Escambia County, Alabama, Voters Approve Health Care Tax
December 10, 2025
Escambia County, Alabama, voters on Tuesday approved a property tax earmarked for hospital funding and health care.
Tuesday’s referendum passed with 1,647 (54%) in favor and 1,396 (46%) against.
The 4-mill tax is expected to generate and estimated $1.8 million for health care facilities, according to the Escambia County Healthcare Authority. The authority’s services include D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital in Brewton, Atmore Community Hospital, D.W. McMillan EMS, Atmore Community Home Care, Atmore Med Plus, ACH Family Physicians, ACH Primary Care, Atmore Therapy Services, D.W. McMillan Home Medical Equipment, D.W. McMillan Home Health and the Flomaton Medical Center
Preliminary unofficial results by precinct, were as follows:
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Moves To 5A, Northview Remains In Rural In New FHSAA Classifications
December 10, 2025
The Florida High School Athletic Association has released its new tentative classifications for 2026-28, and it sees several area teams moving down a class.
The Tate Aggies moved down from 6A to 5A, as did Pace and Navarre. Pine Forest went down to 3A, while Gulf Breeze and Milton were reclassified into 4A.
The changes are because FHSAA voted in November to drop Class 7A.
Northview, Jay, and Central remained in the Rural Classification.
Schools have until December 15 to appeal the changes, and teams cannot begin their scheduling until the final classifications are released on December 17. The remaining flass sport classifications will be released in the spring.
Here are local classes and districts are aligned:
Class 5A, District 1
- Tate
- Crestview
- Navarre
- Niceville, Pace
Class 4A, District 1
- Escambia
- Gulf Breeze
- Milton
- Washington
- Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton beach)
- Fort Walton Beach
Class 3, District 1
- West Florida
- Pensacola
- Pine Forest
- South Walton
- Bay
Rural
The Rural class does not have regions or districts. Area teams in the Rural Class are Northview, Jay, and Central.
Pictured: The Tate Aggies hosted the Pace Patriots on October 10, 2025. Both teams moved down from 6A to 5A in new tentative classifications released by the FHSAA. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Approves $2,000 Donation To Local Historical Society
December 10, 2025
At their last meeting ,the Century Town Council recently voted to donate $2,000 to the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society (ASHS).
Named after the lumber mill that established a company town around 1901, ASHS maintains a museum, a historic park with other buildings and the Old 100 steam locomotive, and organizes the annual Sawmill Day bringing locals and visitors to town each May. The group also provides museum tours and educational outreach events.
ASHS member Russell Brown said the group is facing rising costs for maintain facilities, including repairs, utilities, and a failed HVAC system.
From their annual donation budget, the town previously donated $1,000 per year to the historical society for utilities. Brown said the organization’s utility bills are not about $2,400 per year.
The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society will provide utility bill documentation to the town on a reimbursement basis up to $2,000 per year.
The Alger-Sullivan Leach House Museum on Fourth Street is open on the first and third Saturday of each month.
Pictured: Russell Brown of the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society shows a ledger book from their Leach House Museum collection. THe leger book documents early housing records from just after the turn of the 20th century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Softball Holds Winter Wonderland Little Aggies Camp
December 10, 2025
On a cold Tuesday night, the Tate Aggies Softball hosted its Winter Wonderland Little Aggies Camp.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
County Considers Expansion Of Highway 4A Safety Improvement Project To $2.36 Million
December 9, 2025
This week, the Escambia County Commission will consider expanding a Highway 4A safety improvement project.
In August, the commission approved a $1.8 million roadway safety improvements project for Highway 4A from Byrneville to near Century. The approved project limits are from Highway 4, at the traffic light near the Byrneville Community Center, and continuing for 3.5 miles, about a half-mile past Broomes Road..
On Thursday, the commission will vote on a change order for $554,890.20 to extend the current project from 3.5 to 4.8 miles of roadway safety improvements. The new project limits, if approved, on Highway 4A will be from Highway 4 at the light in Byrneville to State Line Road, and include pavement reconstruction at the State Line Road intersection. The new project total will be $2,362,863.20.
The planned roadway improvements include widening and overlaying the existing lanes. The project also includes the relocation of mailboxes, and the reinstallation of traffic signs to county specifications. The guardrails within the project limit will be upgraded to current Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) standards.
The project also includes minor drainage modifications to accommodate road widening.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Century Neighborhood Watch Organized, Sets Future Meetings
December 9, 2025
An organizational meeting was held Monday night for a new Century Neighborhood Watch, under the guidance of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The group elected Evelyn Deterville as president, Emma Fletcher as vice president and Deborah William and secretary.
