Blue Wahoos Eke Out 4-3 Win to Start Second Half
June 24, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos opened up the second half of their Southern League schedule on Tuesday night with a nailbiter, beating the Chattanooga Lookouts 4-3.
Cam Cannarella, fresh off being named Southern League Player of the Week on Monday, started the game with a leadoff single against Lookouts starter Nick Sando (L, 1-3) and quickly stole second base. He came in two batters later on a Juan Matheus RBI single, putting Pensacola ahead 1-0.
Jacob Miller, making his second start since coming off the injured list, worked 3.0 scoreless innings for the Blue Wahoos. Relievers Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (W, 2-2) and Nigel Belgrave took the game into the seventh with only three hits allowed, only one of which left the infield.
Sando was abruptly pulled with an apparent injury in the fourth inning, and reliever Bryce Hubbart kept the Blue Wahoos in check for 2.2 innings. The next Lookouts reliever, Easton Sikorski, didn’t fare as well. Aiva Arquette hit a two-run single in the seventh, and Fenwick Trimble and Ryan Ignoffo hit back-to-back doubles in the eighth to extend the lead to 4-0.
Holt Jones, who hadn’t allowed a run in his first seven relief appearances for the Blue Wahoos, ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth. Carlos Jorge doubled, Leo Balcazar singled and Cam Collier doubled to get the Lookouts on the board and bring up the potential tying run. Though Ruben Ibarra brought home a run on an RBI groundout and Jones fired a wild pitch to bring the score to 4-3, the righty escaped the inning with the lead intact.
In the ninth, Jack Sellinger (S, 4) worked around a leadoff single to earn the save and seal a 4-3 win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Wednesday night.
written by Erik Bremer
Boil Water Notice Lifted For Freedom Road Area In Century
June 23, 2026
Update: This boil water notice was lifted just after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 25.
The town of Century has issued a boil water notice for the Freedom Road area, including the Camellia Garden Apartments.
The boil water notice includes all of Camela Road, Camellia Road and Freedom Road.
The boil water notice was issued due to a equipment maintenance.
As a precaution, the town advises that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. As an alternative, bottled water may be used. Residents are also advised to take precautions when bathing, especially immunocompromised individuals, infants, or the elderly.
A loss in system pressure could cause back siphonage of contaminants, such as e. coli bacteria, into the water system. water containing E. coli bacteria can be considered safe for drinking and cooking after vigorously boiling the water. Disease symptoms caused by these bacteria may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and possibly jaundice, and any associated headache and fatigue. EPA has set an enforceable drinking water standard for e. coli to reduce the risk of these adverse health effects. Under this standard all drinking water must be free of these bacteria.
The water system is currently collecting samples to determine if the presence of E. coli bacteria exists within the water system. This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been corrected and a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
Anyone with question should call the Town of Century at (850) 256-3208.
This story will be updated when the boil water notice is lifted.
All Escambia County Bridges, Except O.C. Phillips, Now Open
June 23, 2026
All Escambia County bridges, except O.C. Phillips, have reopened.
The temporary bridge over Brushy Creek on O.C. Phillips Road remains closed after the after a temporary access road was destroyed by a flood. A timetable to reopens the bridge has not been announced.
Barrineau Park Road (Highway 196) was closed and barricaded at South Highway 99 in Florida and at Highway 112 in Alabama last Friday after torrential rainfall led to a rapidly rising river. This is a normal occurrence following excessive rainfall.
Pictured: Highway 196 near the Barrineau Park Bridge last Friday, June 19. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDEP Inspects Century Drinking Water, Sewer Systems Monday As Lawsuit Heats Up
June 23, 2026
As a lawsuit is pending in the court system, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) inspected the Town of Century Wastewater Treatment Plant and an out-of-service water well on Academy Street on Monday.
The FDEP visit, which Mayor Ben Boutwell said was the agency’s first inspection in Century since November 2025, came as activity in the court case heats up.
FDEP filed a sweeping lawsuit against the Town of Century, citing dozens of chronic violations at both its wastewater treatment facility and its public drinking water system.
The lawsuit, filed on August 29, 2024, in the Escambia County Circuit Court, seeks injunctive relief and civil penalties exceeding $50,000 for systemic failures to maintain infrastructure, meet water quality standards, and properly monitor public utilities.
