Mostly Clear Overnight
July 5, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wahoos Fall to Shuckers On The Fourth Of July
July 5, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos couldn’t contain the Biloxi Shuckers or their sellout crowd on Friday night, falling 10-4 in front of a raucous Independence Day audience.
After overcoming an early 3-0 deficit, the Blue Wahoos couldn’t answer seven middle-inning Biloxi runs as the Shuckers racked up 10 total runs for the second time in four games.
Ike Buxton (L, 0-2) ran into trouble right away in the first inning, falling behind 2-0 on a bases-loaded walk to Zavier Warren and Ethan Murray double play grounder. The Shuckers added another in the second inning on a Jheremy Vargas run-scoring fielder’s choice, taking a 3-0 advantage.
The Blue Wahoos rallied back against Shuckers starter Tate Kuehner (W, 7-4), as Tony Bullard hit a solo homer in the third inning to get on the board. A Johnny Olmstead RBI double and Ryan Ignoffo RBI single in the fourth inning briefly tied the game 3-3.
The Shuckers quickly answered and took the lead for good, scoring three runs against Buxton in their half of the fourth inning. RBI singles from Vargas and Luis Lara marked the end of the night for the Pensacola starter, and reliever Alex Williams fared little better. The righty allowed three more runs in the fifth on RBI doubles from Murray and Matthew Wood, and another in the sixth on a Warren RBI single.
Ignoffo doubled in the seventh and scored on a wild pitch for the fourth Pensacola run, but the Biloxi bullpen effectively protected the lead to secure a 10-4 final in front of a sellout crowd of 6098 fans.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Saturday night. First pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Big List: Where To Find Fireworks Shows On The 4th (And The 5th)
July 4, 2025
Here’s a guide to public Fourth of July Fireworks shows and events cross the North Escambia area on July 4-5
Friday, July 4
Pensacola’s 4th of July Fireworks
Prepare to be captivated by a breathtaking display featuring a mesmerizing blend of vibrant colors, meticulously choreographed pyrotechnics, and awe-inspiring special effects. The night sky will come alive as the fireworks are expertly synchronized to an electrifying soundtrack provided by CatCountry 98.7. Renowned pyrotechnicians from PYRO Shows have been commissioned to design a show that surpasses all expectations, promising a truly enchanting atmosphere of wonder and awe.
This year, the annual July 4th celebration welcomes new hosts, the Greater Pensacola Chamber and Pensacola Young Professionals, who are excited to collaborate in bringing the Fourth of July Fireworks to Downtown Pensacola.
Pensacola residents and visitors are encouraged to bring their picnic blankets, chairs, and radios and plan to arrive early to secure the best viewing spots along Bayfront Parkway and fully immerse themselves in the festivities. The evening’s celebrations kick off with Symphony Sparks & Stars, a free Pensacola Symphony concert at the amphitheater behind the Wahoos stadium starting at 7:30 pm.
Pro tip: Radios are highly encouraged to enjoy the synchronized music on CatCountry 98.7 and avoid the delays that come with streaming apps. Additionally, an exciting lineup of local food trucks will be serving up fantastic eats in Bartram Park from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Fireworks at the Beach
The Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce will present Fireworks at the Beach at 9 p.m. on July 4 at the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk. Live radio simulcast on CatCountry 98.7 beginning at 9 p.m. Bring a radio – streaming apps have a delay.
Riverfest Milton
The City of Milton is making a splash this Independence Day with Riverfest 2025, taking place Friday, July 4, at the Riverwalk and Jernigan’s Landing along the Blackwater River.
This free, family-friendly celebration features water slides, live music, The Great Milltown Duck Race, and a spectacular fireworks show at 9 p.m. The day’s festivities begin at 3 p.m. when water slides open at Jernigan’s Landing (5158 Willing Street). The Great Milltown Duck Race begins from the Highway 90 Bridge at 5 p.m. A Bands on the Blackwater concert featuring The Chase Mitchell Band will begin at 7 p.m.
The big fireworks show over the Blackwater River beings at 9 p.m.
McDavid
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church will present a family friendly celebration for the community on Friday, July 4 from 5 -9 p.m. at Hamilton’s Pond on South Pine Barren Road in McDavid. There will be family picnic with hamburgers, hotdogs and sausage dogs, ice cream, cotton candy, live music, door prizes, waterslide for kids, and fireworks at 9 p.m. $5 food tickets include entrée, chips and drink.
Molino
The Fourth Annual Fireworks Extravaganza at CrossFaith Church, 5701 North Highway 29, will be Friday, July 4. Gates open at 5 p.m. Bring a chair. The community family event will include food trucks, a watermelon eating contest, fun for kids, a tug-of-water, and more. A big fireworks show will end the evening.
Jay
The 26th annual Celebrate Freedom Run will begin at 8 a.m. Friday, July 4 at the Jay Community Center on Booker Lane. The One Mile Run will follow about 9:15 a.m.
Fireworks in Jay will be “at dark” — about 8:45 to 9 p.m. from the Bray-Hendricks Park area. Parking is in the Industrial Park on Higdon Drive.
