Iconic Civil Rights Leader H.K. Matthews Passes Away At 97
August 20, 2025
Iconic local civil rights leader Rev. H.K. Matthews, has passed away at age 97.
Matthews marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, was gassed and beaten on “Bloody Sunday” in 1965, and led sit-in lunch counter protests. In the 1970s, he led protests that led to the removal of the “Rebel” mascot from Escambia High School in Pensacola, and he led numerous protests that eventually led to his arrest and serving 63 days of a five year prison sentence. He was later pardoned.
After moving to Brewton, Alabama, he continued as a civil rights leader in South Alabama and Northwest Florida. The City of Pensacola renamed a park in his honor in 2006, and a street in Brewton was named after him in 2016.
In 2008, he worked to help Century keep the F-rated Carver/Century K-8 School and solve other local issues.
“There are a lot of things that are lacking as far as living in Century goes,” Matthews said during a 2008 meeting at Century Town Hall. “We are trying to find some answers to the problems that exist.” The school closed permanently a few months later.
Pictured: Rev. H.K. Matthews leads a meeting in 2008 at the Century Town Hall. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Sheriff’s Office Issues Warning About Warrant Scam. Here’s How It Works.
August 20, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is once again warning about another warrant scam.
According to the ECSO, the scam involves callers identifying themselves as members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. These imposters then claim that the recipient of the call has an outstanding warrant related to missed jury duty and demand payment to resolve the issue. Adding to the deception, the phone number displayed on caller ID may even appear similar to an official ECSO number, making it difficult for unsuspecting victims to immediately identify it as fraudulent.
“The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will never call you and ask you to pay any amount of money,” the ECSO Said. “Do not send any form of payment or plan any meet-up if you receive a call such as this.”
Tate Aggies Beat The Crestview Bulldogs
August 20, 2025
The Tate Aggies varsity volleyball team defeated the Crestview Bulldogs in a conference match on Tuesday night, winning 3-1. The Aggies overcame an early deficit after dropping the first set in Crestview.
The Bulldogs started strong, winning the first set 25-21. However, the Aggies quickly recovered, battling back to win the second set by the same score, 25-21. This momentum carried through to the rest of the match.
The Aggies dominated the third set, taking a commanding 25-17 victory. In the final set, Crestview fought to stay in the game, but Tate’s consistent play secured the set 25-22, sealing their comeback victory.
Up next, the Aggies will travel to Navarre on Thursday.
Williams Leads Wahoos To Shutout Win Over Clingstones
August 20, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos began a pivotal road series against the Columbus Clingstones with a 3-0 shutout win on Tuesday night.
Alex Williams (W, 4-3) earned his first win of the season as a starting pitcher, scattering five hits over 5.0 innings while throwing a season-high 91 pitches. Luarbert Arias, Evan Fitterer and Josh Ekness (S, 10) worked the final four innings to give the Blue Wahoos their sixth shutout win of the season.
Ryan Ignoffo gave Pensacola a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning, doubling home Kemp Alderman from first base on a liner to right-center. It marked the fifth extra-base hit in five games for the hot-hitting catcher, who was removed from the game with an apparent injury in the third inning.
Mark Coley II stayed hot as well, lacing a two-run homer off the left field scoreboard for a 3-0 Blue Wahoos lead in the second inning. Coley, who hadn’t homered since early April before going deep last Friday and Saturday, later added a single in a 2-for-4 night.
The Blue Wahoos didn’t manufacture any offense after their early outburst, as Clingstones starter Landon Harper (L, 3-7) settled in to complete 5.0 innings of three-run ball. Three Columbus relievers worked 4.0 perfect innings of relief, but the Pensacola bullpen was just as effective to seal the 3-0 final.
Third baseman Gage Miller, added to the roster from High-A Beloit earlier in the day, went 1-for-4 with a run scored in his Double-A debut for the Blue Wahoos.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos maintained their 2.5-game lead over the second-place Montgomery Biscuits, who won their game 5-2 over Knoxville. There are 24 games remaining in the regular season as the Blue Wahoos aim to secure their eighth playoff berth in 10 seasons.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Wednesday night.
Train Collides With ECUA Truck At Crossing In Molino (With Gallery)
August 19, 2025
One person was injured when a CSX locomotive collided with an ECUA sanitation truck Tuesday morning in Molino.
The crash happened just before 10 a.m. at a private crossing about a half mile beyond the paved south end of Fairground Road.
One person in the ECUA truck was transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital with minor injuries. The CSX engineer on the single locomotive was not injured.
ECUA said the driver was a 12-year employee that sustained a laceration to his foot.
The windshield from the ECUA truck was still hanging on the locomotive when it came to a stop a short distance away. It did not derail, and there was no obvious damage to the tracks.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The private crossing is marked by a stop sign and a small railroad crossing sign that advises to look both directions. There are no warning lights or crossing arms.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour (ground) and Sean Kahalley (drone), click to enlarge.