Broken Promises at the Wastewater Plant
According to court documents, the town entered into a legally binding Consent Order with the FDEP on June 24, 2022, to address ongoing issues at its wastewater facility, which treats sewage for a population of over 3,100 residents and inmates. However, a follow-up state inspection on November 21, 2023, revealed that Century had failed to execute almost all required corrective actions.
Unresolved infrastructure and operational issues at the wastewater plant include:
- Effluent Violations: The facility exceeded its permitted discharge limits 36 times between March 2022 and the filing of the complaint. This included 13 exceedances for total ammonia nitrogen, 13 for fecal coliform, and four for total residual chlorine.
- Infrastructure Neglect: Key equipment—including the facility’s tertiary filters and sludge/belt presses—was completely non-operational or removed without replacement. Inspectors also found cracked plant walls wicking fluids and an overgrown reject pond.
- Unreported Sewage Overflows: The town failed to timely report active wastewater spills flowing onto the ground, as well as three separate sanitary sewer overflows that occurred in March and July of 2023.
Drinking Water Hazards and Safety Failures
The FDEP also detailed a long list of violations within Century’s potable water system following a comprehensive sanitary survey on January 11, 2024. State officials allege the town has severely neglected the maintenance and security of its three drinking water wells.
Key drinking water violations include:
- Critically Low Chlorine Levels: In January 2024, state testing revealed free-chlorine residuals of just 0.04 mg/L at City Hall and a completely depleted 0.0 mg/L at the Century Courthouse distribution center. State rules require a minimum residual of 0.2 mg/L to ensure proper disinfection.
- Missed Contaminant Testing: The town repeatedly skipped required chemical and health screenings, missing annual disinfection byproduct monitoring in 2021 and 2023, lead and copper tap sampling across three separate years, and nitrate/nitrite testing at Well 1.
- Severe Lack of Safety Equipment: Operators were left unprotected due to a total lack of required emergency eyewashes, safety showers, and drench hoses. Additionally, a required self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) was missing from gas chlorination rooms.
- Security Gaps: Enclosure doors at Well 3 (Blackmon Street) were found broken and unable to lock, alongside a completely shattered glass door, leaving the infrastructure vulnerable to tampering or vandalism.
- Boil Water Notice Delay: On January 17, 2024, the town issued a precautionary boil water notice but failed to notify the FDEP within the required 24-hour window. The state only discovered the notice through a NorthEscambia.com article.
Legal Repercussions
The state outlines that Century’s leadership possesses full knowledge of these infrastructure breakdowns but has failed to steer the utilities back into compliance. FDEP is asking the court to order the town to immediately fix the infrastructure and is seeking ongoing civil penalties of up to $15,000 per day, per violation, alongside the recovery of the state’s legal fees and investigative costs.
Current Case Status
Boutwell said Monday’s visit gave FDEP a chance to see firsthand improvements that have actually been made, and learn about other improvements that are pending due to equipment shipping delays.
Active litigation was halted in April 2025 when both parties notified the court that they had reached a preliminary agreement to settle all pending claims. The court granted a sequence of stays to allow the FDEP and the town to formalize their arrangement into a consent final judgment.
The case was placed on hold under an extended abatement period. Following a joint status report on April 28, 2026, Circuit Court Judge Jennifer J. Frydrychowicz issued an Order Placing Case in Active Status and Requiring Updated Case Management Order, officially pulling the case out of abeyance and reopening it.
The town was ordered to formally retain legal counsel within 20 days, after which both parties were directed to submit a motion to establish a new, updated timeline of discovery and pre-trial deadlines. In compliance with the order, the Town of Century retained Timothy P. Atkinson and Segundo J. Fernandez of Oertel, Fernandez, Bryant & Atkinson, P.A. as their defense counsel.
Because defense counsel was recently brought on and needed time to review the complex history and merits of the case, the town filed an unopposed motion for more time. Judge Frydrychowicz granted this request, giving the parties up to and including July 1 to propose their new case management deadlines.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Highway 97 Lane Closures Begin In $14 Million Resurfacing Project
June 23, 2026
Highway 97 lane closures have begun on a Florida Department of Transportation project along Highway 97 from Highway 29 in Molino to the Alabama state line at Atmore.
Drivers may not see actual construction equipment and lane closures for some time; FDOT said the first few days of the project often include sign placement and other planning before equipment is mobilized.
