— A 44-year-old Pensacola man was arrested for driving under the influence following a collision with a marked Escambia County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle on Sunday Troopers say the incident occurred at approximately 4:40 p.m the man was driving a sedan eastbound in the outside lane when he failed to maintain his lane This resulted in the sedan veering into the inside lane and striking the rear right side of the patrol vehicle which was being driven by a 24-year-old Pensacola woman No injuries were reported from the collision officers observed signs of impairment from the sedan's driver A subsequent criminal investigation for DUI was initiated and the man was placed under arrest after conducting field sobriety tests He was then taken to the Escambia County Jail Steve Luppert has lived on Pensacola Beach for decades spending many early mornings walking throughout the island and observing its subtler changes over the years Luppert enjoys all the fruits of beach living whether it’s relaxing in the sand with family over the weekend or forming bonds with neighbors that are centered around protecting their community Recently, however, he’s been in an ongoing dispute with the Santa Rosa Island Authority over concerns on environmental and safety issues “My wife is getting tired of me talking about this,” he jokingly told the News Journal Luppert’s taken note of multiple alleged violations during his morning walks that he says stem from neighbors mishandling their property encroaching onto public land for personal use or destroying vegetation in the area The SRIA is the governing branch overseeing the direction and growth of Pensacola Beach and its board meets twice a month throughout the year to discuss or vote upon items related to the beach Members of the public can sign up to speak at a designated time during each meeting which Luppert uses to raise his concerns with the board New designs for Pensacola Beach gateway: Here's the new toll design Escambia County's planning for Pensacola Beach. What it costs. I went to the executive director with Juan Lemos and Jeremy Johnson one of these piers is actually collapsing,” he said They issue a citation or violation and it has to be corrected that’s a problem and they aren’t following through.” Luppert took the News Journal around the sound side of the beach to show the alleged violations From missing coastal vegetation to loose electrical lines there were a number of concerns that Luppert pointed out While the responsibility to handle violations falls on the shoulders of leaseholders Luppert said he believes the SRIA lacks adequate “teeth” to solve these problems “I think that I’m disappointed in the staff at the SRIA This is not a private beach area,” Luppert said while pointing to alleged encroachment by a neighbor no exclusive rights belong to (leaseholders) on the water Emails shared with the News Journal show that Luppert often contacts county regarding potential violations he comes across during his walks He feels they have fallen on deaf ears in recent months Recently Luppert has instead turned to directly notifying Escambia County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger of violations as he thinks she spurs them into action One of the concerns Luppert recently brought to Hofberger’s attention revolved around a live breaker box on the sidewalk that was exposed to the public The issue has been resolved at the time of writing “It’s unfortunate that I have to escalate issues like this through your office just to see some action but I’m doing so because it’s clear that problems like these aren’t being addressed otherwise,” Luppert said in an email to Hofberger on the issue SRIA board member Jeremy Johnson the News Journal he’s aware of Luppert’s concerns and has already reported them to staff Luppert in general makes good points and I do feel that actions are taken to investigate some of these things change policies,” Johnson said when about the authenticity of Luppert’s complaints Johnson is in his second term in the SRIA’s lone elected board seat after he was re-elected by island residents last year “Certainly if someone was to be caught destroying the vegetation that’s on public land right there there would definitely be consequences to that,” Johnson said referencing concerns that a homeowner had damaged and cleared vegetation on public land in the Rio Vista Drive area without proper permits “Some of the issue has been actually seeing someone disturbing the vegetation It’s not like it’s an area that’s monitored 24 hours a day type of a thing.” “I think the sentiment of the board would be that rules need to be followed by leaseholders I think that in some of these instances there’s further education needed from the Island Authority to the leaseholders we run into cases where people didn’t really realize where their property might stop or not realize what is allowed or what is not allowed.” happened to be in town for the weekend with family Cobb and Luppert bonded over their concerns regarding alleged violations by leaseholders their conversation turned grim when Cobb mentioned a concern that could’ve harmed his granddaughter while fishing “My granddaughter and I were fishing (April 24) and she got her hook snagged up on something I looked down and there was a bare electrical wire going to the light underwater I gloved up and got my pliers and pulled her hook out,” said Cobb “Luckily I saw it pretty quick and told her to stop jerking on it.” Cobb said he hadn’t yet made a report to the rental agency responsible for the property at the time he spoke with the News Journal he mentioned that the alleged negligence outside wasn’t the only problem “I’m going to let (the agency) know there’s bare wires up in the ceiling bare wires and things that are supposed to be in conduit too Island resident Leah Heffernan told the News Journal that visitors destroying the dunes is her biggest concern so she hopes the SRIA will find an way to protect them “I live across from them so that’s our protector … when the dunes get walked on.” Heffernan mentioned seeing one recent visitor bring cooking equipment onto the beach while haphazardly walking through the dunes She noted that county officials addressed the issue soon after she made them aware of the incident Contractors for the SRIA installed new walkovers at Avenida 16 and Avenida 18 earlier this year to discourage visitors from stepping on the dunes. There’s also a renourishment project on the books for the Gulf side of the beach that’s planned to start this fall. Heffernan thinks an ideal solution to prevent further dune-related destruction is for the SRIA to raise awareness among visitors and residents, including signage to inform beachgoers. “I think the biggest thing for us is we’ve been out here so long and we all took care of where we lived, called on each other when we needed help and that isn’t really happening (anymore),” said Heffernan. “There’s so many people coming in and they’re not following the rules on how to access the beach, or that they can’t cook at the beach. “I think it would help if the Island Authority came around, if they participated,” she continued. Hofberger declined to comment on this story and referred the News Journal to the SRIA. SRIA Executive Director Mike Burns also declined to comment on the story, citing concerns along the lines of the beach renourishment project as his current focus. READ MOREPensacola man shot in self-defense after attacking elderly coupleby Tiffany Bartholemew -- A 35-year-old man was shot in self-defense after allegedly attacking an elderly couple at a home in Escambia County on Sunday morning according to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office Deputies say they responded to reports of shots fired on Rebel Drive and found Daniel Sonier with a gunshot wound it was determined that Sonier was the aggressor in a domestic violence incident involving battery on an elderly person was transported to the hospital and was remotely booked on charges of battery and domestic violence He is currently being held in Escambia County Jail with no bond -- Escambia County is set to get a $25 million sports upgrade Jones Sports Complex on East Nine Mile Road is going to be fitted with artificial turf The decision was passed unanimously by the board of county commissioners $20 million will be spent solely on installing turf at John R Jones Park; no word yet on the brand of turf Eighteen of those are for baseball and softball The rest of the budget will go towards upgrades on sidewalks Okaloosa County is also looking into artificual turf County commissioners are set to discuss adding two The pricetag on that project is just under $500,000 The next meeting is set for this upcoming Tuesday at 8:30 a.m "It's something that I think is tremendous for our community," District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry said The county will take out a loan for the $25 million That will be repaid with tourism development tax funds "I see this as something that will create bed tax and bring people into town," District 3 Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May said Commissioners say it will diversify the county's tourism economy "It's great to have a win for the community and the economy so i'm happy to support it for that," District 4 Escambia County Commissioner Ashlee Hoffberger said "There won't be anything like this in the area with this many very competitive," District 1 Escambia County Commissioner Steve Stroberger said Gulf breeze is home to the closest artificial turf field That's the shoreline field lined with astroturf Without any marketing or advertising to surrounding areas that field is already drawing players like football player Landon Birchfield from Saraland it's a little older so it's not as nice and springy so this one's a lot better," Birchfield said It cost the city $1.2 million to install the turf on one rectangular field and after hurricane Sally came through we actually used this field for a debris lay-down yard," City of Gulf Breeze Parks and Recreation Director Roger Jackson said So we had the plan to come back with the turf field." Jackson says the maintenance is lower than a traditional grass field and helps reduce