the impact of continued development on county fire and EMS services, particularly on the remaining volunteer departments such as Walnut Hill.
Panel members expressed that future District 5 meetings will be held in the coming months, and Salzman said she will invite FDOT to attend one of those meetings to talk about transportation needs.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Federal Prison For Man Than Funneled Meth Into Escambia County, Including Cantonment And Beulah
January 7, 2026
A multi-year investigation into a sophisticated drug trafficking network that funneled high-purity methamphetamine into Cantonment, Beulah, and Pensacola has ended with a 10-year federal prison sentence for the man at its center.
Ohagee “Gee” Curry, 28, was sentenced in federal court. Curry had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to federal prosecutors, Curry acted as the primary coordinator for an organization that sourced large quantities of methamphetamine from California and Alabama.
“Our state and federal law enforcement partners were relentless in their investigation of this large drug trafficking operation,” said U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin. “It paid off with the dismantling of that network through this successful prosecution.”
“Our commitment to arresting these drug traffickers who are poisoning our community is never-ending,” said Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons. “The successful prosecution of these offenders is a product of the partnerships that we have built and continue to build within our law enforcement community.”
Court documents reveal that Curry utilized the U.S. Mail to receive packages from California and employed couriers to transport drugs from Alabama into Florida. Once the shipments arrived, Curry distributed the illegal substances to a network of dealers who sold them throughout the Panhandle, with a heavy concentration in local Cantonment, Beulah, and Pensacola neighborhoods.
The investigation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Sheriff’s Offices of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties.
Curry was one of 14 defendants charged across three separate indictments as part of the broader crackdown. Law enforcement officials noted that during the investigation, multiple mail packages were intercepted containing high-purity methamphetamine intended for the local streets.
The prosecution was part of the federal Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), a “whole-of-government” initiative aimed at disrupting criminal cartels and trafficking rings
Non-Profit To Once Again Offer Free Eye Exams And Glasses To Escambia County Students
January 7, 2026
The Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program will once again offer free comprehensive eye exams and glasses to public school students in Escambia County.
After NorthEscambia.com published a story on Tuesday about students receiving the eye exams and glasses in December, the non-profit announced it will once again offer its services if the school district can get 30 approved applicants at five schools in the county.
The application period will be short — only about 10 days. To apply, click here.
Need to Know Program Info:
Florida students at a listed school
Low Income
Pre-k through 12 grade
Can reapply every school year
6-12 week processing time
All information is kept confidential and not shared with any other entity.
During December, the program provided free eye exams to 165 children, and 127 will be receiving a free pair of glasses.
Pictured: A doctor from the Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program conducted free eye exams at Bratt Elementary in December. NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Top Reader: Ransom Middle Student Reads 1.755 Million Words In December
January 7, 2026
Paige Ruhnow was recognized at the December Accelerated Reader (AR) Top Reader at Ransom Middle School.
Paige read 1,755,099 words and passed 20 AR tests.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Council Elects President, VP And Sets 2026 Meeting Schedule
January 7, 2026
Tuesday night, the Century Town Council elected a president and vice president to lead the council for the new year and set a meeting schedule for 2026.
Dynette Lewis was reelected to serve another year as council president on a 3-2 vote after a nomination by John Bass and a second from Henry Cunningham. After a long pause, Shelisa McCall voted no on Lewis as council president, and Sparkie Harrison also voted no.
Bass nominated Cunningham as vice president, and Harrison nominated McCall, leaving the council with two open nomination motions.
“I’ll let Ms. McCall take it,” Cunningham said before seconding McCall’s nomination. “I did four years, so let her have it, I’ll step out.”
The motion carried 4-1 to elect McCall as vice president, with Lewis casting the dissenting vote.
Meeting Schedule
The council also set meeting dates for 2026 on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6:15 p.m. with three exceptions. The second meeting of August will be held on August 25, and the first meeting of November will be November 10 due to election days, and a single meeting will be held in December on the first.
Pictured top: (L-R) Tuesday night, the Century Town Council elected Dynette Lewis, Century as the body’s president and Shelisa McCall as vice president. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Next Escambia Waste Services Free Paint Day Is Canceled
January 7, 2026
Due to lack of availability, free paint will not be available Thursday, January 15 at the Perdido Landfill.
The next free paint day is scheduled for Thursday, February 5, but will be dependent on availability.
Free paint is typically available at the Perdido Landfill on the first and third Thursday of each month from 8-11 a.m. It is offered to the public for free in exchange for a new five gallon bucket with a lid (available at local hardware stores). Available colors vary.
Citizens can also dispose of up to 20 gallons of latex and oil-based paint at a time at the landfill at no charge. Latex paint is screened twice, reblended and put into new five-gallon buckets.
Will 2026 Finally Be The Year For A New Freedom Road Bridge In Century?
January 6, 2026
Will 2025 finally be the year for a new Freedom Road Bridge in Century?
Century Administrator Dave Murzin says he sure hopes so.
January 29 will mark six years since the bridge was closed.
For a while, it looked like a new bridge would be in place by the second half of 2026. But now, the project remains on hold as the Town of Century is forced to continue to seek additional funding.
Century received a nearly $1.257 million legislative appropriation for a new Freedom Road bridge, and just over $1 million remains today for construction after project design and permitting,
The town opened bids last year for the project with the low bid of $1,612,966.06 from F&W Construction Company. With engineering and inspection costs, the town needs about $700,000 more.
“We are continuing to seek other sources of funding,” Murzin said recently. He said the shortfall was due to rising construction costs since the Legislature funded the project.
The town is also exploring other options to lower the overall cost, such as in-kind services from Escambia County
Two other bids were received on the project: RBM Contracting at $1,733,878.30 and Chavers Construction at $2,274,427.50.
On January 29, 2020, the town suddenly closed the bridge on Freedom Road, just east of Jefferson Avenue. Photos obtained by NorthEscambia.com a few days later showed the dangerous conditions that led to the emergency closure. Several pilings under the wooden bridge were no longer properly supporting the structure, and some of the pilings were split or had extreme deterioration (pictured left and below).
File photos/graphics for and by NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hundreds of Escambia Students Receive Gift of Sight Through Non-Profit Vision Program
January 6, 2026
Hundreds of schoolchildren in Escambia County will enjoy the gift of better eyesight in 2026, thanks to a non-profit vision program.
In December, the Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program, a subsidiary of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, provided free comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses, if needed, to about 170 Escambia County Public School students at seven schools. The program is funded by entities that include the Florida Department of Health and the Lions Clubs International Foundation.
“We provide no-cost eye exams, and if the children need glasses, we give them glasses at no cost as well,” said Dr. Whitney Schubert, after completing eye exams at Bratt Elementary School. “We do a complete eye exam, complete with the dilation, the drops, and the full examination.”
At Bratt Elementary School, 19 of 29 students who received an eye exam needed glasses.
“They get to pick out their own glasses, which is really cool,” Schubert said. “The kids get so excited, and that’s important at this age.”
The doctor said that studies show one in four children have an undiagnosed vision problem.
“If you can imagine if you can’t see what the teacher is presenting to you, it’s going to be really hard to pick up on those concepts,” she said. “Just getting them a good pair of glasses really just sets the kids up to be able to learn, to grow, and to become confident little kids.”
The Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program free comprehensive eye examinations were offered by the program at Bratt, Lipscomb, McArthur, Ferry Pass, Ensley, Myrtle Grove, and Oakcrest elementary schools. Parents were eligible to apply for the program at 28 Escambia County schools in October, with the program requiring at least 30 approved applicants in order to provide the service at a school.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