Atmore
Wind Creek Casino will present fireworks at 9 p.m. at the amphitheater. The fireworks are viewable from the surrounding area. Free.
East Brewton
East Brewton fireworks will begin at 0 p.m. A duck race and horseshoe tournament will start at 4 p.m. in the parking lot next to the Piggly Wiggly.
Saturday, July 5
Flomaton/Century Joint Fireworks Show
The Flomaton/Century Fireworks display will return on Saturday, July 5. at Dewey J. Bondurant, Jr. Park in Flomaton—that’s the former Hurricane Park across from Flomaton High School. The day will begin about 3 p.m. with food trucks and more. Fireworks at dark — about 9 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Happy Fourth of July! Very Small Chance of An Isolated Shower Tonight
July 4, 2025
Happy Independence Day! Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 73. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 93. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. West wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Sunny, with a high near 92. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 74.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Food Safety Tips For A Happier Fourth Of July
July 4, 2025
Due to a variety of factors, including warmer temperatures, foodborne illness increases in summer. Stay healthy and safe during warmer months by following these food safety recommendations from the USDA:
When bringing food to a picnic or cookout:
- Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Frozen food can also be used as a cold source.
- Foods that need to be kept cold include raw meat, poultry, and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches; summer salads (tuna, chicken, egg, pasta, or seafood); cut up fruit and vegetables; and perishable dairy products.
- A full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one. When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter.
- Avoid opening the cooler repeatedly so that your food stays colder longer.
When cooking on the grill:
- Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat items like vegetables or bread.
- Keep perishable food cold until it is ready to cook.
- Use a food thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are cooked thoroughly to their safe minimum internal temperatures
- Beef, Pork, Lamb, & Veal (steaks, roasts, and chops): 145 °F with a 3 minute rest time
- Ground meats: 160 °F
- Whole poultry, poultry breasts, & ground poultry: 165 °F
- Always use a fresh, clean plate and tongs for serving cooked food. Never reuse items that touched raw meat or poultry to serve the food once it is cooked.
When serving food outdoors:
- Perishable food should not sit out for more than two hours. In hot weather (above 90 °F), food should NEVER sit out for more than one hour.
- Serve cold food in small portions, and keep the rest in the cooler. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served – at 140 °F or warmer.
- Keep hot food hot by setting it to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook.
Cost of 4th Of July Cookout Reaches Remains High, Farm Bureau Says
July 4, 2025
Families celebrating the Fourth of July holiday continue to find high prices at the grocery store, based on the 2025 American Farm Bureau Federation annual marketbasket survey. An Independence Day cookout will cost $70.92 for 10 guests this year.
This is down only 30 cents from last year’s record-high cost. At $7.09 per person, 2025 will be the second-highest cost since Farm Bureau began the survey in 2013. The cookout favorites include cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, among other products. While the survey does not include an exhaustive list of Fourth of July options, it serves as a snapshot of prices families are facing this summer.
“Inflation and lower availability of some food items continue to keep prices stubbornly high for America’s families,” said AFBF Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub. “High prices don’t mean more money for farmers, however. Farmers are price takers, not price makers. Their share of the food retail dollar is just 15%. The cost of running their farm is up, from labor and transportation, to taxes.”
The marketbasket survey shows an increase in the cost of beef, potato salad and canned pork and beans, while there are drops in the cost of pork chops, chips and hamburger buns.
Volunteer shoppers across the country, including Farm Bureau members and others, collected data from stores in every state and Puerto Rico. Prices before the holiday may not reflect sales and specials at individual stores.
Individual Prices, AFBF 2025 Summer Cookout
2 pounds of ground beef, $13.33 (+4.4%)
2 pounds of chicken breasts, $7.79 (-0.5%)
3 pounds of pork chops, $14.13 (-8.8%)
1 pound of cheese, $3.54 (-0.9%)
1 package of hamburger buns, $2.35 (-2.6%)
2 ½ pounds of homemade potato salad, $3.54 (+6.6%)
32 ounces of pork and beans, $2.69 (+8.2%)
16-ounce bag of potato chips, $4.80 (-2.1%)
13-ounce package of chocolate chip cookies, $4.00 (+0.3%)
½ gallon of ice cream, $5.69 (+0.7%)
2 pints of strawberries, $4.69 (+1.7%)
2 ½ quarts of lemonade, $4.37 (+4.2%)
Fireworks Are Terrifying For Pets. Here Are Some Tips To Help.
July 4, 2025
Unlike people, pets don’t associate the noise, flashes and burning smell of fireworks with celebration. As a result, fireworks can cause a great deal of stress for some pets. Unexpected behavior may be displayed by your pet while trying to escape from the loud noises including jumping a fence to find safety, running away or “flight from fright,” destruction of yard or household items and biting.
Here are some quick tips from the Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare:
- Do not take your pet to fireworks displays.
- Do not leave your pet in the car while you watch a fireworks display. In only a matter of minutes, the heat in a car can cause serious health problems or even death. A stressed animal can also cause major damage to the interior of your car.
- Be mindful of hot asphalt and sand. Keeping your dog on hot asphalt or sand even for short periods of time can cause severe burns to the pads of their feet.