the number of injuries which is an elastic layer that's almost paved on asphalt," Jackson said "What that does is bring the Gmax level down It also expands the life of the turf." The field reopened in November of 2022 and has a 10 year lifespan One of the first players on the field was out practicing Sunday afternoon I watched it be built," Gulf Breeze Rec lacrosse player Clayton Brockson said "This is the best field that i've played on "I think it was a good purchase by the city of Gulf Breeze," Brockson said "We really upgraded from the grass field to the turf I think it's better for the community overall." Jackson says there have been no drawbacks so far ensuring it is even good for the environment "We used all environmental friendly products on the infield," Jackson said "The infield is a granulated sand then it's encapsulated rubber and on top of that is an eco-therm which is a microfiber which absorbs the moisture an helps keep the field cooler than it normally would be." The turf is also cutting back on wait times after summer showers "It's a lot better than the patchy fields," Brockson said so it dries out in like 30 minutes to an hour." Pensacola's Missy Gannon won her second Professional Disc Golf Association major championship title capturing the Champions Cup trophy on May 4 in Stockton Another Pensacola resident, five-time PDGA World Champion Paige Pierce, finished third at the Champions Cup Gannon and Pierce both made separate moves to Pensacola in recent years Disc golf champion: Pensacola's Missy Gannon wins European Disc Golf Festival tournament in Estonia Known as "Big Money Missy" for her putting prowess under pressure Gannon won her first major championship in 2024 capturing the U.S finished 18th in the 60-person field at the Champions Cup All three have been involved with Emerald Coast Disc Golf Club activities in Northwest Florida For information on the local club, go to the Emerald Coast Disc Golf Club Facebook page MS – As the weather gets warmer across the Coast Keesler Federal Park is set for six fun-filled games between May 6-11 as the Biloxi Shuckers welcome the Pensacola Blue Wahoos fans can access the Corona Premier Tiki Bar right field beach area and Schooner’s Splash MS – As the weather gets warmer across the Coast right field beach area and Schooner’s Splash Zone presented by Gulf Breeze Landscaping free of charge fans can purchase single-game and group packages for the newly renovated Kloud7 Yacht Club offering an upscale indoor-outdoor experience Kids can run the bases following every game presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi 17 Josh Hader name-and-number t-shirt presented by Coca-Cola in celebration of our 10th anniversary season and three-time Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award winner It’s also Brew Crew Tuesday presented by Coors Light Fans can purchase a 20oz souvenir tumbler for $13 with $7 refills at the first and third-base Beer Gardens Enjoy lunch break with the Shuckers for an 11:05 a.m start time on the team’s second Education Day of the season It’s also Military Wednesday presented by Keesler Federal Credit Union where all military personnel can receive a $3 discount on Dugout Box and Reserved Level tickets Fans can kickstart the weekend with Thirsty Thursday™ presented by PBR Fans can splash in with $4 draft beer specials on Miller Lite and Coors Light at the first and third-base Beer Gardens Fans can also cash in on almost 60% savings with the Thirsty Thursday™ Deal which includes a Reserved Level ticket and two drink vouchers for $17 in advance Watch the skies light up with the best fireworks show on the Coast following the game for Fireworks Friday It’s also Friday Night Flight by Yuengling Flight Fans can pick up a passport at any of our 9 participating locations throughout Keesler Federal Park and grab a $6 Yuengling or Yuengling Flight (one per stop) Fans can get a stamp at each stop and after 5 stamps they can claim their free embossed Shuckers souvenir cup Passports can be used on multiple Friday games during the season The first 1,000 fans will receive a Shuckers hockey jersey presented by Coca-Cola for Hockey Night The Shuckers will also make a donation to a local organization through the team's Heart of a Shucker Community Fund prior to the game Former Mississippi Sea Wolves Captain Justin Barr will also throw out the first pitch Make sure to arrive early for a Mother’s Day Pink Shuckers Water Bottle giveaway presented by Daigle A/C & Heating for the first 250 fans. Fans can also celebrate Mother’s Day with a Kendra Scott Mother’s Day package that includes 4 Dugout Box Tickets and an Ari Heart Delicate Chain Bracelet by Kendra Scott Fans can also purchase a Sunday Fun Day Package with four tickets and drinks for $76 plus $19 for each additional ticket Fans can also bring their Shuckers gear over to the Shuckers Shop before the game to get it autographed and say hello to some of your favorite players The first 150 fans will receive a Shuckers poster presented by Mele Printing Make sure to stay after the game for catch on the field Fans can save up to 50% off day-of-game pricing by securing their 2025 Shuck Nation membership today. Shuck Nation memberships, Flex Plans and group outings are available now by visiting biloxishuckers.com, the ballpark offices and by calling (228) 233-3465. Fans can also receive more information regarding the full promotion schedule and single-game tickets on the Shuckers website The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers are members of the Southern League and play at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow us on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers LLC is a MS entity owned and operated by John Tracy Shuckers Baseball operates the Biloxi Shuckers baseball franchise including operating Keesler Federal Park for Biloxi Shuckers minor league baseball games and other entertainment and recreational events Thank you for supporting journalism at your local newspaper This article is available exclusively for our subscribers 850.939.8040 © Copyright 2016-2026 Sandpaper Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service - Privacy Policy Designed by Sandpaper Marketing -- A 24-year-old man is charged with assaulting a 68-year-old woman in Escambia County Robert Durden was arrested last Wednesday on charges of: The incident happened last Wednesday on Lakewood Road the woman said Durden first took her purse from her porch and went back to his home The report states the woman chased after him to retrieve her purse She knocked on his door and he answered and gave her purse back She told deputies that as she tried to get away Durden also threw a brick at her -- hitting her in the lower back -- before slapping her in the face The report states other nearby residents then came over and intervened but she wanted to file aggravated assault and battery charges Durden remains in Escambia County Jail on $25,000 bond Russell started out by setting up shop on the Pensacola city limits line near Pensacola State College before moving to a spot outside Pensacola City Hall with the blessing of then-Mayor Ashton Hayward In 2019, Russell secured a more permanent home in downtown Pensacola which provided him with a commissary kitchen and a convenient parking spot with outdoor tables on East Gregory Street While the extra room allowed for a more extensive menu it also gave him significantly more overhead to manage his holiday break in December of 2024 was prolonged over several months as he reconsidered his business model and whether he could reopen which was necessary to continue into his next chapter as a one-man food truck operation He found the most sustainable thing he could do was return to how it all started Back to City Hall: Nomadic Eats returns to its roots at City Hall with new menu While he knew that he needed to simplify his concept in order to survive and reopened outside City Hall once again in the spring of 2025 he debuted a new set of core menu items for customers to love such as his red beans and rice chimichanga and a Vietnamese herbed pork stuffed poblano pepper Russell shared the news of the food truck's closure on in a social media post on May 5 noting how much the community's support has meant to him over the years a huge thanks to Mayor (D.C.) Reeves and the City of Pensacola for the warm welcome back to City Hall after the departure from the Gregory Street location The support and hospitality has been greatly appreciated so much gratitude to the people of Pensacola who have supported Nomadic Eats the past 9.5 years You gave me the ability to make a living doing my craft travel and grow a little food truck into something more than I ever thought it would a sincere thank you to all the people who came to the truck regularly after the move and the changing of the menu You don't know how much seeing the same faces over and over meant to me Thank you!" Russell wrote in his statement something that takes creativity and a passion for even more brutal as a small business owner battling all the things that come with doing so the food truck is closed and I'll be spending time breathing a little and falling into whatever line of work is next for me…" Russell noted that the Nomadic Eats Instagram page will remain intact and customers can follow him there for whatever may come next Stay up to date on the latest restaurant news by subscribing to our free Pensacola Eats newsletter Sign up for the newsletter at profile.pnj.com/newsletter -- A 58-year-old Pensacola woman is charged with animal cruelty for denying treatment and not providing proper care to her suffering dog Pamela Miller was arrested last Friday on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty She's being held in Escambia County Jail on $100,000 bond An Escambia County Animal Welfare officer worked the case with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff's Office It centered around Miller's Yorkshire Terrier named Prissy which was ultimately euthanized by authorities Miller took Prissy to Davis Animal Hospital on April 5 and requested a "fur mat removal and nail trim" for her She added that Prissy was lethargic and unresponsive The report states the vet examined Prissy in a separate