Blue Wahoos Ambushed by Barons In Series-Opening Loss
August 13, 2025
written by Bill Vilona
The Birmingham Barons started Tuesday’s game with five consecutive hits. All of those batters scored.
It only got worse from there for the Blue Wahoos.
The Barons pounded out 21 hits, matching the most allowed in Blue Wahoos franchise history, as part of Birmingham’s 13-2 victory to begin a six-game series at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Blue Wahoos starter Alex Williams, who transitioned a month ago from reliever to starter on the Blue Wahoos pitching staff, had his toughest night in this role. After giving up five runs in the first inning, Williams exited after three innings trailing 7-0.
At that point, the Barons already had 10 hits. Williams’ first two outings at starter in July went very well with just one run allowed. But it has since gone the other way.
It was all part of a rough night for the Blue Wahoos, who sustained their sixth loss in the past seven games. The 13 runs were the most allowed this season.
The red-hot Barons (66-43 overall, 28-12 second half), who by far have the best overall record in the Southern League, are now 23-5 in a stretch that has catapulted them to an 8.5 game lead in the North Division second-half race.
As South Division leaders, the Blue Wahoos (56-52, 22-17) had their lead cut to two games over the Montgomery Biscuits, following the Biscuits’ rain-postponed game Tuesday in Chattanooga.
Williams’ night began with a leadoff infield single by William Bergolla, followed by a bunt single from Sam Antonacci. Those two combined for six hits, three walks and three RBI.
The next three batters made hard contact, including a two-run double by centerfielder Braden Montgomery, the Chicago White Sox No. 1 prospect and former first-round pick in 2024 by the Boston Red Sox.
Montgomery followed with another double to lead off the third inning as part of his best game since being elevated from High-A on July 29. He finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored.
It’s Montgomery’s third level reached this season, after the Red Sox traded him in December to the White Sox organization, along with three other prospects, in exchange for White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet.
Williams was met by Blue Wahoos manager Nelson Prada as he reached the dugout after the third inning. Prada extended a handshake and offered encouragement, as Williams seeks to overcome three consecutive rough starts, all short stints.
The Barons tacked on six runs against the Blue Wahoos bullpen.
Jared Serna drove in the Blue Wahoos’ first run with a third-inning double. In that same inning, newly-acquired outfielder Matthew Etzel, who always hit well in Blue Wahoos Stadium when playing for the Biscuits, continued his success with a run-scoring triple.
Those were part of the Blue Wahoos’ seven hits in the game. Cody Morissette went 2-for-4 as the team’s only multiple-hit batter.
Six Arrested During Federal Immigration Enforcement Operation In Atmore Area
August 12, 2025
Six people were arrested in a federal immigration enforcement operation on Tuesday in the Atmore area.
One of those detained had prior arrests for homicide and kidnapping, according to FBI Mobile.
The FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were joined by local law enforcement, including the Atmore Police Department in the operation.
“Removing violent offenders from our communities remains of the utmost priority,” FBI Mobile said in a statement.
“We remain committed to working with our partners to keep our community safe,” the Atmore Police Department said.
No further details have been released by authorities.
Photos courtesy FBI Mobile for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Homeowner And Victim Jailed After Early Morning Shooting In Molino
August 12, 2025
The homeowner and victim have been charged after a shooting early Tuesday morning in Molino.
First responders were called to the 6300 block of Jahaza Street for a shooting victim about 4:20 a.m., but the victim left the scene.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, a female and her male cousin traveled from Atmore to a home on Cedartown Road; she told deputies that she had been invited to the residence. The Sheriff’s Office said the woman became irate because another female was present at the residence, and the two females got into an argument.
“The homeowner broke it up,” Sgt. Melony Peterson said. “As the female and male who came from Atmore were attempting to leave, the homeowner got a gun and fired off a couple of rounds.” She said one round struck the vehicle, and another round hit the male in the back. The ECSO stopped the vehicle in the area of Gunter Custom Pools on Highway 29 just north of Archer Road. The male, in his 20s, was transported to an area hospital, suffering a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the back.