- Keep pets indoors. Turn on the TV or radio as a distraction and close the curtains.
- Never leave pets unattended outside, not even in a fenced yard or on a chain, if you are near a fireworks display or if your neighbors are lighting small fireworks. They may try to run away or become tangled up in their chain.
- Provide a pet bed or crate in a quiet place to create a small den-like atmosphere and a sense of security.
- If you must be outside with your pet, keep the pet on a leash or in a carrier at all times.
- Make sure your pet has proper identification tags with current information in case they run away.
- If your pet often becomes stressed during periods of loud noise like thunderstorms, check with your veterinarian to see if a tranquilizer is appropriate for your pet.
“Unlike people, pets don’t associate the noise, flashes and burning smell of fireworks with celebration,” said Animal Welfare Director John Robinson. “As a result, fireworks can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for some pets. We encourage you to also contact your veterinarian for additional solutions to pet anxiety. Following these tips will help keep your pets safe during the holiday.”
If your pet runs away, please check 24PetConnect.com under the “I Lost A Pet” section. The Animal Welfare and Adoption Center, located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive, is open Monday-Friday from 12-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Who Has The Best Local Fireworks Show? How Will Locals Celebrate The Fourth? Our Survey Says…
July 4, 2025
How will North Escambia residents celebrate the Fourth of July, and which town has the best local fireworks show?
NorthEscambia.com conducted our annnual survey with four questions for the Fourth. We found the majority of respondents will enjoy family time and cookouts, while more are opting for fireworks at home with family or friends instead of public fireworks shows. And most won’t be traveling very far from home.
Celebration Plans
Family time (73%)
Cookout (52%)
Fireworks at home with family/friends (34%)
Public fireworks shows (29%)
Nothing special (31%)
Spending Amount
A majority, 66%, said they’ll be spending under $50 on their celebrations, while 20% said $50-$99 and 12% responded $100-$249. Only 2% plan to spend over $250.
How Far To Travel
Most, 68%, don’t plan on any extra travel, 25% will travel under 100 miles, and 3% will travel 100 to 499 miles. About 4% said they will travel over 500 miles during the holiday period.
Best Local Fireworks Show
Survey participants said the best local fireworks show is:
- Pensacola 52%
- Pensacola Beach 15%
- Atmore (Wind Creek) 15%
- Century/Flomaton 10%
- Jay 7%
- Milton 1%
(For a fireworks show schedule, click here.)
This was an informal, non-scientific survey with 17,256 respondents. Percentages in this story may not exactly total 100 due to rounding, exclusion of minor answers, and more than one selection in the “celebration plans” category.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
AAA: Florida Fourth Of July Weekend Road Trips Expected To Set New Records
July 4, 2025
AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel domestically during the Independence Day holiday period (Saturday, June 28 to Sunday, July 6). This represents an increase of 1.7 million travelers (2.4%) over last year and 7 million more than in 2019.
Florida travel is expected to reach historic levels, with nearly 4.6 million Floridians hitting the road, skies, and rails – that’s up 146,000 (3%) from last year.
- Driving: More than 4 million Floridians will take a road trip (+127,000 from last year, up 3%).
- Flying: Nearly 330,000 Floridians will fly domestically (+4,000, up 1%).
- Other Modes: Nearly 204,000 Floridians will take buses, trains, or cruises (+15,000, up 8%).
“Independence Day is one of the most popular times for travel, with Americans eager to take advantage of summer vacation opportunities,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of AAA Travel. “This year, we’re seeing strong demand for road trips, flights, and cruises, especially with the holiday falling on a Friday. This is allowing travelers to extend their getaways and make lasting memories with loved ones.”
Travis Berry
July 4, 2025
Travis Berry, 67, of Walnut Hill, FL, passed away peacefully in Pensacola, FL on June 24, 2025 with his family by his side. Travis was born on July 20, 1957 in Atmore, AL to Colon Berry and Gwnette Wilkins Berry. Travis retired from International Paper Company, and later worked for Escambia County Road Department. Travis was an active member of Oak Grove Church of Christ where he also served as a church elder. Travis loved his time spent with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren whom he was lovingly known as “Pappy.”
Travis is preceded in death by his parents; and his brothers; Ervin Berry, and Everett Berry.
He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Patsy Godwin Berry, his son; Richard Keith (Julia) Berry of Lake Mary, FL, his daughters; Stacey (Travis) Harrison of Jay, FL, and Lisa (Frank) Smarr of Jay, FL, his brother; Sammy (Laura) Berry of Bratt, FL, and his eleven grandchildren; Ava Berry, Katelyn Harrison, Cooper Harrison, Kendal Harrison, Nathan Smarr, Justin Smarr, Tyson Smarr, Tenley Smarr, Clayton Smarr, Coach Smarr, and Paxton Smarr.
Memorial services for Travis will be held Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Johnson- Quimby Funeral Home with Bro. Brad Sullivan officiating.
Family will receive friends Thursday, June 26, 2025 at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 1:00 p.m. until service time at 2:00 p.m. In Leu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude in Travis’ memory.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.