Escambia Communications Deputy Chief Graduates From FSU Leadership Program
July 24, 2025
Escambia County Emergency Communications Deputy Chief Mark Carter recently graduated from the Florida State University Certified Public Manager program.
The FSU Certified Public Manager program is a nationally-recognized leadership development program for public managers and supervisors. It features 31 days of classroom instruction, complemented by homework assignments and open-book exams. Typically, the program involves eight four-day courses, scheduled every two to three months, allowing most students to complete it within 18 to 24 months.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Serna’s Big Blast Sends Wahoos To 5-2 Win Over Smokies
July 24, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their third in a row on Wednesday night, defeating the Knoxville Smokies 5-2 on the strength of a Jared Serna three-run homer.
With two on and two out in the fifth inning, Serna turned around a 2-0 offering from Smokies starter Sam Armstrong (L, 2-7) and sent it into the left field bullpen to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead.
The blast followed a positive trend for the Blue Wahoos, who have now hit eight three-run homers since June 1 after hitting only one in the season’s first two months.
The Smokies jumped ahead 1-0 in the second inning, turning a Felix Stevens leadoff walk into the game’s first run on an RBI single from Ethan Hearn. Blue Wahoos starter Ike Buxton labored through 3.0 innings, walking five batters but allowing only one run on one hit before departing.
Serna’s homer made a winner out of Luis Palacios (W, 2-2), who turned in 3.1 innings of effective relief with only one unearned run allowed. It was the 22nd career win for Palacios in a Blue Wahoos uniform, the most in team history.
Palacios allowed a two-out RBI double to Corey Joyce in the bottom of the fifth, but right fielder Grant Richardson gunned a throw home to cut down B.J. Murray Jr. trying to score the tying run from first base. With the lead still intact, Palacios and Nigel Belgrave (S, 2) stranded Knoxville runners in scoring position in the next three innings before a Michael Snyder two-run single in the top of the ninth extended the Pensacola advantage to 5-2.
Belgrave got the final eight outs to lock down the Blue Wahoos win, finishing with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning.
With a win and a Columbus Clingstones loss, the Blue Wahoos now lead the South Division by 3.5 games in the second half race.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies on Thursday night.
File photo.
Man Accidently Shoots Himself Near Walnut Hill, ECSO Says
July 23, 2025
A man is recovering after accidentally shooting himself early Wednesday morning near Walnut Hill.
The man told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office he was walking through the woods on his property in the 5000 block of Sandy Hollow Road when his AK-47 accidentally discharged, resulting in a serious leg injury.
He sought treatment at Atmore Community Hospital shortly before 4 a.m. An update on his condition was not available.
File photo.
Century Council Temporarily Appoints Member That’s Already Won Election
July 23, 2025
The Century Town Council voted on Tuesday night to temporarily appoint a local citizen to an empty council seat, but her temporary status will be short-lived.
Lizbeth A. “Sparkie” Harrison was appointed to Seat 5 on the council immediately by resolution. In June, she was the only candidate to qualify for the open seat and was deemed elected.
According to a previous resolution approved by the council, Harrison should be sworn into office 10 days following the certification of the July 29 election date — somewhere around the second week of August.
Harrison, who has lived in Century and worked as a director of PSC Century Center for two years, is “driven by the desire to help others and enhance the quality of life for all who call Century home,” according to a letter she submitted to the town prior to the election. She holds a bachelor of science degree in human services from Tennessee Wesleyan University.
On May 6, Councilmember Sandra McMurray-Jackson resigned from Seat 5 for personal reasons.
Pictured: Lizbeth A. “Sparkie” Harrison (right) addresses the Century Town Council on Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Pleads Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl, Meth, Cocaine, And Heroin
July 23, 2025
An Escambia County man pleaded guilty in federal court on multiple drug offenses.
Jermaine Zackery Lewis, 32, pleaded to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
In January and February 2025 Lewis was distributing fentanyl locally, according to court documents. Law enforcement intercepted a mailed parcel bound for Lewis that contained approximately four pounds of fentanyl pills. With this information, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Lewis’ residence in March 2025. Law enforcement seized two loaded firearms, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Wire receipts detailing money transfers to Mexico were also recovered. Lewis is a previously convicted felon.
Lewis faces up to life imprisonment when he is sentenced on October 16.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Escambia Area Unemployment Rate Increases By Half A Point
July 23, 2025
The Escambia County unemployment rate increased by half of a percentage point over the last month.
Escambia County and the Pensacola metro area education and health services sector added 1,200 jobs over the year in June 2025, FloridaCommerce announced. The Pensacola metro area added 500 jobs (+0.3%) in the private sector over the year in June 2025.
The Pensacola area labor force was down 1.0% (-2,461) over the year in June 2025. The Escambia County unemployment rate increased to 4.4% in June 2025, up from 3.9% in May and 3.9% a year ago, according to the latest release from the state.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in June 2025, unchanged from the May 2025 rate, and up 0.3 percentage point from a year ago. There were 415,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 11,193,000. The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in June.
Patronis Applauds House Passage Of Defense Bill
July 23, 2025
Florida Congressman Jimmy Patronis is celebrating passage of the U.S. Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026 by the House of Representatives.
The act includes operation and maintenance funds building on the Congressman’s request for funding to restore the Blue Angels hangar at NAS Pensacola and a 3.8% increase in basic pay for military personnel.