The homeowner, 45-year-old Edward Hamid Lewis, Sr. of Molino, was charged with felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The female’s cousin provided deputies with a fake name, according to the ECSO, and he had multiple outstanding warrants. ECSO said 36-year old Aundray Reshard Butler of Mobile Highway in Pensacola was charged with giving a false name and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Records show he had outstanding warrants for aggravated battery when offender knew or should have known the victim was pregnant, simple assault, burglary with assault or battery, and witness tampering. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Pictured: The scene of an early morning shooting in Molino. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
$1.8 Million Highway 4A Safety Improvement Project Approved
August 12, 2025
Escambia County has approved a $1.8 million roadway safety improvements project for Highway 4A from Byrneville to near Century.
The project will include widening existing 10-foot travel lanes to 11-foot-wide lanes with 1-2 foot shoulders.
“4A doesn’t have any shoulders,” area resident Mike Killam told the commission. “There’s a lot of school buses passing dump trucks up on 4A. If you do the math on there, there’s not a lot of distance between the two when they pass. One has got to get off the road, so it’s dangerous.”
“If you look at this road, it’s crumbling. It needs fixing. It’s just pothole, patches, patches. If it were a straight road, it would be better, but that got a lot of curves and it winds around,” he told the commissioner. “I’m here to plead with you to fix 4A.”
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, with work expected to begin in October.
The 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.. The entire length of Highway 4A is about 6.7 miles to Highway 29 in Century.
The winning bidder for the project was C.W. Roberts Contracting at $1,807,973. The total project includes $807,973 transferred from Local Option Sales Tax Reserves.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Superintendent: New School Year Off To A Smooth Start With Exciting Things To Come
August 12, 2025
The new school year got off to a smooth start in Escambia County, according to School Superintendent Keith Leonard.
“We had, for the most part, a really good first day,” he said.
He said there were expected first-day delays with transportation especially at the elementary level.
“It took a little bit longer, and that’s because we are extra cautious picking up the students and then in the afternoon as we drop them off. So that leads to extended time prior to picking up high school students and then we go to middle school students, so it did take a little bit longer. That’s okay, because the first few days we’re just getting used to routines and procedures. I hope we will improve as we go throughout this first week, and it always has.”
Leonard started visits to schools in the county Monday morning at Bratt Elementary before working his way back south.
“On a positive note, for the seven or eight schools I was able to visit today, I saw excited students happy to be there in their school, whether it be their first day in kindergarten or, in particular when I was able to visit some of our high school students and those students that are seniors. It was their last year in school instead of their first day in school. All in all, we had a good first day.”
The School Year Outlook
“We are looking for our kids to have a good academic experience and then always try to make certain that we’re providing a well-rounded education through extracurricular activities and those electives that we offer at each of our schools,” Leonard said. “We just want to provide opportunities to our students and our families that are beneficial to all our students.”
“That’s really what I get excited about, and we’ll have all types of activities starting up pretty soon whether it be high school football, marching band, volleyball, and all those fall sports we are looking forward to.”
New Statewide Phone Policies
Under a new state law, a total ban has been implemented statewide on cell phone use for elementary and middle school students during school hours, and high school students can only use their phones outside instructional time unless expressly allowed by a teacher.
The superintendent said he did not know of any problems with the new cell phone law on Monday in the district.
“It seemed to be okay. Today, I didn’t get any phone calls related to the new cell phone law,” Leonard said. “The first day went pretty good.”
NorthEscambia.com/courtesy photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Firearm Possession
August 12, 2025
An Escambia County felony has been sentenced for firearm possession.
Ralphael Roy Caldwell, 35, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after previously being found guilty by a jury of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Evidence admitted at trial established that during a traffic stop on September 10, 2024, Caldwell had a loaded pistol in his waistband that he admitted to officers was his. He had previously been convicted of the felony offenses of principal to attempted home invasion robbery with a firearm and shooting into a building.
