Llama Queen, Anyone? Molino Library Hosting Mug Swap
December 27, 2025
Have an extra coffee mug and want to swap it for another one? Maybe a “Llama Queen” mug?
Through December 31, the Molino Library is hosting a community “Mug Swap.” The event invites residents to bring in a gently used mug and exchange it for a different one, ensuring everyone leaves with a “new” one perfect for a toasty winter beverage.
Whether you are looking to declutter after the holidays or simply want to find a unique piece of stoneware for your morning coffee, all are welcome to participate in the fun and cozy exchange.
The Molino Library is located at 6450-A Highway 95A, in the Molino Community Center.
Pictured: The Molino Library mug swap options available recently. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Highs In The Middle 70s For The Weekend, Cooling Off Monday
December 27, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Areas of fog after 11pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 76. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Showers likely after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: Showers likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 45. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33.
New Year’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56.
Ten Injured In Five-Vehicle Chain Reaction Crash In Escambia County
December 27, 2025
Ten people were injured in a five-vehicle chain reaction crash Christmas night in Escambia County.
The crash happened around 11:35 p.m. on Lillian Bridge on Highway 98.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a Chevy Equinox driven by a 31-year-old Georgia man crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a pickup truck driven by a 17-year-old male from Elberta, Alabama. A Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Trailblazer, and a Toyota Camry were then involved in the chain reaction crash.
A 17-year-old male driver in the pickup truck, an 18-year-old woman in the Chevy Trailblazer, and a 20-year-old Mobile woman in the Toyota Camry were all seriously injured. Seven other people sustained minor injuries.
Here’s Where To Watch College Football Bowl Games Through New Year’s Eve
December 27, 2025
Here is where to watch college football bowl games through New Year’s Eve.
All times are Central.
Saturday, Dec. 27
10 a.m. | East Carolina vs. Pitt | Military Bowl (Annapolis, Md.) | ESPN
11 a.m. | Clemson vs. Penn State | Pinstripe Bowl (Bronx, N.Y.) | ABC
1:15 p.m. | UConn vs. Army | Fenway Bowl (Boston, Mass.) | ESPN
2:30 p.m. | No. 12 BYU vs. No. 22 Georgia Tech | Pop-Tarts Bowl (Orlando, Fla.) | ABC
3:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State | Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Ariz.) | The CW Network
4:45 p.m. | UNT vs. San Diego State | New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, N.M.) | ESPN
6:30 p.m. | No. 19 Virginia vs. Missouri | Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Fla.) | ABC
8:15 p.m. | No. 21 Houston vs. LSU | Texas Bowl (Houston, Texas) | ESPN
Monday, Dec. 29
1 p.m. | Georgia Southern vs. App State | Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.) | ESPN
Tuesday, Dec. 30
1 p.m. | Louisiana Tech vs. Coastal Carolina | Independence Bowl (Shreveport, La.) | ESPN
4:30 p.m. | Tennessee vs. Illinois | Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tenn.) | ESPN
8 p.m. | No. 16 Southern Cal. vs. TCU | Alamo Bowl (San Antonio, Texas) | ESPN
Wednesday, Dec. 31
11 a.m. | No. 14 Vanderbilt vs. No. 23 Iowa | ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Fla.) | ESPN
1 p.m. | Duke vs. Arizona State | Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas) | CBS
2 p.m. | No. 13 Texas vs. No. 18 Michigan | Citrus Bowl (Orlando, Fla.) | ABC
2:30 p.m. | No. 15 Utah vs. Nebraska | Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas, Nev.) | ESPN
6:30 p.m. | No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.) | Cotton Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) (Arlington, Texas) | ESPN
Barbara Ellen Dorman Hawthorne
December 27, 2025
Barbara Ellen Dorman Hawthorne, age 89, of Pensacola, Florida, passed away peacefully at her home on December 25, 2025.
Barbara was born on December 21, 1936. She worked at Chemstrand, where she met the love of her life, William Donald Hawthorne, Sr. They were married on September 21, 1957, and shared many devoted years together.
Barbara was preceded in death by her son, William Donald Hawthorne Jr. (Caprice).
She is survived by her beloved husband, William Donald Hawthorne, Sr.; her son, Terry Daniel Hawthorne (Carol), and daughter, Kimberly Ann Jennings and greatly adored by her many grandchildren; Nathan, Tara, Brittney, Cody, Daysha, Kristi, Kevin, Kaleb, Brandon, Kyle, James, Tyler and Kevin. Along with many great grandchildren and great great grandchildren .
Barbara worked for many years at Pensacola High School as a Data Clerk, a job she truly loved. She especially enjoyed supporting the PHS football games and proudly made the stoles for PHS graduation ceremonies. A talented seamstress and quilter, Barbara had the remarkable ability to create just about anything with her hands.
Her greatest joy was her family. She deeply loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and cherished time spent with them—especially watching ballgames together. Barbara also found peace and happiness tending to her plants, fruit trees and loved traveling, particularly in the fall to see the changing leaves.