Brass Knuckles Land Cantonment Convicted Felon In Jail
August 19, 2025
Brass knuckles sent a convicted felon from Cantonment to jail following a traffic stop in Pensacola.
The Pensacola Police Department stopped his orange Dodge Challenger in the area of I Street and Intendencia Street due to a records check showing the registered owner had an expired license.
The driver, 32-year-old Leo Valentino Benjamin, Jr., told officers that he knew his license was suspended due to insurance issues. A PPD K-9 alerted on the vehicle, and a probable cause search located a pair of full-size brass knuckles in the empty center console, according to an arrest report, and burnt foil with residue on the front passenger side.
Officers determined Benjamin had previous felony convictions for drug possession and obstruction of justice.
According to PPD, he told officers that he had obtained the brass knuckles earlier in the day for self-defense purposes because he was concerned about getting ambushed by someone.
He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $6,000 bond.
‘Never Attempted To Stop’ — Report Details Habitual Offender’s Crash Into State Trooper
August 19, 2025
Witnesses said a habitual traffic offender never attempted to stop before he crashed into a Florida Highway Patrol trooper Sunday morning on Highway 29.
Deondrez Dequan White, 36, was charged with driving while license suspended as a habitual offender and booked into the Escambia County Jail after he was released from the hospital.
FHP said White rear-ended a 27-year-old male trooper who was investigating a previous crash on Highway 29 just south of West Roberts Road.
“Both witnesses advised the black SUV (driven by White) was traveling in the inside southbound lane and never attempted to stop,” states the FHP report obtained Monday by NorthEscambia.com.
At 6:21 a.m. Sunday, the trooper stated on the radio that he was involved in a vehicle crash. A second responding trooper arrived to find the first trooper’s patrol car facing south in the median of Highway 29 with crash debris in the inside lane. There were skid marks leading from the inside lane where the trooper’s car was parked in the inside lane with emergency lights activated.
White was still sitting in the driver’s seat of his SUV and requested to be transported to Sacred Heart Hospital. The trooper was transported to an area hospital for injuries “to his head, neck, back, and hands/arms,” the report states.
White was arrested after being medically cleared by the hospital and booked into the Escambia County Jail. He was released from jail about 5 p.m. Monday on a $500 bond. He is set to be arraigned on September 12.
According to the FHP report, White’s license had been suspended multiple times, since 2011, for failure to pay financial obligations and was revoked for five years in 2018. Court records show he was convicted of no valid driver’s license twice in 2013, driving with a suspended license in November 2014, driving with a suspended license in January 2017, driving with a suspended license in March 2017, knowingly driving with a suspended license in November 2019, and knowingly driving with a suspended license and leaving the scene of an accident for a December 2023 crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Funeral Home Hearse Burns At Highway 29 Gas Station
August 19, 2025
A hearse belonging to an Atmore funeral home burned Monday night at a gas station in Gonzalez.
The fire was reported about 9:30 p.m. at the Speed Mart on Highway 29 at Tate School Road. Firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control, without significant damage to the nearby fuel pumps.
There were no injuries reported. There was no casket or cargo in the vehicle, which belonged to Turner Funeral Chapel.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Used Car Dealership Planned For Highway 95A At Highway 29
August 19, 2025
An Escambia County man who filed development plans in June for property on Highway 95A at Highway 29 in Cantonment to include “Troublewide Saloon” has reapplied to place a used car dealership on the property.
An application filed by Robert Carlson and BDR Towing shows he is looking to use an existing parking lot and concrete slab to park cars and install a 12×20 office building “to satisfy the state requirement to get a dealer’s license.” The used car lot, if approved, will also include a fenced area for outside storage.
“I will continue to improve the appearance as I begin to enjoy some sort of infrastructure that I have never been allowed,” his application stated.
The proposal is set for a pre-application meeting with the Escambia County Development Review Committee at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Carlson’s previous development application for a mixed-use development that appeared to include a saloon, a gravel path for truck and RV parking or storage never advanced.
Pictured top: A used car dealership is proposed for this lot on Highway 95A at Highway 29 in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Appointee Sought For Escambia Board Of Electrical Examiners
August 19, 2025
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking two Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for an appointment to the Escambia County Board of Electrical Examiners.
Escambia County residents interested in serving on the Escambia County Board of Electrical Examiners are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve by the close of business on Monday, August 25. Resumes should be submitted to Jennifer Hampton, Division Manager, Escambia County Building Services Department, 3363 West Park Place, Pensacola, Florida 32505 or emailed to jahampton@myescambia.com.
Openings on the Escambia County Board of Electrical Examiners is as follows:
- One State Certified Electrical Contractor
- One State Registered Electrical Contractor
Established by a local ordinance, the duties of the board are to attend meetings to review applications, administer written examination of applicants, issue certificates of competency as electricians and maintain official records of all transactions. The board is to consider any charges against certificate holders for willful violations or incompetence. Members serve a three-year term of office and meet the third Tuesday of each month for approximately two hours.