About a dozen attendees learned how to keep a watchful eye on their community, protect themselves, and properly report crime to the ECSO from David Craig, community relations coordinator, and Deputy Howard Enderson.
Future meetings will be held at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at the Soul Train Club at 150 East Pond Street. The next meeting will be held on January 12, and the public is invited to attend.
NorhtEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Council Reappoints Key Staff, Holds Off On New Police Chief After Derek Lowry Resignation
December 9, 2025
Flomaton’s police chief has resigned, and the appointment of a replacement has been delayed for at least a week.
Dereck Lowry resigned as police chief last Friday, Mayor Arthur Odom announced to the town council Monday night. He had served as chief since May 2024.
The council approved Odom’s recommendations to reappointed several municipal positions, including Town Clerk Kaci Boutwell, Superintendent of Public Works Shaun Moye, and Town Attorney Chuck Johns.
But the council on Monday night stopped short of promoting Flomaton Police Department Captain Justin Hetrick as police chief at the mayor’s recommendation. The council instead appointed Hetrick as interim chief and set a 5:30 p.m. special meeting on December 15 to interview him.
When Odom was sworn in as Flomaton mayor in early November, he deferred the municipal appointments until a November 10 meeting, and they were again deferred to December 8.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Names Students Of The Month
December 9, 2025
Byrneville Elementary School recently named its Students of the Month for November.
They are:
Kindergarten: Miracle Slade and Tucker Boutwell
1st Grade: AJ Sutton and Georgia Cofield
2nd Grade: Cali Cottrell and Shelby McKenna
3rd Grade: Arayah McCall and Paisley Miller
4th Grade: Jagger Scott and Estella Johnson
5th Grade: Emrey Fowler and William Maxwell
Art: Derri’ashia Grice
Music: Chaplin Grassia
PE: Jaden Cardwell
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
International Paper Awards $65,000 In Community Grants
December 9, 2025
International Paper’s Pensacola Mill recently awarded $65,000 in International Paper Foundation grants to nine local organizations for education, hunger, health and wellness, disaster relief, and environmental initiatives.
The largest grant of $15,000 was awarded to Sacred Heart Foundation to create a multi-sensory room at the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart. This space will provide therapeutic support for children with sensory processing challenges, neurological conditions, and anxiety, helping families across Northwest Florida.
Another major grant supports Jim Allen Elementary School’s Stoked about Science and Social Studies project, equipping classrooms with resources that inspire curiosity and strengthen STEM education for local students.
“We are proud to partner with organizations that share our vision for a stronger, healthier community,” said Whitney Fike, Regional Communications Manager at International Paper. “These grants allow us to amplify the impact of projects that matter most, whether it is creating a sensory-friendly space for children in need or providing innovative learning tools for local students. These initiatives represent the heart of what community investment should be: meaningful, lasting change.”
Grants were awarded to:
- Autism Pensacola – Families Navigating Autism
- Council on Aging of West Florida – Powering Our Future
- Covenant Care Foundation – Nonie’s Place
- Health and Hope Clinic – Access to Care
- Jim Allen Elementary – Stoked about Science and Social Studies
- Manna Food Bank – Healthy Kids Initiative
- Pensacola MESS Hall – Mess Hall Updates
- Sacred Heart Foundation – Sacred Space Sensory Room
- YMCA of Northwest Florida – Literacy Launch Kits
Grants were determined after a thorough review by local team members and the International Paper Foundation’s grants committee, with final approval by the foundation’s board of trustees.
Keiser Wins NAIA Soccer National Championship At Ashton Brosnaham Park
December 9, 2025
The NAIA Women’s Soccer Championship was held over the past week in North Escambia.
Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Complex off 10 Mile Road hosted the tournament, except for last minute move of some matches to Gulf Shores due to weather,
The Keiser University Seahawks (West Palm Beach, FL) claimed their third championship title with a penalty kick, ending over 110 minutes of play with a combined 37 shots throughout the game. The Seahawks defeated Cumberlands (Kentucky) for the championship and the league’s Red Banner.
Keiser claimed its third red banner in program history with a 20-3-1 overall record. Cumberlands (Ky.) wrapped up their phenomenal season with an overall record of 17-5-3.
Last month, Ashton Brosnaham hosted the SEC Women’s Soccer Championship, which was won by Vanderbilt.