room finding that all four limbs were "severely matted in a bird nest fashion which was tight to the skin and had a horrendous odor." Prissy also had active bleeding on her front paw The vet spoke to Miller and "strongly encouraged humane euthanasia as an option," according to the report Miller "demanded a treatment plan," so the vet chose to debride Prissy's leg and trim her nails The report states once the matted fur was removed the vet advised Miller that Prissy’s leg was infected and necrotic "[The doctor] then educated Miller about the quality of life for Prissy and suggested humane euthanasia," investigators noted in the report "...Miller became agitated with the staff and asked them to hurry with the procedure." hospital staff offered to amputate Prissy’s leg at no cost to Miller and this is too much for me.' Miller declined the free treatment," investigators noted in the report The report states the vet staff then bandaged Prissy's leg advised Miller she would need to return for bandage changes and scheduled a follow-up appointment They also had Miller sign an Against Medical Advice (AMA) form Miller did not bring Prissy back to the hospital for her follow-up appointment on April 8 The animal welfare officer then went to Miller's home on April 10 where they found Prissy lying lateral on a day bed in poor condition "Miller picked Prissy up from the bed and the dog howled loudly," investigators noted in the report The report states Miller told the officer she had not taken Prissy back to a vet but she had been cleaning the wound herself the officer observed a dirty bandage on Prissy’s front left leg with blood seeping through the bandage "due to the safety and welfare concerns for Prissy," the officer removed her from Miller’s custody and took her to the Escambia County shelter "When [the officer] advised Miller of the removal process Miller became extremely agitated," investigators noted in the report "Miller stated she would take the dog to the vet [The officer] advised Miller she has had multiple opportunities to take Prissy back to the vet The report states that while at the shelter a veterinarian evaluated Prissy on April 12 finding that she had several severe injuries/health conditions and could not stand on her own The vet gave Prissy a "Body Condition Score of 3/9." humane euthanasia was elected," the vet wrote in the evaluation Authorities ultimately decided to charge Miller for "failing to act on behalf of her animal causing the excessive and repeated infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering to her animal," according to the report Miller pleaded not guilty to the charge on Thursday A large weather system moving over the Ohio River Valley is set to spin off a batch of rain and thunderstorms in the Florida Panhandle on Tuesday and could last into Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service Mobile office Another weather system currently in the Southwest United States will move eastward and bring a second round of rain and storms Wednesday night that will persist into the weekend A cold front is expected to follow the second round of storms but temperatures are forecast to stay in the upper 70s with lows dropping into the low 60s toward the end of the week will see yet another risk of severe thunderstorms and flooding rainfall this week as two large weather systems sweep across the country "A powerful spring storm crashing into the West Coast will feature a risk for severe weather as it moves inland early this week. This storm will be able to tap into ample available moisture out of the Gulf, and prompt a risk for both flooding and severe thunderstorms from Texas to the central Gulf Coast," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham While storms will hit areas to the west on Monday Florida isn't expected to see any inclement weather until Tuesday The Pensacola area will have a slight chance of thunderstorms Tuesday night with a greater chance of hitting on Wednesday and beyond AccuWeather warns that there is a chance severe thunderstorms could bring hail flash flooding and wind gusts up to 60-70 mph on Wednesday Florida skies will be partly cloudy for May 5 view of the Eta Aquarid meteor showerThe Eta Aquarids are a springtime meteor shower that tends to peak annually in early May will be able to see around 10 meteors per hour on Monday night into early Tuesday morning Cloud coverage in the Pensacola area will be about 45% You'll have the best chance of seeing the shower by finding a spot away from light pollution and clear of anything else that might obstruct the view of the sky Seeing one of the Eta Aquarid meteors is a breathtaking sight as they often dot the sky behind them with incandescent bits of debris that last several seconds to minutes The Eta Aquarids are known as being pieces of space debris that originate from comet 1P Seven days out is your guide to entertainment events festivals and activities in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties 7 p.m. May 5. Seville Quarter, 130 E. Government St. Seville Quarter and the Blues Society of Northwest Florida are bringing the “blues” back to the Seville Quarter Entertainment District. The event features live blues music and “BBQ and Bud” food and drink specials. More info: 850-434-6211 or sevillequarter.com 3 p.m. May 6. Cordova Square Park, 1101 N. 12th Ave. The East Hill Neighborhood Association is dedicated to showcasing local businesses, bringing family-friendly fun to the East Hill area, and fostering a strong sense of community. Funds raised through these events are reinvested into park and neighborhood improvement projects, as well as supporting local nonprofit organizations. More info: myeasthill.org WEDNESDAYDraw Together Drawing Club5 p.m. May 7. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Draw Together Drawing Club is a free event that is open to all ages and skill levels with supplies provided. More info: thehandlebar850.com 8 p.m. May 7. O'Riley's Uptown Tavern, 3728 Creighton Road. O’Riley’s Uptown will host its Summer Kickoff Foam Party in the bar’s backyard. The party will have a cover of $5 for all attendees. The event will feature Wrighteous Eats Food Truck, a live DJ, and drink specials. For ages 18 and older. More info: orileystavern.com Boots n Beats8 p.m. May 9. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Get ready for Boots n Beats, a country EDM concert at The Handlebar. $18 in advance; $24 at the door. More info: thehandlebar850.com 7 p.m. May 10. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. Enjoy a night full of live music. $10 in advance and at the door. More info: thehandlebar850.com SUNDAYHe is Legend6 p.m. May 11. The Handlebar, 319 N. Tarragona St. He is Legend will perform live in concert with Cancer Bats, Strawberry Girls, and The Requiem. $20 in advance; $25 at the door. More info: thehandlebar850.com 7 p.m., doors; 8 p.m., show; May 11. Vinyl Music Hall, 2 S. Palafox St. Joywave: Here To Perform… Spring 2025 will perform live in concert with special guests Little Image and Glazed Eyes. $29. For all ages. More info and ticket purchase: vinylmusichall.com Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Pensacola News Journal using the link at the bottom of the page under Stay Connected Here's a roundup of our top stories from the past week With a subscription to the Pensacola News Journal you will receive full access to the work done by our journalists and photographers as they head out every day to help inform and explain the important issues affecting your community A dispute between Pensacola and Escambia County over the county’s pledge of $2 million for the demolition of the old Baptist Hospital appears to be brewing another sign of tensions between the two local governments The dispute is arising as the city and county prepare to embark on another major partnership: the modernization of Pensacola Bay Center. Rising tensions: Tensions rise between Pensacola and Escambia County over Baptist Hospital demolition Florida Senate confirms UWF, PSC trustees, ending controversial sagaA controversial season surrounding appointments to the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College governing boards ended April 29 with the full Florida Senate confirming eight trustees Ashley Ross and Chris Young were confirmed to serve on the UWF Board of Trustees only Bailey and Young made it to the full Senate UWF, PSC trustees confirmed: Florida Senate confirms UWF, PSC trustees, ending controversial saga Brylee Ponce and Amanda Edgar will reach two of life’s major milestones Ponce, a Navarre High senior, and Edgar, a West Florida Tech senior, will earn their high school diplomas along with associate degrees in May. Because of Florida’s Dual Enrollment Program the two women will complete the first two years of college without any debt Dual enrollment – one of the Florida’s best-kept secrets – allows public secondary, charter, homeschool and private school students to take college or university courses while earning credit toward a high school diploma a career certificate or an associate or bachelor’s degree at a state public or eligible private institution The program is free – Florida being one of the only states to fully fund dual enrollment the Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program reimburses eligible postsecondary institutions for students’ tuition and instructional materials for fall and spring term courses Free college courses: One of Florida's best-kept secrets offers debt-free degree and a head start on life A former Escambia County Public Schools substitute teacher has filed a lawsuit against the school district claiming they were discriminated against because of their gender identity Hane Cypress McLeaish, a transgender nonbinary individual The suit names current Superintendent Keith Leonard school board members Kevin Adams and Paul H Fetsko and former school board members Laura Edler Patty Hightower and Bill Slayton in their official capacities – as parties in the litigation In the lawsuit, McLeaish seeks damages and prospective injunctive relief for the discriminatory and/or retaliatory suspension and termination of employment as an Escambia County schoolteacher − in violation of the sex discrimination and