$42.5 Million Sale Of OLF-8 On The BOCC Agenda For Thursday
June 2, 2025
The Escambia County Commissioner is set to consider an agenda item on this Thursday to sell OLF-8 for $42.5 million to to Tri-W Development and Chad C. Henderson Enterprises of Pensacola II.
The agreement under consideration is being presented by County Attorney Alison Rogers. The $42.5 million will be for the entire 540.89 acres of the property on Nine Mile Road.
Under the agreement, the OLF-8 Master Plan (DPZ Design Code), as it may be amended, will be included as a restrictive covenant on the deed.
The final DPZ master plan approved in July 2021 is a combination of commerce, residential and amenities. It allocates 271 acres to commerce and industrial; 61 acres to residential including duplexes, townhomes and multifamily; 47 acres to a mixed-use center such as residential over retail and office over retail; and 45 acres to trails and public amenities such as a post office, school, day care and community garden.
“The purpose of this Declaration is to protect the value and desirability of the Property as a unified project, and ensure, insofar as is practicable, the proper development and use of the Property in accordance with the Master Plan, and to provide restrictions, covenants and conditions, as more particularly set forth in the Master Plan. This Declaration is intended to protect owners, lessees and sub-lessees from undesirable development and use of the Property and for the benefit of the local community and economy. This Declaration shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purpose,” the agreement states.
In January 2019, Escambia County acquired OLF-8 in a land swap with the U.S. Navy for property in Santa Rosa County. The county hired DPZ CoDesign to develop the best plan for OLF-8, and the firm presented four plans ranging from a commerce park based concept to designs with a mix of commerce, residential and green space on the 500 plus acre site along Nine Mile Road in Beulah.
The final DPZ master plan approved in July 2021 is a combination of commerce, residential and amenities. It allocates 271 acres to commerce and industrial; 61 acres to residential including duplexes, townhomes and multifamily; 47 acres to a mixed-use center such as residential over retail and office over retail; and 45 acres to trails and public amenities such as a post office, school, day care and community garden.
The OLF-8 sale will be considered during the Board of County Commissioners meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge
Stovetop Fire Blamed For Causing Molino House Fire
June 2, 2025
Escambia County Rescue has determined that a Molino house fire last week originated on the home’s stovetop before moving quickly to the attic through a vent pipe.
The fire about 1:30 p.m. on May 29 in the 550 block of Cedartown Road, just off Highway 95A, left two people without a home.
Firefighter arrived to find heavy smoke pouring from the eaves and ridge vent of the single-story wood framed home. Firefighters found a fire in the kitchen that expanded to the attic. The home sustained significant damage to the attic and moderate damage to the kitchen and living room. The home can be tenable again with substantial repairs.
There were no injuries reported.
The American Red Cross assisted two adults who were displaced by the fire.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Photos: Tennessee Monument Honors Fallen No. 6 Blue Angels Pilot
June 2, 2025
It’s been nine years since Blue Angel No. 6 crashed, killing pilot Jeff Kuss in Smyrna, Tennessee.
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jeff Kuss, a native of Durango, Colorado, was a decorated pilot who joined the Blue Angels in 2014. Prior to the Blue Angels, he served in Afghanistan and had accumulated more than 1,400 flight hours and 175 landings on aircraft carriers.
On June 2, 2016, at the age of 32, Kuss tragically lost his life when his jet crashed during a practice one day before The Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna. A Blue Angel F/A-18C Hornet similar to the jet flown by Captain Kuss and on loan from the National Aviation Museum in Pensacola is on permanent display as part of the Captain Jeff Kuss Memorial. He is survived by his wife Christina, children Calvin and Sloane, parents Janet and Michael, and brother Eric.
Kuss is memorialized with a public monument at a park across the road from Smyrna airport, near the crash site. Local residents gathered in the park following the tragic crash, holding an impromptu vigil.
NorthEscambia.com took our cameras to the memorial recently.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The monument features a retired Blue Angel F/A-18 Hornet that is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. The “Freedom Playground” in the surrounding park has a Blue Angels color scheme and several features that were designed with the Blue Angels in mind.
The Blue Angels will perform this weekend, June 7-8 , during the The Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Woman, 87, Airlifted After Highway 29 Rollover Crash In Molino
June 2, 2025
One person was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon in Molino.
The crash occurred about 5:20 p.m. at the intersection of southbound Highway 29 and Chance Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a green pickup truck was stopped in the paved median on Highway 29 with a yield sign when the it pulled into the path of an oncoming southbound SUV.