Barbara’s kindness, strength, and devotion to her family will be remembered always.
Visitation will be held at Pensacola Memorial Garden Funeral Home on Pine Forest Road, Friday, January 2, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., followed by the funeral service from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Pallbearers: Kyle Emmons, James Ritchey, Tyler Ritchey, Kevin Emmons, Chuck McCammon, and Billy Cockrell.
FHP: Woman Runs Red Light, Crashes Into Deputy At Highway 29 And Highway 97
December 26, 2025
There were no serious injuries when a driver ran a red light at Highway 29 and Highway 97 on Christmas Day and crashed into an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s cruiser.
Just after noon, a 65-year old Atmore woman who was traveling south on Highway 29 failed to stop for a red light and collided with a deputy, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The collision caused the deputy’s cruiser to make minor contact with a third vehicle, a van that was in the turn lane from Highway 97 to northbound Highway 29.
The 65-year-old woman sustained minor injuries, while her 47-year-old female passenger, also from Atmore, was not injured. The deputy, a 30-year-old Molino woman, and the van driver, a 65-year old Molino man, were not injured.
Escambia County EMS, Squad 18 from the Molino Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue and additional units from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Warm Weather Continues Through Sunday
December 26, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Widespread dense fog, mainly after midnight. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Patchy fog after 11pm. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 59. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Showers likely, mainly before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.
New Year’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.
Walnut Hill Man With Manifesto, Killing Spree Target List Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearms Charges
December 26, 2025
A Walnut Hill man who accidentally shot himself in July pleaded guilty this week to federal weapons charges.
Joshua Dean Hardy, 26, pleaded guilty this week in federal court to two counts of unlawful possession of firearm under the National Firearms Act (NFA), specifically two unregistered and unserialized silencers and a destructive device, and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Local charges against Hardy were dropped after the federal charges were filed.
He entered the guilty plea to all federal charges before his scheduled trial began. His sentencing is set for late February at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola.
Federal court documents state that investigators found documents including a multipage document titled ‘Manifesto’ on his laptop.
“This is it, this is my final words of this whole ordeal,” is how the document begins, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, along with a list of names, some of which are known family members.
The document then says “All of these [expletive] pukes seek to destroy my ass in my prime then i’ll give them what they want, it isn’t the so called hidden names like they want but a tombstone like i told them”, according to investigators.
“Later in the document, it goes on to explain that he is going to begin his killing spree and identifies the ‘targets’,” court records state.
He had been charged locally with three counts of making and/or possession of a destructive device, use of a firearm during a felony, and possession of a firearm with the serial number removed.
Hardy accidentally shot himself shortly after 3 a.m. on July 23 while walking in the woods on family property at 5000 Sandy Hollow Road, just off West Highway 4. His grandmother told deputies that she received a call about 3:15 a.m. from Hardy, stating he had tripped while walking on their property with his rifle and he had shot himself in the leg. She picked him up and drove him to Atmore Community Hospital.
At the emergency room in Atmore, Hardy told deputies that he often walks their 22-acre property because he does not like people there, the report states. He said he stepped in a hole and dropped his rifle, accidentally grabbing it as it fell by the trigger and shot himself. He was adamant that he was not shooting at anyone and had no intent of harming himself.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Hardy suffered a serious gunshot wound that shattered his tibia and fibula and nearly took his left big toe.
Ascend Performance Materials Successfully Emerges from Chapter 11
December 26, 2025
Ascend Performance Materials, a leading producer of high-performance and durable engineered materials for everyday essentials and new technologies, has completed its financial restructuring process and emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Company’s Plan of Reorganization, confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on December 9, 2025, is now effective.
The Pensacola Ascend plant on Old Chemstrand Road continued to operate as usual during the process, and will continue operation under the reorganization plan.
Ascend achieved the objectives it set for this process, including reducing its total long-term debt by approximately $1.3 billion, securing access to a $350 million asset-based credit facility, strengthening its liquidity position through more than $600 million of new capital provided by its new shareholders, and materially lowering its debt service costs, which will the complay says will enable Ascend to reinvest in reliability, efficiency, and long-term growth.
Today marks the final milestone in Ascend’s restructuring process, and we are thrilled to be emerging from Chapter 11 with significantly less debt and a much stronger capital structure,” said Patrick Schumacher, Ascend’s newly appointed CEO. “Thanks to the incredible efforts of our people and the support of our new ownership group, we have strengthened the business and positioned Ascend for future growth. As we move forward, we will increase our investments in reliability and advance our leadership position in nylon resins and engineering thermoplastics.”
Escambia Man Indicted On Federal Charges Of Drug Adulteration, Mail Fraud And Wire Fraud
December 26, 2025
An Escambia County man has been indicted on federal charges of drug adulteration, wire fraud, and mail fraud.
Scott Robinson, 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with two counts of drug adulteration, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of wire fraud.
Trial is set for January 20, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. If convicted, Robinson faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case.