anti-retaliation provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Lawsuit: Fired transgender teacher files lawsuit against Escambia County Public Schools will be taking over the former Casks & Flights space next door as part of the expansion for the roughly 125-seat upscale restaurant and six-lane duckpin bowling alley Downtown development: Boutique hotel with upscale restaurant and duckpin bowling planned for Palafox Street Editor's note: Home of the Week is a paid sponsorship and prints in our Friday Real Estate Section three-and-a-half-bath residence is brimming with elegance Realtor Jennifer Jackson affirms It is situated on two estate lots and backs up to the protected Nature Preserve and a covered balcony overlooking the private backyard Owners and guests will be wowed by the Craftsman-style design There is ample driveway space for visitors while homeowners can take advantage of the spacious garage “The warm and inviting family room boasts a dramatic tongue-and-groove vaulted ceiling and a breathtaking floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace creating a true focal point and cozy gathering space,” says Jackson and offers direct access to the covered deck allowing you to effortlessly host gatherings that span indoors and outdoors The chef’s kitchen is a dream for culinary enthusiasts the adjoining dining space is perfect for casual meals or when hosting formal get-togethers A fantastic primary suite is a retreat within the home and the en-suite bath includes a walk-in shower you’ll find two additional bedrooms with a shared full bath plus a huge bonus room with endless potential - ideal as a playroom The walk-out basement is a fantastic space with a second fireplace The expansive backyard is perfect for everyone and a detached garage with space for a golf cart and lawn equipment “Living in Nature Trail means access to world-class amenities including a community lodge -- The Escambia County School District was on the hunt for new teachers Saturday Applicants were required to fill out an online job application through the district website ahead of the event There are currently job openings across the district WEAR News asked if events like this skewed more towards recent college graduates "I think it's a mixed bag," Oakcrest Elementary's assistant principal but we also see those who are looking for a second career opportunity that they want to bring into the school system." They want to end up making it better for students Organizers say Saturday's weather may have had an impact on overall turnout for the job fair Escambia County will borrow $25 million to install artificial turf at John R Jones Park on Nine Mile Road The Escambia County Commission voted unanimously on May 1 to support the project and authorize county staff to move forward with obtaining a $25 million bank loan that will be repaid with tourism tax dollars The loan will be repaid with annual payments from the TDT fund of between $2.1 million and $3.3 million depending on whether the county takes a 10-year or up to a 20-year loan Escambia County Parks Department Director Michael Rhodes previously told the Tourist Development Council that the project will more than pay for itself by attracting more visitors to Pensacola through sports tourism he said data shows that sports organizers and families are trending toward spending more money on trips for sporting events The project will convert 18 baseball/softball fields and two multi-use fields that can host sports like football and soccer to artificial turf Upgrading the fields will allow the county to to attract travel youth sports tournaments in sports like baseball and lacrosse and compete with facilities in places like Panama City When Rhodes addressed the County Commission on May 1 he was still confident in the project returning dollars to the county “I'm pretty confident that Pensacola Beach and the tourism here is — no offense to Dothan and those towns — but I'm pretty sure we can compete very well against those,” Rhodes said Pensacola City Councilwoman Jennifer Brahier wrote an email to the County Commission on April 30 urging them do more research on the type of artificial turf that will be used arguing that it may pollute the area with the chemicals known as PFAS which can build up in the people's bloodstream Environmental Protection Agency says may be harmful to people Commission Chairman Mike Kohler noted that some members of the City Council were opposed to the project; he didn't specifically mention Brahier or PFAS pollution Commissioner Steven Barry said the project has the backing of several national youth sports organizations that have expressed interest in coming to Pensacola you would know people that are going to Laurel and other areas to play weekend baseball when they would love to be here,” Barry said conversations for alternatives led to the Jones Park project Barry said he still believes the Brosnaham Park project would've been a treamdous success but that the Jones Park would also have an impact "You don't want perfect to be the enemy of good But the idea for the indoor basketball and volleyball at Ashton Brosnaham was also a tremendous project." who earlier in the meeting pushed for more funding for parks in his district said it was hard to support the $25 million project to upgrade multi-use fields when his district didn’t even have one District 3 Commissioner Lumon May laughed at the comment and said he wouldn’t get involved in the argument between the two but said the project would add revenues to the tourist tax fund “It's a lot of money - $25 million and I can't even get $200,000," Kohler said Kohler said he was concerned that the debt would hurt the ability to bond out TDT revenues to update the Pensacola Bay Center. Escambia County Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger said the tourism tax fund had the capacity to bond up to $100 million with current revenues a $25 million loan would cap the Bay Center upgrades from that funding source to $75 million The previous cost estimates to upgrade the Bay Center range from $22 million to make bare minimum improvements that keep the 40-year-old facility operational that would modernize the arena and possibly expand it to include an event center and a second ice rink for practice “I just want to be up front that we all are aware of that but I’m excited to support this project,” Hofberger said -- Phone service to the Pensacola Police Communications Center has been restored -- Pensacola Police Communications phone lines are currently down the police department announced Friday morning Fire dispatch can be reached at 850-512-0612 "We will update this information as soon as the regular lines are restored," Pensacola Police says Nuñez owned a very popular taqueria in Mexico for 30 years before moving to the United States and opening a more elegant she said via the translation of her daughter-in-law who works as a hostess at the new restaurant The restaurant replaces the former Spice & Spirits restaurant and Nuñez has transformed the space to meet her vision flowering cacti and special artwork and memorabilia reminiscent of Mexico Cinco de Mayo 2025: Where to go for margarita specials, games and music in Pensacola Her restaurant combines recipes traditional to her native Mexico such as Salvadoran pupusas and stuffed Honduran baleadas There are also plenty of options for seafood lovers such as a refreshing tropical ceviche served with tostadas or chips or a fried majara fish with fried plantain slices beans and curtido (Salvadoran cabbage slaw) She runs the restaurant hands-on with the help of her three sons crafting dishes alongside her in the kitchen finished plates come out with sides of homemade salsa and sauces and served with accompaniments such as fresh purple cabbage Luis is quick to make you a hand-crafted cocktail such as a margarita you can still enjoy a fresh horchata or rotating flavors of natural aqua frescas which means there is also a full breakfast menu with traditional dishes such as chilaquiles bright turquoise accent walls and rich wood tables with the ability to seat about 80 people The family has already begun seeing the rave reviews pour in during the first few days of business they encourage the community to come in and try it for themselves El Taco Baleado’s current hours are 10 a.m For real-time updates and information, follow El Taco Baleado on social media. Hungry for more? Stay up to date on the latest restaurant news by subscribing to our free Pensacola Eats newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign up for the newsletter at profile.pnj.com/newsletters/pensacola-eats/. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. 69-year-old woman charged after shooting at family member in Okaloosa Countyby Tiffany Bartholemew -- A 69-year-old woman has been charged with domestic violence-related aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly firing a shot at a family member during a disturbance at a home in Okaloosa County on Saturday Deputies say Linda Taxter refused to exit the home on Sioux Circle when deputies from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene The Special Response Team was deployed and ultimately breached the door to take Taxter into custody Taxter is currently being held at the Okaloosa County Jail in Crestview Deputies responded to the call of an armed disturbance in the area -- Florida lawmakers have passed a new education bill that bans cell phone use for K-8 students throughout the entire school day The current Florida law only restricts cell phone usage during class time The bill now heads to Governor Ron DeSantis The new measure for elementary and middle school students aims to reduce distractions and improve focus in learning environments it introduces a pilot program to study the effects at the high school level as it would be tested in six counties across the state Parents, how do you feel about this potential new cell phone ban? Let us know on Facebook here: -- The Okaloosa County commission could repeal an ordinance that prevents boaters from anchoring in a safety corridor on Crab Island The corridor was meant to allow emergency vessels to move through crowded areas of crab island first responders say they don't use the