Patronis Applauds House Passage Of Bill Benefiting Military, Veterans
June 29, 2025
Northwest Florida Congressman Jimmy Patronis is applauding passing of a House bill which allocated more than $152 billion towards critical investments in military infrastructure that support readiness.
H.R. 3944 – The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026, fully funds veterans’ health care programs, veterans’ benefits, and VA programs, providing more than $452 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs. That’s more than $82 billion above the enacted level for Fiscal Year 2025. Patronis voted in support of the legislation.
Patronis said, “I’m grateful for President Trumps and Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership in the passage of this pro-military, pro-veteran legislation. This bill puts America’s veterans, active-duty military, and their families first by providing historic funding that increases the readiness of our troops and ensures that our veterans and military families receive the care and support they need back home. It also bolsters our national security, enhances border protections, and prevents any efforts to undermine veterans’ Second Amendment rights. This bill will go a long way toward assisting the many veterans and military families in Florida’s First Congressional District and ensure our heroes in uniform are well-prepared to defend the homeland.
“This Military Construction and Veteran Affairs bill allocates $75 million for the design and planning of future barracks, $2 billion for military family housing, and fully funds veterans’ medical care at more than $131 billion, which will go towards veterans’ benefits and toxic exposure-related needs. I’m also pleased to report that this funding measure includes more than $970 million for the Bridging Rental Assistance for Veteran Empowerment program, which is an initiative dedicated to ending veteran homelessness. Our heroes in uniform put their lives on the line 24/7/365, and this bill honors both their sacrifices and those of our nation’s veterans.”
‘It’s Gonna Be Really Embarrassing’ – ECSO Says Cantonment Man’s Texts Link Him To Trailer Theft
June 29, 2025
A Cantonment man was arrested on a felony charge after allegedly stealing a trailer from a business on West Nine Mile Road, and the deputies say he was linked to the crime by his texts.
Joseph Shane Wilson, 45, was charged with grand theft and later released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
The owner of Sheds Plus reported a blackout edition 7×16 enclosed Rocksold trailer valued at $10,000 was stolen from the property. The trailer theft was captured on surveillance video as it was pulled away by an older model silver and gold half cab Chevrolet Silverado, later traced by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to Wilson.
Wilson’s cell phone had been seized during a separate ECSO narcotics search warrant.
On the day of the trailer theft, Wilson sent a text stating “I got this thing and I’m taking it to weezys shop”, according to an ECSO search of the phone. Deputies also reported finding a picture on Wilson’s phone of the trailer that was taken on the day of the theft.
Investigators also reported finding a text on Wilson’s phone that stated:
“”it’s gonna be really embarrassing if I go to jail because I went and stole a $10,000 trailer because I was worried about lot rent and your car payment and power bill because you got paid and didn’t pay a dime on any bills and you are broke and then I go and blow $500 at casino this morning and then you want to try and act like your little motel job is more important than anything I might need to do or want to do .. it takes you several months to make what I have in the last 2 weeks.”
Scattered Mostly Afternoon Showers And Thunderstorms For Sunday
June 29, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 86. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, then showers and thunderstorms after 10am. High near 84. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Northwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Independence Day: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 93.
Century Town Council Cancels July 1 Meeting, Reschedules Another
June 29, 2025
The Town of Century has canceled its regularly scheduled July 1 town council meeting.
The council normally meets on the first and third Tuesdays, but the council had previously rescheduled their July 15 meeting to July 22, meaning the council’s only July meeting will be on the 22nd.
The July 1 meeting was canceled with little to no business set for the agenda, and the July 15 meeting was delayed a week by the council because Town Clerk Carrie Moore will be at a conference.
NorhtEscambia.com file photo.
Blue Wahoos, Lookouts Postponed Again In Chattanooga
June 29, 2025
Saturday’s doubleheader between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Chattanooga Lookouts at AT&T Field was postponed due to wet grounds.
The twin bill was intended to make up Friday’s game, which was postponed due to rain.
One of the games will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, with first pitch of game one scheduled for 12:15 p.m. EDT/11:15 a.m. CDT. The doubleheader will consist of two seven-inning games, with game two starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. The final game of the series will be made up at a later date.
Walnut Hill Sex Offender Charged With Sexually Cyber-Harassing Woman, Failing To Register
June 28, 2025
A registered sex offender from Walnut Hill has been charged with sexually cyber-harassing a woman.
Walter Eugene Sunday, 54, sent numerous sexually explicit photos and videos of male genitalia to a woman over a six-hour period from Sunday night through 1:50 a.m. Monday, June 23, according to an arrest report.
Monday morning, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy found Sunday sitting on a bench in his front yard on Nokomis Road, and he “immediately started making statements his phone had been stolen a couple days ago by someone named Jamel,” the report states. Additional statements were redacted from his arrest report.
The victim told deputies that she had never been in a romantic relationship with Sunday, and that the messages were unsolicited.
The victim told deputies that Sunday had sent her a photo in the past with no message, and she immediately deleted it. She also alleged Sunday had sent the same type of unwanted and unsolicited photos to another female, but deputies were unable to make contact with the female.
Sunday’s phone was seized by the ECSO.
Sunday was convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct on a victim under 16 in June 2013, and is required to register as a sex offender. According to the ECSO, he failed to return to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to reregister as required with the Florida Sex Offender/Predator database during May 2025. Deputies noted he was previously convicted of failing to register in July 2024.
Sunday was charged with sexually cyber-harassing another person and felony failure to reregister. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Scattered Mostly Afternoon Storms Likely This Weekend
June 28, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 1pm and 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms between 1pm and 4pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. High near 85. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, then showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. High near 85. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Tuesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 87. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Independence Day: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Pictured: Distant thunderstorms seen recently from the First City Solar Energy Center in McDavid. The FPL solar site went online in February 2023 and has more than 223,000 photovoltaic panels with a planned output of 75 megawatts — enough to power about 15,000 homes. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
FHP Seeks Jeep, And Driver With Only Two Front Teeth, For Cantonment Hit And Run
June 28, 2025
The Florida Highway Patrol is asking for the public’s help in locating a Jeep involved in a hit and run crash on Highway 29 earlier this month.
About 2 p.m. on Monday, June 2, a gray Jeep Gladiator was observed traveling north on Highway 29 near Highway 95A in Cantonment. FHP says the Jeep failed to stop for traffic ahead, which resulted in the Jeep rear-ending a white Lincoln Navigator. The Jeep driver stopped briefly before fleeing north on Highway 29 toward Molino.
The driver of the Navigator described the driver of the Jeep as a white male in his 50s with only two front teeth and a blister on his left foot, according to troopers.
The Jeep Gladiator was described as having orange accent accessories with a small unknown number Alabama tag. It was last seen northbound on Highway 29 passing Well Line Road.
“It is unknown at the time of investigation if there is damage to the Jeep,” FHP said Friday.
Sample image provided by FHP.
DeSantis Gives State Employees Extra Day Off For Independence Day And A Pay Raise
June 28, 2025
Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that state offices will be closed on Thursday, July 3.
“In anticipation of America’s upcoming semiquincentennial celebration in 2026, I am giving state employees a longer weekend this year to celebrate,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I hope our state employees use this additional time off to enjoy Florida’s Freedom Summer with their loved ones and reflect on the importance and meaning of our nation’s founding.”
The governor is also approving a 2% raise—funded through the state’s annual budget—for state employees, which will go into effect July 1, 2025. At the Governor’s request, this raise will not be applied to the salary of the Governor.
State offices will close on July 3rd in addition to regular office closures on July 4th commemorating Independence Day. State office closures will create a four-day holiday weekend which will benefit nearly 100,000 people in the State Personnel System.
Electrical Cord Short Sparks Fire In Gonzalez
June 28, 2025
An electrical short is being blamed for a fire Thursday afternoon in Gonzalez.
At 4:55 p.m., Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to a shed fire in the 1700 block of Batson Lane, just off Pauline Street.
Firefighters arrived within minutes and were able to quickly bring the fire under control. There were no injuries. The ECFR investigation determined the fire to be caused by a shorted electrical cord inside the shed.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