“It is an honor to represent the men and women in America’s armed forces, and to have voted ‘yes’ to pass the Defense Appropriations Act and advance the America First agenda, which supports our troops and their families in Northwest Florida. We funded a well-deserved pay boost to our heroes stationed at Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field, NAS Pensacola, and NAS Whiting Field, and ended DEI programs to ensure our service members can focus on defending the country, instead of woke ideology,” Patronis said I also requested $12 million for a hangar at NAS Pensacola, which would help preserve Blue Angels fighter jets being housed there. While we have made some great strides in restoring the strength of our military under the leadership of President Trump and Speaker Johnson, there is much more to be done, and I look forward to working with congressional leadership to continue funding projects that will provide much needed improvements to our infrastructure in Northwest Florida.”
Other key elements of the legislation include $40.9 billion for DOD medical and healthcare programs, provides $1.15 billion for counter drug programs and codifies President Donald Trump’s executive actions to end DEI programming, which prohibits funding for sex-change surgeries, abortion-related travel, drag queen shows, and COVID vaccine and mask mandates.
ECSO: Man’s Drunken Claim Of Machete Attack During Drug Deal Is Nonsense
July 23, 2025
A man claimed he was attacked by someone with a machete during a drug deal early Tuesday morning, claiming it occurred at Planet Fitness in Escambia County, but deputies aren’t so sure it ever happened.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Planet Fitness in the 5900 block of Mobile Highway about 3 a.m.. The alleged victim, who was not a member of the gym, had stopped there to use the phone. Deputies found him with laceration to the face.
“The victim, who was very intoxicated, reported that he tried to buy drugs at a home in the surrounding area. The victim’s account of the events seems nonsensical,” the sheriff’s office said. “He claims to have been beaten up and that a machete that the suspects used caused the injury to his face, but due to a lack of witnesses, the injury and his account are inconsistent with reality.”
Deputies said the man would not tell them where the incident and the “attempted drug transaction” occurred or provide a description of any suspects.
Wahoos Outlast Smokies In Marathon 13-Inning Win
July 23, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated the Knoxville Smokies 6-4 in 13 innings on Tuesday night, rallying several times in extra innings before ultimately securing their most exhausting win of the season.
Pensacola’s first game at brand-new Covenant Health Park was their longest game by innings since 2021, and at 4 hours and 15 minutes was their longest game by time since 2018, prior to the implementation of MLB’s modern pitch clock rules.
The Smokies scored the game’s first run in the first inning, as Pedro Ramirez walked and scored on a Corey Joyce infield single when Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Alex Williams uncorked an errant throw into foul territory. Williams would recover to turn in 5.0 solid innings, but left trailing 1-0.
The Blue Wahoos managed only two hits through the first eight innings against five different Knoxville pitchers, and trailed 1-0 with two outs in the ninth inning before pinch hitter Ryan Ignoffo blasted his team back to life with an opposite-field, two-run triple that gave the Blue Wahoos a 2-1 lead. It marked Ignoffo’s first appearance since a concerning hit-by-pitch in Friday’s game.
On for the save in the bottom of the ninth, Josh Ekness instead blew his first opportunity of the season. Two singles and a misplayed fielder’s choice loaded the bases for BJ Murray Jr., who narrowly missed a walk-off grand slam and settled for a game-tying sacrifice fly as Pensacola right fielder Kemp Alderman made a leaping catch at the wall.
Ekness stranded the potential winning run at second base to force extras, and repeated the feat in the bottom of the 10th after the Blue Wahoos failed to score their placed runner in the top half of the inning.
In the 11th, Jake Thompson put the Blue Wahoos back in front 3-2 with a two-out RBI single to score pinch runner Grant Richardson from second base. Once again, the Smokies came back to tie it with a Felix Stevens sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th against Austin Roberts (W, 1-0).
In the 12th, Alderman lined a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Ignoffo and give the Blue Wahoos another lead at 4-3. Another Smokies sacrifice fly, this time from Jefferson Rojas, again tied the game and forced a 13th inning.
Richardson, in his first at-bat of the night, laced an RBI single to center field to lead off the top of the 13th against Tyler Santana (L, 1-4). Alderman scored standing up on a close play at the plate, putting the Blue Wahoos ahead 5-4. Cody Morissette added insurance, scoring Richardson with an RBI single of his own for a 6-4 advantage.
Roberts, who was making his Blue Wahoos season debut after coming down from Triple-A Jacksonville earlier in the day, quickly found himself in more trouble in the bottom of the 13th as the Smokies put two runners in scoring position with one out. But the veteran righty, who led the Blue Wahoos with 15 saves in 2024, dug deep to retire Reivaj Garcia on a tapper and Stevens on a strikeout to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos used 17 players in the game, including five different pitchers. The Smokies used 19 players, including eight pitchers.
Though the Smokies scored three times on sacrifice flies in the 9th, 11th and 12th innings, they went 0-for-13 with men in scoring position.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies on Wednesday night.
Century Approves Concept ‘Centurion Program’ To Honor Notable Citizens
July 23, 2025
The Century Town Council has approved, at least in concept, the establishment of the “Centurion Program” to recognize local citizens who have made a difference.
The idea was proposed by council member John Bass to hold an annual, or biannual, banquet to honor selected Centurion recipients to be chosen by a committee.
Bass said he wants the program to pay homage to local military members, athletes, educators, and other notable citizens.
“It’s those individuals that made me proud to be from here,” he said.
Council member Shelisa McCall, who is also president of the Century Area Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber was already working on a similar recognition program since the Century chamber separated from a joint annual recognition program with the Flomaton Chamber.
Tuesday night’s affirmative vote advances the Centurion Program idea, with the details to be worked out between the town and the chamber.
Pictured: Century Council member John Bass presented his Centurion Program idea Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.