corridor because the water is too shallow The corridor is also marked off by buoys which the county says are often damaged each year The county said if the ordinance is repealed it would work with first responders on updating safety zones -- A Freeport man was arrested who was arrested for driving under the influence after a series of disruptive incidents in Santa Rosa Beach on Friday allegedly wiped feces all over a jail cell according to the Walton County Sheriff's Office Deputies say they responded to a call about a heavily intoxicated man harassing patrons at a Grayton Beach restaurant on Friday identified as 47-year-old Jason Lavar Buchanan Deputies say Buchanan was reportedly driving by the restaurant Deputies discovered a firearm within arm's reach in his vehicle Buchanan was confrontational and refused to exit the car leading deputies to use a Taser on him multiple times Buchanan continued his disruptive behavior at the jail smearing feces on the glass window and door Buchanan was charged with driving under the influence and obstruction without violence His criminal history includes a previous DUI conviction and multiple obstruction-related charges He is currently being held in Walton County Jail on a $5,000 bond -- An investigation is underway after a semi truck crashed into the entrance of a subdivision in Milton on Saturday The incident occurred at the entrance to Ski Watch Estates located just before the ramp from Gracon Point Road onto I-10 The truck took an early turn and ended up in the trees A witness reported that the driver appeared to be going too fast and noted that similar incidents occur a few times a month but there were some new signs put in by the county that said there was no outlet," resident Dan White said "By the time the truckers see those signs thinking they're on an acceleration ramp." Residents expressed concerns that there is no way for the trucks to safely turn around once they are on the wrong road Deputies are still awaiting the accident report from the highway patrol and will provide updates as more information becomes available -- Deputies are investigating a plane crash that occurred Sunday afternoon in Okaloosa County The incident took place near the Element Training Complex off Cooper Lane in Holt according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office reported that the pilot attempted to land the aircraft in an open field but crashed into a fence the pilot was not seriously injured and was able to refuse EMS transport The Element Training Complex released a statement on the incident The Element Training Complex thanked the range safety officers on duty who quickly responded to the crash and provided first aid to the pilot within a minute of the accident The facility made the decision to close early due to the circumstances and the presence of emergency personnel throughout the area -- Okaloosa County commissioners are set to vote on the potential closure of a problematic crossover on Highway 98 with some council members proposing the addition of 'right-turn-only' signs at various locations as an alternative measure Mayor Bobby Wagner said the Department of Transportation has identified dozens of cut-throughs on 98 that could be eliminated The issue is scheduled for discussion at the upcoming meeting on Tuesday -- A missing Mobile teacher has been identified as the victim in a deadly hit-and-run investigation 50-year-old Jonathan Braswell was reported missing on Friday police discovered that Braswell had been struck by a vehicle on Tuesday while walking near Greenlawn Drive and Morningside Drive and Braswell succumbed to his injuries at the hospital Braswell was a world history teacher at Murphy High School Traffic homicide investigators are now handling the case Fla.-- A 32-year-old Crestview man was apprehended by Okaloosa County deputies on Saturday after evading capture for several months who was wanted on multiple felony and misdemeanor warrants was located at a residence on Antioch Road near Crestview The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office reported that Wagner initially barricaded himself inside the home and refused to surrender Deputies had previously attempted to arrest him during a traffic stop in April but he managed to escape into nearby woods Wagner faces charges including resisting arrest he is accused of battering a woman and forcibly taking her car He is currently being held in jail without bond Fla.-- Residents gathered to honor Private Rosamond Johnson Jr. the first soldier from Escambia County to die in the Korean War heroically carried two wounded soldiers to safety and was killed while attempting to rescue a third he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Johnson Beach was one of the few beaches accessible to the Black community in Escambia County -- Hundreds of volleyball players and thousands of fans have descended on the beaches of Gulf Shores on Saturday for the National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship The event was supposed to take place in Huntington Beach but due to the wildfires that ripped through the area in January A quick change and an unanticipated economic boost sixteen teams of the country's best volleyball athletes began vying for a national title single-elimination tournament is set to wrap up Sunday "In light of the ongoing recovery efforts approximately 50 miles up north in Los Angeles County our focus is currently on ensuring hotel rooms and other resources remain focused on supporting those in need," Orange County Sports Commission Executive Director Anthony Brenneman said in a prepared statement The relationships that we have with our friends here in Gulf Shores allowed us the ability to make the switch and make it pretty quickly," NCAA director of championships and alliances Kristin Fasbender said The tournament is no stranger to Gulf Shores It's been hosted here since the inaugural tournament in 2016 "We've worked with the folks for 9 championships and you go through a lot," Fasbender said "It's great to be back here on these beaches." The tournament kicks off the summer season on the Gulf Coast "I know we've got a team that has 100 tickets or more so we have fans coming in from all over," Fasbender said sports and events with Alabama's Beaches Sports and Events "This is a great event for our beaches but they bring in friends and families that travel here and stay overnight," Sports and Events with Alabama's Beaches vice president Michelle Russ said "They spend money in our restaurants and attractions so it's a great early boost in May for our businesses." The national championship matchup is set for Sunday morning at 10:30 Pensacola Catholic tennis continued its stronghold on the area with the boys tennis team claiming yet another District 1-1A title and the girls squad finishing runner-up Typically playing at the third singles spot Libby Krehely was a standout for the Crusaders' girls team after transferring to the school for her senior year when the Crusaders were in the District 1-1A tournament at the Roger Scott Athletic Complex Krehely defeated Freeport's Breleish Breister (6-1 6-0) in the semifinals before topping Rocky Bayou Christian's Elizabeth Smith (6-3 Krehely also won in second doubles alongside Ella Cage 6-1) in the semifinals and Rocky Bayou Christian's squad (6-2 For her efforts, Krehely won the PNJ Athlete of the Week award for that week, sponsored by Florida Power and Light, after mustering 27.84% of the poll's votes the following week on the PNJ's website. Each weekly winner is awarded a one-of-a-kind PNJ Athlete of the Week shirt Here's a question-and-answer session with Krehely after she spoke with PNJ Sports Reporter Ben Grieco What did you think of your final year of high school tennis PNJ: Has it hit you yet that school's almost over and you're off to college soon 'Next week is your last week.' I didn't realize it yet It's weird to have to get everything ready for graduation." PNJ: Will you continue playing tennis at all So I'll play on their club team so I can continue playing It's nice because I can still continue tennis at a competitive level PNJ: What has Pensacola Catholic tennis meant to you this past season LK: "I really got to experience the small-school experience because you get a lot closer with your classmates Everyone here is after one goal: winning." PNJ: The week that you won Athlete of the Week was the district tournament What did it mean to win individually and finish second as a team it showed we worked hard this season and that we were always on the court working It was nice to have a singles and doubles win for my last year." Do you have any pre-game superstitions that you follow I just try to stay in the zone and listen to some music." LK: "I'll have an energy drink and something like a banana." LK: "Usually anything upbeat to get me in a good mood." PNJ: Is there a dream court you've always wanted to play on PNJ: Is there a dream singles opponent you'd want to go against LK: "I wish I played against some of the Pensacola Catholic girls like Maria LK: "I would say Gabby (Goyins) The state playoffs for high school softball have arrived With the Florida High School Athletic Association's selection show on May 2 area softball teams learned their fate as the regional tournaments begin soon while Classes 5A-7A start their quarterfinals on May 8 which only has four teams per region make the region tournament This is the start of the road to the state championships State crowns will be won or lost at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park nearly Orlando Along with the updated brackets on MaxPreps regional rankings were also updated on the FHSAA website West Florida (3A) and Northview (Rural) were the only teams guaranteed spots in the region tournament as district champions Five other teams earned their way into the region tournament via at-large bid meaning they were still ranked in the top eight of their region's classification (or top four in the Rural class) The full regional rankings are listed below the region playoff brackets Teams with an asterisk (*) are the host for the region quarterfinals the Region 1-6A tournament – just like last season – will run through the Patriots' field All four district champions