Ibarra’s Big Night Lifts Lookouts Over Wahoos
June 25, 2026
Despite homers from Cam Cannarella, Dillon Lewis and Aiva Arquette, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos were outslugged by Ruben Ibarra and the Chattanooga Lookouts in a 13-5 loss on Wednesday night.
Ibarra hit a pair of three-run homers, a game-tying blast in the third inning and a go-ahead shot in the fifth, to help the Lookouts overcome an early deficit and even up the weeklong series at one game apiece.
The Blue Wahoos jumped ahead 1-0 in the first without the benefit of a hit. Cannarella drew a leadoff walk, took second on a wild pitch from Lookouts starter Johnathan Harmon (W, 8-2), and scored on a Juan Matheus sacrifice fly. In the third, Emaarion Boyd hit an RBI single and Cannarella blasted a solo homer for a 3-0 Blue Wahoos lead.
Ibarra tied the game with one swing in the third against Blue Wahoos starter Alex Williams (L, 4-6), launching a tape-measure homer to even the score 3-3. Lewis countered in the fourth with a solo homer, his league-leading 17th of the season, to briefly put the Blue Wahoos back in front 4-3.
Williams almost got through the bottom of the fifth inning with the lead intact, but issued a two-out walk to Cam Collier to bring up Ibarra once more. Reliever Luis Palacios then served up Ibarra’s second three-run homer in three innings, putting the Lookouts ahead 6-4.
Things got out of hand in the sixth, as the Lookouts scored five more against Palacios and Christian MacLeod. They tacked on two additional runs in the seventh against Josh Hejka with a Carlos Jorge two-run triple.
Arquette went deep in the top of the ninth for the Blue Wahoos, but it was not nearly enough as Brody Jessee finished off a 13-5 Lookouts victory.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Lookouts on Thursday night.
FHP Traffic Stop Leads To Drug, Evidence Tampering Charges For Cantonment Man
June 24, 2026
A Cantonment man is facing multiple charges after a traffic stop by the Florida Highway Patrol.
According to an arrest report, a state trooper pulled over a silver Nissan near Highway 95A and Neal Road after noticing the driver was not wearing his seatbelt properly. Instead of stopping immediately, the driver continued traveling at a slow rate of speed while moving around inside the vehicle. Before coming to a complete stop, the driver threw a baseball-sized plastic baggie containing 16 grams of marijuana out of the front passenger window, the report states.
The driver, identified as 37-year-old Jeremy Tramine Moore, was detained at the scene. A subsequent vehicle search revealed a digital scale and a small bowl containing marijuana residue inside a backpack, FHP said. Authorities also discovered that Moore had a driver’s license with an extensive history of suspensions. Moore admitted to troopers that he was selling marijuana from his residence, the report states.
Moore was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, destruction of evidence, and driving with a suspended license. He remained in jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $13,500.
Former Congressman Matt Gaetz Appointed to Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors
June 24, 2026
Former Northwest Florida congressman Matt Gaetz is returning to public service.
He has been appointed to the board of directors for Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. Triumph is a non-profit corporation that oversees about $1.5 billion Florida received from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which has about $690 million remaining to allocate.
Gaetz was appointed on Tuesday by Daniel Perez, speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. The appointment is effective July 1 and expires on June 30, 2030.
Gaetz resigned from Congress in November 2024 after President Donald Trump announced he would nominate him as attorney general. He later withdrew from consideration.
Multiple Escambia River Recreation Sites Closed Due to Flooding
June 24, 2026
Multiple Northwest Water Management District recreation sites are temporarily closed until further notice due to flooding.
Escambia River
- Bluff Springs – entire site closed
- Williams Lake – entire site closed
- Keyser Landing – entire site closed
- Webb Landing – entire site closed
- Cotton Lake – entire site closed
- Mystic Springs — reopened
Perdido River
- Otto Hill -reopened
Now-Former ECSO Colonel Charged With Multiple Felonies After Alleged Domestic Incident
June 24, 2026
A now-former Escambia County Sheriff’s Office colonel has been charged with several felonies in Santa Rosa County. The case involved her husband and his alleged female partner.
Mindy Marie Von Ansbach Young, 48, resigned just before her arrest in Escambia County on a Milton Police Department warrant for felony criminal mischief, two counts of aggravated stalking, harassing a witness and misdemeanor breach of the peace. Von Ansbach Young went to a woman’s home where her “soon-to-be” ex-husband was staying around 3:30 a.m. on June 11.
According to an arrest report, she “beat on the doors and windows” while screaming and cursing, demanding both of them come outside. She then allegedly went over to the woman’s vehicle and caused “deep scratches and etching with letters that appear to spell the word ‘whore.’” Damages were estimated at $1,800.
The report also states Von Ansbach Young had also previously called the woman and said that “she would kill [her husband] and [the woman] if [her husband] attempted to get a divorce,” before adding that she “is not scared to go to prison.”
Von Ansbach Young allegedly approached her husband on June 13 and told him, “If you do not have [the woman] drop charges, it will be a nasty divorce, and I will bleed you dry of money.” However, the woman still chose to pursue criminal charges.
Von Ansbach Young was in the Escambia County Jail for 22 minutes before being released on a $15,250 bond, according to jail records.
She had worked for the ECSO since 1999, most recently leading the mental health unit.
Beulah Middle School FFA Honored At State Convention
June 24, 2026
The Beulah Middle School FFA chapter was awarded atthe state FFA convention, bringing home multiple state championships, top-five finishes, and premier chapter recognition.
Leading the charge for Beulah Middle were Piper Flory and Cheyenne Armstrong, who were crowned State Champions in Agriscience.
The chapter’s leadership and teamwork were also on full display as the Parliamentary Procedure team finished as the State Runner-Up. In addition, the Conduct of Chapter Meetings team excelled on the state stage, finishing as a Top 12 team overall in Florida.
Individual accolades continued with Caleb Pitts, who earned a impressive fourth-place finish in the state in the Prepared Public Speaking competition.
Beulah Middle FFA was also honored collectively with the prestigious Premier Chapter Award and secured a fourth-place finish in Agricultural Advocacy. The chapter’s specialized teams showed deep strength across multiple disciplines, with the Floriculture, Vegetable Judging, and Aquaculture teams all earning recognition for finishing in the Top 5 in the state.
The event also marked significant milestones for older students connected to the program. Bella Trivison, a West Florida High School intern working with the chapter, was awarded her State FFA Degree.
The chapter celebrated Beulah Middle School alumnus Isabelle Jenkins as Jenkins concluded a year of service as the State FFA Secretary.
Over the next few days, NorthEscambia.com will bring stories and photos from other North Escambia area school that took part in the 98th Florida FFA State Convention & Expo in Orlando.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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.