The 22-mile project will include milling and resurfacing the roadway, updated signs and pavement markings, and drainage improvements.
Work has been underway for weeks for stormwater drainage improvements at the Highway 29 intersection to alleviate historic flooding by installing an additional box culvert across the southern leg of the intersection and two additional cross drains on the northern leg of the intersection.
Drivers may experience intermittent lane closures and restrictions between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The project is set for completion in 2027.
Highway 97 was last resurfaced in 2009-2010 at a cost of $5 million.
NorthEscambia.com graphics.
FHSAA Spring Sports Realignment Brings Shifts for Northview and Tate
June 23, 2026
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has released its tentative spring sports classifications for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years, triggering a major landscape shift for local athletic programs. The new biennial block brings significant changes to both Northview High School and Tate High School, highlighted by major classification drops for the Aggies and a permanent district home for the Chiefs.
The new alignments for Northview and Tate across the FHSAA spring sports lineup feature several key changes:
Baseball
Tate will drop down from Class 6A to Class 5A for the next two seasons. The Aggies will join a highly competitive District 1-5A lineup that features local rivals Gulf Breeze and Milton, alongside defending district champion Niceville. Meanwhile, Northview’s baseball program will see stability, remaining in the Rural classification where District 1 stays completely unchanged from the previous two seasons alongside Central and Jay.
Softball
Mirroring the baseball adjustments, Tate is dropping down to Class 5A. The Aggies will compete in District 1-5A with Gulf Breeze, Milton, Niceville, and Mosley, which bumps over from District 2-5A. This move shifts Tate away from Class 6A, which now features defending state champion Hagerty as well as Navarre and Pace. Northview softball will remain in the Rural classification, where District 1 remains unchanged.
Flag Football
Northview officially joins a state series district after spending the last two seasons competing as an independent program. The Chiefs will now compete in Class 1A. Tate will navigate a reconfigured District 1-3A; while Niceville remains a district opponent, panhandle power Choctaw has jumped up to 3A and Mosley bumps over to join the district.
Track and Field
Both schools are experiencing classification shifts for their boys and girls track and field programs. Tate is bumping up from Class 3A to Class 4A, joining a powerful District 1-4A field that includes Navarre, Pace, Crestview, and five-time state champion Niceville. Conversely, Northview is moving down from Class 2A to Class 1A, joining District 1-1A alongside Central, Jay, L.E.A.D. Academy, and Pensacola Christian.
Boys Weightlifting
Tate will remain in District 1-3A alongside Navarre, Pace, Crestview, and Niceville. The Aggies’ district rivals, Pace, will be chasing a fourth straight state sweep but will do so without their longtime head coach. Northview will continue competing in Class 1A, staying in District 1-1A with Central, Jay, and Pensacola Catholic.
Girls Lacrosse
Tate remains in Class 2A, where the district alignment is completely unchanged from the past two years alongside Gulf Breeze, Milton, and Navarre. Northview does not field a team in lacrosse.
Girls Tennis
Both programs will see total stability for the next two years. Tate remains in Class 3A alongside Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Pace, and Booker T. Washington. Northview remains in Class 1A with East Hill Christian, Jay, and Pensacola Catholic.
Boys Tennis
Just like the girls’ programs, the boys’ tennis teams for both schools will experience complete stability over the next two years. Tate remains anchored in Class 3A alongside Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Pace, and Booker T. Washington. Northview will continue to compete in Class 1A, sharing a district with East Hill Christian, Jay, and Pensacola Catholic.
These classifications remain tentative pending the FHSAA appeals process, which runs through July 3, after which all classes will be finalized.
Jay Man Convicted of Aggravated Animal Cruelty For Killing Kitten
June 23, 2026
A Jay man has been convicted of aggravated animal cruelty for killing his former girlfriend’s kitten
Gunner Cole Bush, 21, was convicted by a Santa Rosa County jury of aggravated animal cruelty.
In the early morning hours of December 9, 2023, Bush tortured a kitten to death, according to prosecutors. He moved into the home of his then-girlfriend and her family in the summer of 2023.
During that time, two other cats went missing, the State Attorney’s Office said. One of the cats had been in the family for five years. Bush was also the last person seen with one of the cats. After the death of the kitten on December 9, 2023, the family discovered the remains of the two other cats nearby.
The State Attorney’s Office said a tool used to mutilate the kitten was found in Bush’s truck.