are in the top eight teams Tate and Navarre both earned at-large bids but district champions earn an automatic home game in the first round Notes: All four district champions are in the top eight teams of the region Gulf Breeze and Milton both earned at-large bids into the region tournament while Gulf Breeze caught a lucky break as Niceville jumped Matanzas for the top seed and the Dolphins have a short trip to Okaloosa County Notes: Escambia is the only area team to get into the region tournament in this class winning the district championship over Pine Forest which is an at-large bid out of District 3 The other three district champions are in the top eight teams West Florida earned the automatic bid as the district champion over South Walton in an extra-inning thriller The other three district champions are within the top eight region teams Notes: After Northview topped Jay in the District 1 championship game both Jay and Northview will host the region semifinals It's possible that it could be a district championship rematch in the region final FHSAA SOFTBALL RANKINGSHere are the latest FHSAA rankings heading into the region tournament including teams whose seasons ended in district tournaments A former Pensacola Catholic golfer is continuing to make waves at the collegiate level David Chávez, who graduated from Catholic in 2023 was the low medalist at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's golf championship in the middle of April Chávez, a sophomore at Division II Virginia State University, carded a three-round total of 215, or one-under par, at the Magnolia Greens Golf Club in Leland, North Carolina 66 and 72 to claim the individual championship The second-day score of 66 is the unofficial lowest round in CIAA history Virginia State placed fourth out of eight teams at the CIAA Championship The low medalist honors were Chávez's second of his career at Virginia State after winning the CIAA Northern Division Tournament as a freshman last season he was also the CIAA Co-Rookie of the Year Chávez is now one of four individual golfers who will compete at the NCAA Atlantic/East Regional at Whispering Woods Golf Club in Erie Chávez is the top individual golfer of the four Before Virginia State, Chávez won the A. Downing Gray Cup at just 15 years old at the Pensacola Country Club in 2020 defeating a fellow high school teammate by a stroke Late John Appleyard honored with induction into Advertising Hall of FamePensacola News JournalThe late John Appleyard a key figure in Pensacola's advertising history has been posthumously inducted into the Florida and Caribbean American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame The honor recognizes his significant contributions to the industry and marks him as the first person from Pensacola to receive this distinction the agency pioneered comprehensive advertising services setting a new standard for the industry in Pensacola His entrepreneurial spirit and innovative approach laid the groundwork for the region's advertising community for generations to come From the beginning, Appleyard knew that success was about more than growing its business In public service he was board chairman of First Union/Wachovia Bank John Appleyard: Pensacola loses beloved historian, storyteller: John Appleyard dies at 97 Each organization appealed to Appleyard for its reputation for giving back to the community and creating positive change – the lynchpin of his advertising agency was the year of Pensacola’s Quadricentennial celebration which Appleyard helped coordinate at the state level This assignment led to his lifelong fascination with the history of Pensacola John Appleyard now had more free time to deeply commit to the community and in short order gave a new definition to “community volunteer.” He wrote more than 120 books and monographs on Northwest Florida history and earned more than 100 Freedom Foundation awards He authored a 30-part history series for Cox Cable and the Escambia County School System He later wrote a weekly column for the Pensacola News Journal Appleyard kept the history of Pensacola alive but he also played a significant role in shaping who we are and what we have He put the Port of Pensacola in front of a national audience with his monthly magazine through the Appleyard Agency he led the sesquicentennial celebration for the city that got an entire community hooked on our history Using the resources and skillset of the agency he raised funds and awareness for so many causes including the creation of Veterans Memorial Park and monuments honoring World War II and Korean War veterans As the former director of the Home Builders Association of West Florida he impacted generations of business leaders He believed his role was to promote Pensacola and not himself And he promoted us every opportunity he got Appleyard gave hundreds if not thousands of lectures at civic programs at Pensacola State College and UWF's lecture series Remembering Jon Appleyard: John Appleyard left indelible mark on all who knew him | Column Much of that history will live on through the Appleyard Storytelling Cottage a restored historical cottage in the Historic Trust campus Appleyard led the family in creating a family foundation which continues to give back to the community in numerous ways The significance of this honor was underscored by his son "Thank you very much for honoring my father as an Advertising Hall of Famer," Dick Appleyard said Escambia County is holding off on a proposal that would double its fire service fee for most residents The county will revisit the issue in two weeks as an option to charge a fire service fee to hotel stays could emerge at the Santa Rosa Island Authority and Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger warned about rumblings of a lawsuit to challenge the separate fire fee for Pensacola Beach Escambia County commissioners were presented with two options to raise the fee it charges homeowners and businesses to fund the county fire department during its May 1 meeting but the proposal was met with outcry from Pensacola Beach residents and business owners One of the proposals up for consideration raised the fire fee a whopping 1,053% for Pensacola Beach commercial properties which has drawn sharp opposition from beach business owners a 3,000-square-foot business could go from paying a fire fee of $217.80 a year to paying $2,511.60 a year Escambia County funds the Escambia County Fire Rescue service through fees to property owners through what’s known as a Municipal Service Benefits Unit (MSBU) one for the mainland and one for Pensacola Beach The Pensacola Beach fee pays for the operations of Station No 13 on the beach and also helps fund the Pensacola Beach Lifeguards the fire MSBUs haven’t raised enough to fund the fire department fully and the county has had to use general fund dollars of about $11.3 million a year That deficit is about $1.3 million a year from the fire service on Pensacola Beach and about $10 million a year for the fire service on the mainland according to comments made by commissioners Mike Kohler and Hofberger during the May 1 meeting the deficits are eliminated by raising separate fees on both the mainland and the beach The beach rates would raise an additional $1.9 million a year and the mainland rates would raise an additional $15 million a year More than a dozen members of the public spoke at the May 1 meeting all of them were either beach residents or business owners Everyone who spoke favored the second option Escambia County last raised fire rates in 2016 for the mainland and hasn’t changed rates for Pensacola Beach since 2003 In 2022, Escambia County considered changing how its fire fees worked and considered sales taxes or even a fire property tax but there was no consensus for any idea to move forward Commission Chairman Mike Kohler said the flat fee was regressive and would rather see a property tax model but said there wasn’t enough time to consider the change If the county tried to move to a property tax to fund the fire service it would give notice and hold multiple public hearings before July 1 Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger made comments indicating she favored the second option which would charge the same fee across the whole county and warned of potential lawsuits if the county chose the first option “I do foresee that being an issue,” Hofberger said County Attorney Allison Rogers said the Pensacola Beach MSBU has to specificy specific benefits the beach residents get from the seperate MSBU Kohler argued that the fire station there always has a paramedic on duty and the fire crew there can respond within five minutes anywhere on the island Hofberger said there are other county fire stations that include a paramedic though not all do and that when a call requires a second station to respond wait times dramatically increase "The last major fire that Portofino experienced it took 25 minutes for someone to respond because this fire department was already on a call and we had to pull other crews," Hofberger said Hofberger said she’s had beach constituents tell her they do not feel they’re getting the specific benefits required by the MSBU “A few of us campaigned on reducing the number of lawsuits for the county,” Hofberger said I want to really make sure that if you guys are considering moving forward with an uneven MSBU that you really look at what benefits you believe the beach is getting over the mainland Commissioner Steve Stroberger said he would favor the Santa Rosa Island Authority adding a fee to hotel stays at the beach to help fund the fire department and avoid such a high increase for beach residents Stroberger said hotels can get up to $800 a night during the busy season and a small fee could go a long way “Someone who's willing to spend that kind of money to stay at the beach probably is not going to say ‘I'm going to stay in Crestview instead,’” Stroberger said Escambia County Finance Director Stephan Hall said they were evaluating the option Stroberger mentioned with the Santa Rosa Island Authority “We need a little bit more time to work through that and ensure that this is a good path forward but it definitely sounds very promising,” Hall said Commissioners agreed to see what