Photo Gallery: First Day Of School In Escambia County
August 12, 2025
Monday was the first day of school in Escambia County.
As is an annual tradition, we asked parents to submit their North Escambia area back to school photos. We received hundreds of photos and have published as many as possible in the gallery linked below.
For a photo gallery of parent submitted photos, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia EMS CORE Program Marks 400th Opioid Recovery Patient
August 12, 2025
Escambia County EMS has reach a 400th patient milestone in its Coordinated Opioid Recovery Effort (CORE) which aims to combat the opioid crisis and provide comprehensive care to individuals battling opioid addiction.
CORE is a state-funded addiction recovery program that expanded to Escambia County in late 2022, with the county accepting its first CORE patient in February 2023.
Since its inception, the CORE program has worked diligently to offer personalized, non-judgmental support to individuals suffering from opioid use disorder. This program focuses on providing immediate medical care, counseling, and long-term recovery support to help patients through the recovery process.
“When we started, we had no idea just how incredible the journey would be,” said Joey Kerman, Supervisor of the Escambia County EMS CORE Program. “We didn’t have a roadmap — just a deep desire to make our community better. We knew the numbers were high, the need was substantial, and we had a group ready to make a difference. We set out to help people recover and empower them to become the heroes of their own stories. Healing is not easy, and the challenges of recovery are unlike those of any other disease. While physical signs and symptoms exist, addiction is often a secondary disease. What lurks beneath is even more difficult years of physical and emotional trauma that people try to self-medicate with substances.”
“We have asked these individuals to trust us, to let us guide them from darkness into light,” Kerman added. “These 400 patients have placed that trust in us — and in doing so, they’ve inspired us every day to help others. They remain our biggest source of referrals, proving that recovery is possible even when past attempts have failed. We have shown that healing can happen. And today, I want to celebrate those 400 patients. They are the true heroes and deserve the praise.”
The CORE program combines EMS response with community resources, including addiction counseling, mental health support, and recovery services, to give patients the tools and services they need to overcome addiction. By intervening at critical moments and connecting individuals with resources, CORE helps to break the cycle of addiction and offers a pathway to recovery.
“Our CORE team truly cares about the individuals we serve, and I am so proud of them for reaching this significant milestone,” Escambia County EMS Chief Chris Watts said. “Hearing the success stories and the lives being transformed through the CORE program is so rewarding, and that positive impact is what drives us forward as we continue to address the opioid crisis in our community.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo/graphic, click to enlarge.
The Chosen Softball Wins 2025 Southern Nationals Tournament
August 12, 2025
The Chosen girls softball team based in Century recently won the championship at the 2025 MVP Southern Nationals Tournament.
The team finished third in points prior to the tournament, defeating teams from Alabama, Georgia, and Illinois to go undefeated and win Southern Nationals. Heather Pierce was named National Tournament MVP.
Chosen team members also won three of the four “skill events” held before play began, finishing first in the team spirit competition, first in the home run challenge, and first in the throwing skills competition.
They ended the 2025 travel ball season with 12 total tournaments, including eight championship titles, two second-place finishes, and two third-place finishes.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
There’s A New Phone Ban In Florida Schools
August 11, 2025
There are new state laws in place governing cell phone usage in public schools.
Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, a total ban has been implemented statewide on cell phone use for elementary and middle school students during school hours — essentially from bell to bell for grades K-8.
High school students are generally allowed to use their phones outside of class, but not during instructional time unless “expressly directed by a teacher solely for educational purposes”.
Students will be allowed to use their phones, however, for documented medical conditions or disabilities.
“It is a law, and it’s something we are going to make certain we adhere to,” Escambia County Public Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard said.
Escambia County looked at Yondr pouches to control phone usage, but they were found to be cost prohibitive. Yondr is a pouch that locks phones inside.
Pictured below: We were there when Escambia County (FL) Public Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard visited Flomaton High School last year to learn about Yondr pouches for locking away cell phones during the school day. Escambia County, Florida, ultimately determined the pouches were too expensive. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