The case was investigated by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and Santa Rosa County Animal Services. Special assistance was provided by the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, which conducted DNA analysis on a tool used to harm the kitten and performed a necropsy on the deceased animal.
Bush will be sentenced on July 27.
Cantonment Woman Faces Felony Charge After Shoplifting Incident
June 23, 2026
A Cantonment woman is facing a felony shoplifting charge after allegedly attempting to steal hundreds of dollars in merchandise from an Escambia County department store.
Lashamonique Tytrell Moore, 36, was arrested on a felony warrant charging her with second-degree petit theft, third or subsequent offense. She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,500 bond.
According to an arrest report from the Pensacola Police Department, an officer responded to the Marshalls department store located on Airport Boulevard in reference to a theft. A loss prevention officer reported seeing a woman, later identified as Moore, enter the store with a shopping cart and select $418.74$ worth of items, police said.
The report states that Moore walked toward the front doors without paying for the merchandise. As she neared the exit, an unidentified man took the shopping cart, and the two walked out of the store together. The store’s loss prevention officer was able to exit the building and safely recover all of the stolen merchandise.
PPD investigators reviewed store surveillance footage and utilized prior jail intake records and driver’s license photographs to positively identify Moore as the suspect. Police said Moore has more than three prior theft convictions, which elevates the charge to a felony under Florida law.
Northview, Ernest Ward Middle FFA Chapters Attend State Convention
June 23, 2026
A combined delegation of 18 members from the Northview High School FFA Chapter and the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA Chapter capped off their academic year with a string of victories at the 98th Florida FFA Convention & Expo last week in Orlando.
The Northview Parliamentary Procedures Career Development Event (CDE) Team led the chapter’s highlights by winning its district and placing in the top 12 overall in the state. The successful team consisted of Jack Boutwell, Jackson Bridges, Grace Oliver, Mary Oliver, Jackson Simmons, and Ona Spinks.
Because two members share a surname, chapter officials noted that both Grace Oliver and Mary Oliver were critical to the team’s precise execution. Grace Oliver also achieved individual historic milestones at the convention, participating in the Ag Ed Institute and being elected as the new Florida FFA District 1 President.
In individual leadership contests, Jackson Simmons captured a fourth-place finish in the state for the Discussion Meet Leadership Development Event (LDE).
The chapter itself was heavily decorated on the main stage, earning the prestigious Premier Chapter Award and a third-place finish for the Chapter Agricultural Advocacy Award. The Northview FFA Alumni and Friends chapter also took home a fourth-place finish for Outstanding Alumni Affiliate, while alumni member Donnie Dixon was named a finalist for the Outstanding Young Alumni Member Award.
The convention also marked a pinnacle of individual advancement for several local students. Hunter Manning was recognized as an American Degree Candidate, the highest rank achievable in the National FFA Organization.
Additionally, nine local students were awarded their State FFA Degrees. The recipients included Boutwell, Simmons, Spinks, Olivia Hall, Kailey Hawkins, Hannah Jerkins, Mikenna Mattheiss, Grace Oliver, and Mary Oliver.
NorthEscambia.com is running a series stories and photos from other North Escambia area schools that took part in the 98th Florida FFA State Convention & Expo in Orlando.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Temporary Road To Temporary Bridge Washed Away At $5 Million Bridge Replacement Site
June 22, 2026
A temporary asphalt road to a temporary bridge on a $5.03 million construction project has washed away at Brushy Creek southwest of Walnut Hill during recent torrential rain and floods.
Construction started in February on a full replacement of the bridge on O.C. Phillips Road, a dirt road. The asphalt road provided access to a temporary bridge that was allowing the roadway to remain open during construction of the new bridge.
The new bridge that is under construction is designed to be higher, reduce flooding, and improve the creek habitat. It is not set to be complete until the summer of 2027, weather permitting.
The O.C. Phillips Bridge Replacement Project is being performed in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation. The project is funded by the Local Option Sales Tax, FDOT, and RESTORE funds, with construction costs totaling $5,032,813. Murphree Bridge Corporation is the primary contractor.
There is no word on when the temporary bridge might reopen.
Pictured: The remnant of a temporary asphalt approach to a temporary bridge on O.C. Phillips Road as seen Sunday morning. Pictured inset above: The same area under creek flood waters last week. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