comes out of the next SRIA meeting on May 14 and discuss the issue again at their next meeting on May 15 and then we'll have to have a difficult conversation 15 prospect Blake Burkhalter was spectacular for the Columbus Clingstones (6-8) for the second time in this series but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (11-4) rode a three-run eighth inning to take a late lead and hand Columbus a 5-3 loss on Sunday afternoon at but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (11-4) rode a three-run eighth inning to take a late lead and hand Columbus a 5-3 loss on Sunday afternoon at Synovus Park Decisive Plays: An RBI single from Nathan Martorella gave Pensacola an early advantage in the first inning The Clingstones tied the game on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Keshawn Ogans in the second and led 2-1 after an RBI single from Ethan Workinger in the third The Blue Wahoos took advantage of costly Clingstones errors in the eighth inning as Workinger recorded an error in right field as part of a two-run single that made it 3-2 Another throwing error by catcher Adam Zebrowski scored another run for Pensacola Drew Compton smacked an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth but Columbus could not mount another comeback in this series on Sunday 9 SO) continued a tremendous week of starting pitching for the Clingstones Noteworthy: Burkhalter tied Lucas Braun and Jhancarlos Lara for the most strikeouts by an individual pitcher with nine on Sunday The Clingstones' 14 strikeouts as a staff also tied their season high of 14 from April 5 at Montgomery It's the first Take Two Tuesday at Synovus Park as fans can buy one concession item and get specific items free throughout the game When the Miami Marlins assemble for the official start of spring training in two weeks exactly half of the 64 players in camp will be former Blue Wahoos players The Marlins on Monday released their non-roster invitees They are among 24 non-roster players not part of the 40-man roster The Marlins’ 40-man roster also includes 16 former Blue Wahoos along with Blue Wahoos’ slugging record-holder Griffin Conine – one of three former Blue Wahoos competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster Perez is still recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery and is expected to be available in July who came back from major surgery last season will be one of eight starting pitchers competing for a spot on the starting rotation Joining him in competition will be former Blue Wahoos Edward Cabrera The Marlins will begin spring training on Feb The first Grapefruit League game for the Marlins is Feb A preview of spring training will be offered Feb 8 when the Marlins host their annual FanFest at loanDepot Park Four lucky fans from Pensacola can win an all-expenses paid trip to this event in Miami A group of four fans can submit a video entry The experience will give fans the opportunity to share their photos and videos from the trip with the Blue Wahoos The Marlins’ FanFest includes a wide variety of activities inside and outside the retractable roof ballpark The Marlins’ loanDepot Park is conveniently located less than 10 minutes from Miami’s waterfront downtown and less than 20 minutes from South Beach For many of the former Blue Wahoos among non-roster invitees is coming off a 2024 season where he batted .276 for Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp then played solidly in the Dominican Winter League showed some progression last season with the Blue Wahoos and Jumbo Shrimp Josh Simpson and Mathew Pushard face challenges for their futures Players who excel have a chance to open up a possibility of landing with another club if the Marlins choose to make trade deals There will be a lot of focus on youthful catcher Joe Mack only 22 and considered a rising prospect in the organization He’ll be among seven catchers that include former Blue Wahoos catcher Nick Fortes who shared time in the Marlins’ lineup last season The former Blue Wahoos outfielders on the 40-man roster include Conine all of whom have a chance to make the Opening Day roster Here are the former Blue Wahoos on the 40-man roster and the non-roster invitees an iconic midcentury modern sign in Gulf Breeze welcomed drivers to veer east along the Gulf of Mexico for a scenic drive to Pensacola Beach Featuring a cartoon sailfish and encircled by palm trees the sign has been restored multiple times since it was erected in 1960 Though its message to take a picturesque route leading to the "world's whitest beaches," along with motels and restaurants The sign now invites travelers to "drive east along Gulf of America," reflecting a January executive order issued by President Donald Trump to change the name of what was known for centuries without much controversy as the Gulf of Mexico Three months later, the renaming of the basin — which Trump said was part of his pledge to honor "American greatness" — continues to be a contentious subject across the nation. Polls collected by Harvard CAPS and Harris Poll in January found that 72% of registered voters oppose the executive order The name changes issued by Trump and DeSantis were ultimately what drove Mike Kohler the chairman of Escambia County Commission who also worked for Trump's 2020 reelection campaign to lead efforts in modifying the Pensacola Beach sign Kohler discovered the change would cost the county $2,600. Refurbishing the sign has cost significantly more in previous years, such as in 2019 when $263,000 was put into replacing it with a modernized version "I said go ahead and move forward with it," Kohler recalled "To be in alliance with the executive orders both from the president and governor." Kohler added that before the modification, the commission was periodically hearing concerns from residents of Escambia County — where nearly 47% of registered voters are Republican and about 30% are Democratic, according to the Florida Department of State — about the sign remaining the same Kohler said the commission has received mainly positive feedback other commissioners of the county supported the change who Kohler said devised filling the word "America" with the patriotic colors of red Hoffberger could not be reached for comment on Monday The percentage of the Florida population who support the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico is unclear. A public opinion survey from the University of North Florida found that out of 871 registered voters Sean Mullins, a photographer who runs a popular social media platform named Pensacola Vibes, posted an image on Facebook earlier this month that went viral for featuring "Gulf of Mexico" carved in the sand of Pensacola Beach the responses were divided — some praising the name changing others disapproving and many who resorted to referring to the body of water as the Gulf Political turmoil appeared again in the comments section when Mullins posted a photo of the modified Pensacola Beach sign "It's just "the gulf" to me," one commenter wrote "But I'll call it Gulf of America for sure." "Can we change it back though?" another asked Millions will see the updated sign while traveling to Pensacola Beach in 2025, as the tourism group Visit Pensacola found over 2 million people visited Escambia County in 2024. That number is expected to grow this year, according to local media outlets Email Poet Wolfe at poet.wolfe@theadvocate.com Email notifications are only sent once a day News Tips:nolanewstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Pensacola-area beaches are seeing an increasing number of visitors each weekend looking to spend a day in the white sands and clear waters those waters can pose a potential danger to unaware visitors and have already prompted dozens of water rescues Escambia County Public Safety personnel carried out almost 50 water rescues between Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key that were caused by rip currents according to Pensacola Beach Deputy Water Safety Chief Alex Johnson Officials conducted 43 rescues on April 26 “All of them can be attributed to rip currents We had a lot of rip currents all up and down Pensacola Beach that weekend and continue to do so this week as well,” Johnson said “The conditions right now just are very conducive to rip current development … we are seeing rip currents be very prevalent this year and month.” Tragedy at Navarre Beach: Body of missing 16-year-old swimmer recovered at Navarre Beach Rip currents are powerful channels of water that are caused by breaks in the sandbar just offshore Currents flowing away from the coast move fastest where the sandbar is reduced or not present and the water is deeper The currents can pull even strong swimmers far away from shore very quickly and people attempting to swim against the current can find themselves exhausted and at risk of drowning Escambia County called rip currents “the greatest danger to beach patrons” in a statement about the weekend rescues as they account for more than 80% of water rescues performed by lifeguards County officials urge all beach visitors to remain near a lifeguard because even when a green flag is flying there’s going to be some levels of rip currents present,” Johnson said rip currents present and the beach is going to get crowded we’re going to have a busy day where we’re trying to .. This past weekend's water rescues were a collaborative effort between Escambia County EMS with additional assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and LifeFlight you have (instances) like last weekend where (visitors) come together and you have a large amount of rescues,” he said “But our team is definitely ready to have a safe and successful summer.” Johnson said the lifeguards’ operation is “running at full force,” and he expects their presence to deter prevent or assist with water safety incidents this summer as that’s what their training is intended for it seems like every sunny Saturday we’re breaking the record for number of cars through the toll booth,” Johnson said our lifeguards are fantastic at going out there and making contact with all the public and doing public education.” Pensacola Beach renourishment plans: Renourishment of 8 miles of Pensacola Beach should start this fall at