The pickup truck overturned, come to rest on its side. The pickup’s driver, an 87-year-old female driver from Cantonment, was extricated by firefighters using the Jaws of Life before being airlifted by LifeFlight to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. The SUV driver, a 64-year-old male from Cookeville, TN, and his passenger, a 59-year-old female also from Cookeville, suffered only minor injuries and were not transported to the hospital.
The crash closed southbound Highway 29 for about an hour, and the northbound lanes were closed for a brief period for the helicopter.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Molino, Cantonment, and McDavid stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded, along with Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
AAA: Florida Gas Prices Are Slightly Higher Than A Week Ago
June 2, 2025
Florida gas prices are slightly more expensive than last week, according to AAA. The state average on Sunday was $3.09 per gallon. A week ago, it was $3.075 per gallon.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County on Sunday night was $2.83. A North Escambia low price of $2.75 was available at two stations on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
“Oil prices have remained stable for the past two weeks,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “This should enable Florida gas prices to remain within the same 20-cent range they’ve cycled in for the better part of the past year.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Sunny, Near 90 To Begin The Week
June 2, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Calm wind.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Free Summer Lunch Program For Youth Begins Today At The Library
June 2, 2025
The free summer lunch program program for youth at West Florida Public Libraries began June 2 at all locations.
West Florida Public Libraries will be serving free lunch for youth 18 years of age and younger at all library locations Monday through Friday from noon until 1 p.m. A special rural grab-and-go version of the program will be available at the Century and Molino library locations during the same time period.
Disabled individuals 19 years of age and older who participate in a public or private non-profit program during the school year are also eligible to receive meals. This program is sponsored by Feeding the Gulf Coast.
Wahoos Snap Losing Streak, Take Road Finale Against Biscuits
June 2, 2025
written by Carter Bainbridge
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (24-27) ended their road trip on a high note with a 6-2 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits (28-23) on Sunday.
After a scoreless first two frames, Pensacola jumped out to an early lead in the top of the third. Following a leadoff single and a walk against Montgomery starter Owen Wild (L, 2-4), designated hitter Kemp Alderman hit a three-run home run to put the Wahoos ahead 3-0. The blast was Alderman’s tenth hit of the week and capped a prolific series (.478, 11-for-23, HR, 3B, 3 RBI) for the Mississippi native.
The Biscuits answered in the bottom of the fourth against Blue Wahoos starter Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (W, 3-2). With one out, designated hitter Xavier Isaac hit a solo home run to cut the Pensacola lead to 3-1. Montgomery’s next three hitters reached to load the bases, but Ortiz-Mayr coaxed a pair of unproductive outs to end the threat.
Neither team scored again until the top of the seventh when Alderman hit a two-out triple off of lefthander Keyshawn Askew before coming home to score on a wild pitch. In the eighth, the Wahoos tacked on another run when left fielder Shane Sasaki singled, stole both second and third base, then came home to score on a single by shortstop Johnny Olmstead to give Pensacola a 5-1 lead.
Montgomery fought back with a run in the bottom of the eighth, but came no closer against righthander Josh Ekness (S, 4) and the Wahoo bullpen. Right fielder Dalvy Rosario added a solo homer in the top of the ninth to cap a 6-2 Pensacola victory.
With the win, Pensacola snaps its team-record 11-game losing streak with its first victory since May 18.
The Blue Wahoos return home on Tuesday, June 3 when they begin a six-game series against the Columbus Clingstones. First pitch from Blue Wahoos Stadium is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Congratulations Class Of 2025! Celebrate With A Look Back At Hundreds Of Photos
June 1, 2025
Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
As we celebrate your successes, let’s look back at all the great photos.
NorthEscambia.com attended the graduation ceremonies for the three high schools located in North Escambia, publishing photo galleries with hundreds of photos and posting complete graduate lists for each of the schools.
Escambia Westgate School
The Escambia Westgate School Class of 2025 graduated May 19, and “you are champions” was the message from Escambia County Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Shenna Payne.
Tate High School
Over 500 members of the Tate High School Class of 2025 graduated on May 27 at the Pensacola Bay Center as valedictorian Talia Bethany Smith encouraged her classmates to “to truly embrace what is ahead, not with fear but with courage and curiosity”
- For the list of Tate High School graduates, click here.
- For a photo gallery from the Tate graduation, click here.
- For a second photo gallery from Tate, click here.
Northview High School
Northview High School Class of 2025 valedictorian told his 106 fellow classmates that “time is limited in this world; enjoy the time you get.; but most importantly, do something good with it.”
- For a list of Northview High School graduates, click here.
- For a photo gallery from the Northview graduation, click here.
- For a second photo gallery from Northview, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jim Allen Elementary Names Students Of The Month
June 1, 2025
Jim Allen Elementary School named their May Students of the Month. They are Lyla Rae Bradley (pictured left) and Penelope Clyburn. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.