Powerball Rolls Over To $1.3 Billion; Winning $1 Million Ticket Sold In Escambia County
September 2, 2025
No one won the $1.1 billion top prize in the Powerball drawing Monday night, but one quick pick ticket sold in Escambia County won a $1 million second tier prize, for matching five numbers.
The ticket was sold at the Greer’s Perdido Bay Market at 12255 Lillian Highway and matched five numbers, one of several Match 5 tickets sold across the country and the only one sold in Florida.
The next Powerball jackpot drawing on Wednesday night is worth an estimated $1.3 billion or a cash payout of $589 million.
Monday night’s winning numbers were:
8-23-25-40-53
PB: 5
PowerPlay: 3
Century Man Sentenced After DUI, Fleeing Crash, And Driving Home
September 2, 2025
A Century man was sentenced for fleeing a DUI crash and driving home in a case brought by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Willie Eugene Cottrell, now 68, was sentenced to 12 months probation for DUI and was cited for leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, and his driver’s license was also suspended for 12 months.
On June 6, Cottrell veered off the road, overturned his Nissan Versa, and hit a wire fence on Highway 4A near Bass Road, according to an FHP report. The vehicle made at least one rotation before coming to a final rest on its tires. Cottrell then called 911, and Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded.
He became verbally abusive to EMS personnel in the back of an ambulance and fled through the rear doors, according to an arrest report, before getting back in his Nissan and driving home about 1.5 miles to his residence on Backwoods Road.
A trooper responded to his residence, noting he smelled strongly of alcohol and was slurring his words. He refused a field sobriety test, but the trooper said his impairment from alcohol “was extreme and obvious” and placed him under arrest. Cottrell later provided two breath samples, both showing a breath alcohol content of 0.164, over twice the legal limit of 0.08, according to the arrest report.
Bonus Photos: Northview Chiefs Fans, Band, Cheerleaders
September 2, 2025
The Northview Chiefs dropped their home opener to Opp Friday night 26-14.
For a bonus photo gallery including the band, fans, student section, and cheerleaders, click here.
For a game action story and photos, click here
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Dub’s Birthday Doubles Not Enough In Wahoos Loss To Shuckers
September 2, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos began a pivotal road series against the Biloxi Shuckers with a 6-3 loss on Monday night.
Playing on Labor Day for the first time since 2019, and playing on a Monday for just the third time in five years, the Blue Wahoos out-hit the Shuckers 11 to 8 but couldn’t overcome an early deficit.
First baseman Dub Gleed, celebrating his 23rd birthday, was 4-for-4 with three doubles, tying a franchise record last set by Royce Lewis in 2019.
Right fielder Fenwick Trimble, named the Southern League Player of the Week earlier in the afternoon, made a strong first impression in the field in the first inning. With two on and two outs, Shuckers designated hitter Mike Boeve made a bid for a three-run homer before Trimble reached over the right field wall to make an impressive catch.
Gleed’s first double of the night scored Mark Coley II from second base in the second inning to give the Blue Wahoos a 1-0 lead. That would be the only run allowed by Biloxi starter Tyson Hardin, who worked 2.1 innings in his continued return from a lengthy stay on the injured list.
Blue Wahoos starter Alex Williams (L, 4-4), saved from a Boeve homer by his right fielder in the first inning, surrendered a two-run shot to Garrett Spain in the second inning for a 2-1 Biloxi lead. The Shuckers added on in the third, loading the bases before a Darrien Miller RBI groundout extended their advantage to 3-1.
Three more Biloxi runs scored on a pivotal play in the fourth, as Cooper Pratt lifted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to Trimble in right field. An errant relay throw from second baseman Payton Green sailed into foul ground, emptying the bases and putting the Shuckers ahead 6-1.
The Blue Wahoos got two back in the fifth inning on back-to-back RBI doubles from Michael Snyder and Jared Serna off Zach Peek (W, 6-2), but clutch hits eluded them the rest of the night. Two runners were stranded in scoring position in the seventh inning, and Abdiel Mendoza (S, 1) left runners at the corners in the ninth to seal a 6-3 final.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos are now 4.5 games behind first-place Montgomery in the second half South Division standings with 11 games to play in the regular season.
After an off day Tuesday, the Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Shuckers on Wednesday.
Escambia County Unemployment Up Only Slightly
September 1, 2025
The Escambia County unemployment rate increased only slightly over the last month.
Escambia County and the Pensacola metro area education and health services sector added 1,000 jobs over the year in July 2025, FloridaCommerce announced. The Pensacola metro area added 200 jobs (+0.3%) in the private sector over the year in July 2025.
The area labor force was down 0.8% (-1,930) over the year in July 2025. The Escambia County unemployment rate increased to 4.5% in July 2025, up from 4.4% in June and 4.0% a year ago, according to the latest release from the state.
Florida’s statewide unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in July 2025 and has been lower than the national rate for 57 consecutive months since November 2020.
Byrneville Elementary Names Students Of The Month
September 1, 2025
Byrneville Elementary School has named their August Students of the Month.
They are:
Kindergarten: Alyssa Rogers and Emmy Lou Tamondong
1st Grade: Zeke Wester and Remy Levins
2nd Grade: Ares Parish and Bailey Rogers
3rd Grade: Cole Lashley and Ava Culliver
4th Grade: Kase Calloway and Kipton Little
5th Grade: Paislee Cash and Kolin Rogers
Art: Devon Hall
Music: Conner Fowler
PE: Evin Levins
Cameras Capture Over 17,500 Pensacola Red Light Violations
September 1, 2025
The City of Pensacola’s red light camera program has been active since January 2025 and is now averaging approximately 97 citations a day.
In June, the city saw a decrease in red light camera citation numbers from 3,162 to 2,673, the second-lowest total since citations began in February. However, in July, the number of citations began to increase.
“These are egregious violations, not just someone who was a couple inches over the line,” Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said. “Anyone watching the footage can see the complete disregard for the public’s safety, which is exactly why the cameras were installed.”
Red Light Camera Intersections by the Numbers
- 9th Avenue & Bayou — 5,557 (31% of citations)
- north, south, east and west approaches
- 9th Avenue & Airport — 2,606 (15% of citations)
- north, south, east and west approaches
- 9th Avenue & Fairfield Drive — 3,449 (20% of citations)
- east and west approaches
- 9th Avenue & Gregory Street — 6,052 (34% of citations)
- west approach
Alabama Grocery Tax Decreases Monday
September 1, 2025
Shoppers in Alabama will get a little savings on groceries beginning today.
Alabama’s grocery tax decreases from 3% to 2% on Monday under a house bill signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in May.
But that’s not all you will pay. County and municipal taxes will remain the same. That means in Atmore, for example, you’ll pay the 2% state tax on groceries, plus 2% Escambia County tax, plus 4% Atmore city tax — that’s a total of 8% tax on groceries in Atmore as of Monday. A $100 grocery purchase in Atmore would mean $8 in tax.
There is no tax on groceries in Florida.
Escambia Man Indicted On Firearms, Narcotics Possession Charges
September 1, 2025
An Escambia County man has been charged in a felony indictment for possession of narcotics and firearms.
Jujuan George, 33, of Pensacola, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with distribution of fentanyl and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Trial is scheduled for October 6, 2025 before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers in Pensacola. If convicted, George faces up to life imprisonment.
Wahoos Fall Short In Extras, Lose Homestand Finale
September 1, 2025
Blue Wahoos reliever Nigel Belgrave had just finished a clean ninth inning with three strikeouts.
But when Sunday’s game went into extra innings, an opposite result unfolded.
Chattanooga produced a 5-run rally in the 10th against Belgrave for a 7-2 victory, giving the Lookouts the series win at Blue Wahoos Stadium and putting a big dent into the Blue Wahoos’ postseason chances.
This game had breezed with solid pitching on both sides and was tied 2-2 heading into the seventh inning. The Blue Wahoos, however, could not generate a go-ahead run and it proved costly.
The Lookouts, who won the Southern League North Division first half race, took four of the seven games in this week-long series. The loss dropped the Blue Wahoos (29-28 in second half, 63-63 overall) four games behind the Montgomery Biscuits in the South Division race.
The Biscuits won their ninth consecutive game Sunday to surge into a commanding lead with 12 games left in the season. They also hold the tiebreaker against the Blue Wahoos if the second half ends that way.
Earlier in Sunday’s game, the Blue Wahoos got a solid start from Jacob Miller, who allowed just two runs, one walk through six innings. They received two shutout innings from new reliever Jack Sellinger.
But their offense sputtered. After Fenwick Trimble hit a two-run homer in the first inning, the Blue Wahoos had just three hits, all singles, the rest of the game.
Their best chance for a go-ahead run occurred in the sixth inning when Payton Green reached on an error and Emaarion Boyd was hit by a pitch with one out. Colby Shade and Spencer Bramwell both struck out to end the inning.
In the final three innings of regulation play, the Blue Wahoos had just two baserunners on walks.
The Lookouts were retired with on consecutive strikeouts in the eighth and ninth innings.
But in the 10th with a placement runner on second, Edwin Arroyo hit a slow roller that stayed fair to put runners on the corners. Lou Balcazar doubled in a run. The Blue Wahoos chose to intentionally walk top hitter Cam Collier. Ruben Ibarra, who won a game earlier in the week, blasted a bases-clearing double to blow out the game.
The Blue Wahoos will travel on Monday to Biloxi, Mississippi for a Labor Day Monday night game (6:35 p.m.) against the Biloxi Shuckers, winners of the first half division race. The teams will have Tuesday as an off-day, then play Wednesday through Sunday to finish the six-game series.
The Blue Wahoos end their regular season schedule at home beginning on Sept. 9 against the Columbus Clingstones.