a cost $36 million Pensacola Beach Lifeguards work under Escambia County Public Safety and they’re equipped with 11 different towers as well as over 70 staff members this year They hired 26 new lifeguards for this season and an additional 16 lifeguards just completed their training in April Most of the Pensacola Beach Lifeguards are students in either high school or college so there’ll be an increased lifeguard presence on local beaches once the school year ends Pensacola Beach Lifeguards’ towers are located at Casino Beach and will expand to both Quietwater Beach and Public Access #2 in Perdido Key beginning Memorial Day weekend The lifeguards also patrol along the 8-mile stretch of Pensacola Beach and all public access points in Perdido Key Johnson mentioned reinforcing education in water safety as a means to protect swimmers and prevent the need for a rescue “We try to teach everyone that comes to the beach what the dangers of the day are,” he said 1 safety tip is we strongly encourage everyone to swim near a lifeguard because that’s where we can keep you safe (where) we can have eyes on you and we can educate you on where the rip currents are.” a swimmer can escape by swimming sideways to the direction the current is pulling them a swimmer should go with the flow of the current until it weakens then swim back to shore at an angle away from the rip current we always strongly encourage our visitors to swim in a lifeguarded area," said Water Safety Chief Dave Greenwood "Staying near a lifeguard greatly increases your chances of achieving a fun Conserve your energy by floating on your back until you are out of the current The Pensacola Beach Lifeguards fly surf warning flags in several locations along Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key The colored flag system measures the following surf risks: Beach patrons are advised that the absence of a beach flag in their location does not assure water safety The Pensacola Beach Lifeguards send out daily surf warning flag text alerts with daily beach conditions If beach conditions change throughout the day a separate text is sent to reflect the change a confirmation text from Everbridge Nixle Alerts will be sent along with a welcome message from the Pensacola Beach Lifeguards Respond to the text message with your email address to receive email alerts Text "STOP" to 888-777 to discontinue receiving daily notifications It's time to try Pensacola’s newest New York-style pizza shop, Lou’s Pizza slated to open to the public at noon on May 1 Owner Jacob Calloway was inspired to start the Pensacola pizzeria alongside his wife after years of perfecting his homemade dough recipe modeled after his favorite pizzas growing up in New York While a satisfying slice of pepperoni is his personal go-to comfort food there’s nothing more telling of a pizzeria’s quality than a simple slice of cheese pizza “It's the sauce and the dough combination and how they did it and so when you're testing quality of a place I want (customers) to appreciate the crust and the sauce combination and then whatever toppings they want to put on Because most of my heart and soul went into making the dough and getting that right.” Here's how Lou's Pizza got started: This former New Yorker spent years perfecting his pizza. Now he's bringing it to Pensacola pizzas will only be offered as 14-inch or 18-inch round pizzas he plans to offer pizza by the slice from a larger In addition to their standard homemade dough they also offer a cauliflower crust alternative While Calloway has filled his menu with specialty pies − such as caprese barbecue chicken and sausage and peppers − he anticipates customers will have the most fun building out their own custom creations dusts and dabs” available to make your pie your own or one of his all-time favorites − the sweet peppadew sun drop peppers “I guess that's really what our hope is that people will come up here and make some stuff that we've never had before and like it so much that we put it on the menu,” he said He is also excited to experiment with fresh seasonal ingredients to fuel limited-time chalkboard specials If you’d rather have Lou’s decide on your topping combination a good place to start is the House Favorite If you want something a little off the safe side Headband comes packed with the sweet heat of jalapeno One of the menu’s most unique features is The GG named after Calloway’s mother’s nickname that she earned when becoming a grandmother to his daughter which is a light and airy 12 x 12 square pizza slathered with a chunky tomato sauce meatballs and a light layer of mozzarella cheese you can always keep it simple with a 14-inch cheese pie for $15 Calloway said that while he has the excited butterfly feeling of welcoming guests in he and his family ask customers for patience as they work to keep up with the unknown demand in the early stages which can be placed by contacting the restaurant at 850-285-0763 during business hours Lou’s Pizza will be open from noon to 8 p.m hours could be adjusted in time to better meet customer demand The restaurant will serve a lot of pizza to-go but it does offer two tables for pizza purists who want to enjoy a slice fresh out of the oven For real-time updates and information, follow Lou's Pizza Shop on social media -- A Pensacola man who fights in the UFC is being held in Escambia County Jail on $558,500 bond following an arrest this week on charges of home invasion and domestic battery was arrested Monday afternoon on charges of: The arrest comes less than three weeks after Dumas suffered a first-round knockout loss at UFC 314 in Miami He is 3-3 since signing with the UFC off Dana White's Contender Series in 2022 WEAR News obtained the arrest report on Friday The report states the incident happened Monday and the alleged victim is Dumas' ex-girlfriend the victim said she was on her back porch talking on the phone when Dumas entered her home without permission by walking in her front She told deputies he threw the back door open in an aggressive manner walked up to her and took her iPhone out of her hand so she followed him to try to get her phone back the victim said Dumas grabbed her hand and forcefully tried to take a ring off her finger He then allegedly "threw her around the room and into a large wooden vase." The report states the victim said Dumas grabbed a $400 necklace off her neck then left home with her phone and necklace He reportedly drove back a minute later and threw her phone in the front yard Deputies observed scratches and bruises on the victim's leg and arm The report states deputies later located Dumas at a different home hiding in a dog crate in a shed Deputies searched Dumas' vehicle and found 51 grams of marijuana and a gun as well as a broken piece of necklace on the floorboard he said he called the victim's mother who permitted him to go to the house and get items that belonged to him He said he went inside the front door because it was unlocked The report states Dumas told deputies that once inside He added she also threw a wooden vase at him and scratched his leg Deputies observed a fresh cut on his left leg investigators determined they had probable cause to arrest Dumas for the charges The charge of "weapon possession by a convicted felon" stems from Dumas' February 2024 felony conviction This marks Dumas' fourth arrest in Escambia County since signing his UFC deal WEAR News featured Dumas in a June 2023 story as he spoke about his MMA career and past struggles It's Teacher Appreciation Week, the perfect time to show the educators in your life just how much they matter If you're an educator, here's your chance to take advantage of the various food deals discounts and freebies offered this week just for you You can be one of the 100,000 teachers to win a free burrito from Chipotle or get a free breakfast menu item at Whataburger which is also granting $1,000 to 75 lucky teachers for their schools freebies and discounts are available this week for teachers feeling peckish 2024-25 School Year: When is the last day of school for Escambia, Santa Rosa students? Teacher Appreciation Week has been around in the U.S “In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress to set aside a day to recognize teachers. Back then, it was just a single day of recognition,” according to Teachers of Tomorrow. due to the overwhelming support for honoring teachers the National Education Association (NEA) successfully lobbied to turn it into a full week in 1986.” Teacher Appreciation Week always falls on the first full week of May with Teacher Appreciation Day celebrated within that week Teacher Appreciation Week starts on Monday Related: ECSD teachers want written guidelines for dealing with ICE agents Teacher Appreciation Week and Teacher Appreciation Day always fall on the first full week of May which means the calendar date changes every year Teacher Appreciation Day is always celebrated on the Tuesday of that week Teacher Appreciation Week and National Nurses Week fall on the same time and some businesses are celebrating both Both teachers and healthcare workers can sign up through May 13 to win a free burrito from Chipotle 100,000 teachers and 100,000 healthcare workers will be randomly selected for a free burrito e-gift card The emails sent to the winners will ask for employment status verification within 48 hours Whataburger offers teachers with a valid school ID a free breakfast menu item from 5 a.m The fast food chain is also awarding $1,000 to 75 educators for their schools, in celebration of its 75th anniversary. To nominate educators for future recognition, contact Whataburger Community Connections More: Whataburger's 10th Escambia restaurant approved for construction. Here's where it's going so check to see how the location closest to you will be celebrating before you go A participating restaurant in Lee Vista, near Orlando, is giving away a free item to teachers and nurses everyday between May 5 and May 12 Here's what the location is gifting each day: sweet tea or hot or iced drip coffee in any size with a valid teacher ID on Tuesday Participating restaurants can be found here. Here’s a list of some deals and promotions for Teacher Appreciation Week, from an April list published by Teachers of Tomorrow: