Send Us Your Back To School Photos!
August 11, 2025
It’s the first day of school in Escambia County, and we want to share your photos in our annual back to school gallery.
Send us your back to school photos. Submit the photos on the back to school post on our Facebook page or on Twitter @northescambia. You can also email your photos to news@northescambia.com. Please submit your photos before 6 p.m. on Monday.
(Teachers, bus drivers and staff can submit their photos too!)
Please limit identifying information in the photos. Be cautious and don’t include house numbers (like may be by your door), or streets signs. Use only first names.
We’ll publish as many photos as we can in our back-to-school photo galleries on Tuesday.
Pictured: A few of last year’s back to school photos. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
These Are This Week’s Road Construction Slow Down Spots
August 11, 2025
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- Beulah Road (State Road (S.R.) 99) Resurfacing from Mobile Highway (S.R. 10A) to Isaacs Lane – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures on Beulah Road, from Nine Mile Road to Mobile Highway, Sunday, Aug. 10 through Thursday, Aug. 14, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., for concrete work. Signs will be in place to detour drivers around the work zone using Rebel Road.
- Michigan Avenue (S.R. 296) Resurfacing from Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) to North Palafox Street (U.S. 29) – The week of Sunday, Aug. 10, drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on Michigan Avenue, from Mobile Highway to North Palafox Street, between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. for utility valve adjustments.
- S.R. 292 (Gulf Beach Highway) Resurfacing from Gulf Beach Highway to Manchester Street – The week of Sunday, Aug. 10, drivers will encounter:
- Travel lanes between Mills Avenue and Patton Drive will be reduced from 12-foot to 10-foot in width and delineated by channelizing devices while crews perform drainage, curb and gutter work in the shoulder area.
- Nightly lane closures on Gulf Beach Highway, between County Road (C.R.) 292A and Manchester Street, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. for milling and resurfacing.
- U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway) Resurfacing, from south of Interstate 10 (I-10) to south of Hyde Park Road – Drivers on Scenic Highway may encounter intermittent lane closures, from south of I-10 to south of Hyde Park Road, Sunday, Aug. 10 through Thursday, Aug. 14, from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., for paving operations. Law enforcement will be on site and traffic flaggers will direct drivers safely through the work zone.
- Brent Lane/Bayou Boulevard (S.R. 296) Resurfacing from Davis Highway (S.R. 291) to Baisden Road – Drivers may encounter the following traffic disruptions, Sunday, Aug. 10 through Thursday, Aug. 14 between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. for milling and paving operations:
- Intermittent lane closures on Brent Lane/Bayou Boulevard, from Davis Highway to Baisden Road.
- On-street parking closures on Bayou Boulevard, between 12th Avenue and Baisden Road.
- Garden Street (Business U.S. 98) Construction from Pace Boulevard to the Interstate 110 (I-110) Ramp – The week of Sunday, Aug. 10, drivers may encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- B Street, between Garden Street and Romana Street, is closed for stormwater management enhancements. Signs will be in place to detour drivers around the work zone using Garden Street, A Street and Romana Street.
- Garden Street, between Pace Boulevard and N. Donelson Street, is reduced to two travel lanes (one in each direction), as crews perform construction activities on the south side of the street. This temporary traffic configuration will be in place through early 2026.
- Temporary side street closures south of Garden Street, from B Street to J Street, as crews perform utility and stormwater management enhancements.
- On-street parking is closed on the south side of Garden Street, between B Street and L Street. Additionally, periodic on-street parking closures will occur on Garden Street, between A Street and Alcaniz Street, for sidewalk and crosswalk improvements.
- Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) Resurfacing from Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) to Blue Angel Parkway (S.R. 173) – The week of Sunday, Aug. 10 drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on Pine Forest Road, from Mobile Highway to Blue Angel Parkway, between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., for placement of thermoplastic striping.
- Interstate Circle Bridge Over Eight Mile Creek Construction – Interstate Circle is closed at the Eight Mile Creek Bridge through mid-2025 while crews replace the bridge. Signs are in place to detour drivers around the work zone using Pine Forest Road, Longleaf Drive and Wymart Road.
- I-10 at Nine Mile Road Interchange (Exit 5) Construction – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- Intermittent I-10 inside lane closures near the Nine Mile Road interchange, Sunday, Aug. 10 through Thursday, Aug. 14, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction between the I-10 ramps, Sunday, Aug. 10 through Friday, Aug. 15, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Law enforcement will be on site, and directional signage will be in place to guide drivers through the work zone.
- I-10 at U.S. 29 Interchange (Exit 10) Construction – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions from Sunday, Aug. 10 through Friday, Aug. 15:
- Intermittent I-10 westbound outside lane closures will occur from 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. between mile markers 10 and 12 for materials delivery at the North Palafox Street overpass.
- Intermittent daytime lane closures will occur on North Palafox Street between Whitehead Drive and Hope Drive at the Palafox Street overpass to allow crews to complete pile driving operations. Flaggers will be present to direct traffic through the work zone.
- I-10 east and westbound travel lanes are shifted away from the median area of the roadway, between mile markers 10 and 12, near the U.S. 29 interchange.
- The length of the U.S. 29 southbound turn lane access to the I-10 eastbound on-ramp has been permanently reduced to allow crews to complete construction activities. A concrete barrier wall and new pavement striping is in place to direct traffic through the work zone.
- I-10, between U.S. 29 and I-110, is reduced to two travel lanes in each direction.
- The U.S. 29 northbound ramp to I-10 eastbound is closed. U.S. 29 northbound drivers are being detoured to make a U-turn at Broad Street onto U.S. 29 southbound to access I-10 eastbound.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 98 Turn Lane Operations near Mohawk Trail – Motorists may encounter intermittent inside westbound lane closures Sunday, Aug. 10 through Thursday, Aug. 14 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to construct a new turn lane.
- S.R. 87 Resurfacing, from south of East Bay Boulevard (C.R. 399) to Vonnie Tolbert Road – Drivers may encounter intermittent lane closures on S.R. 87, from East Bay Boulevard to Vonnie Tolbert Road, Monday, Aug. 11 through Friday, Aug. 15, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., for concrete work and paving operations.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Median and turn-lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Lake Drive.
- Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between Bayshore Road and Tiger Lake Drive, Sunday, Aug. 10, through Friday, Aug. 15 from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for paving operations.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather
Florida Gas Prices Up 10 Cents Over Last Week On Average
August 11, 2025
Florida gas prices rose over the past week. Sunday’s state average was $3.05 per gallon. That’s a 10-cent increase from a week ago.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $2.89, unchanged from a week ago. Sunday, a low price of $2.75 was available at several stations or a few cents less at the warehouse clubs. The low price in North Escambia was $2.84 on Muscogee Road in Cantonment.
“Florida gas prices have fluctuated within the same 26-cent range for almost a year now,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Prices at the pump will continue to move in that range until there’s a significant change in oil prices or a major disruption – like a hurricane – impacts the supply chain.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Charles ‘Chuck’ Paul Aldridge
August 11, 2025
Mr. Charles “Chuck” Paul Aldridge {Monkey Puncher}, 71, passed away peacefully at his home in Flomaton, Alabama, on Friday, August 8, 2025. He was a lifelong resident of Flomaton, where he spent his entire life surrounded by the community he loved. His presence in the town will be greatly missed, and he will be remembered fondly by all who knew him.
He was a man who found joy in the simple pleasures of life. With a deep love for hunting and fishing, he spent many weekends outdoors, embracing nature’s beauty. His heart swelled with pride as he cheered for Alabama football and watched his grandchildren play their own games, always encouraging them from the sidelines. For 40 years, he dedicated himself to being a truck driver, traveling the open roads while enjoying episodes of Gunsmoke and classic westerns during his downtime. A true fan of Mountain Dew, he savored each sip while sharing laughter and stories with his family. In the end, he left this world with a smile and his final words, “ROLL TIDE,” a testament to his unwavering spirit and love for the things that mattered most to him.
He is preceded in death, by his parents Leon and Louise Garner Aldridge; sister, Jennifer Kay Peterson; brothers, Mark Aldridge and Mike Aldridge.
He is survived by his daughters, Wendy Caraway, of Century, Florida, Kelly Sims (Wes) of Century, Florida and Amanda Byrd of Flomaton, Alabama; mother of his children Gayle Mathis Aldridge of Century, Florida; brothers, Donald Aldridge, of Jay, Florida and Lamar Aldridge of Pensacola, Florida; sisters, Janet Pierce of Pensacola, Florida, Helen Aldridge of Prattville, Alabama and LeeAnn Tharp of North Carolina; grandchildren, Eric Lambeth, Jr., Tyler Lambeth, Lane (Kaitlin) Sims, Laurel (Gracie) Outzen, Layton Sims, Lawyer Sims, Landry Sims, Chasten Headden, Chandler Headden, Carson Headden, Elsie Byrd and Jace Byrd; great-grandchildren, Bristol, Caegan, Sam, Bexlie, Delilah, and Keaton; The family would like to say Thank you to a special niece Jennifer Youngblood, Emerald Coast Hospice and Southern Care Hospice.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Petty Funeral Homes, LLC., Brother William Cozart and Brother Waylon Stuckey officiating.
Burial will follow at Ebenezer Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 12, 2025 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Petty Funeral Homes, LLC.
Pallbearers will be Jay Youngblood, Michael McDonald, Layton Sims, Wes Sims, Daniel Higdon, and Lane Sims.
Wahoos Dealt Series-Closing Loss In Montgomery
August 11, 2025
written by Carter Bainbridge
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (56-51) fell in their series finale against the Montgomery Biscuits (58-50) by a final score of 3-2.
The Wahoos sprung on top immediately in the top of the first. After a single and two walks loaded the bases against Montgomery starter Owen Wild, second baseman Yiddi Cappe bounced an RBI infield single to the left side to drive in his first Double-A run.
The Biscuits responded in the home half with a run of their own. With two on and two out against Pensacola starter Jacob Miller, second baseman Brayden Taylor drove home third baseman Cooper Kinney with a single to tie the game 1-1.
Neither team scored again until the top of the fifth inning. Facing new Montgomery righthander Ryan Shreve (W, 4-3), right fielder Kemp Alderman doubled and center fielder Fenwick Trimble walked to put two Wahoos aboard with nobody out. Left fielder Colby Shade then sacrificed to move both runners up before Yiddi Cappe drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice fly. After five innings, Pensacola led 2-1.
Montgomery battled back with a rally in the sixth inning. Facing lefthander Luis Palacios (L, 3-3) in his second inning of relief, the Biscuits put a pair aboard with a walk and a hit batter. A double steal then placed runners at second and third with one out before Palacios struck out Biscuit designated hitter Colton Ledbetter. Righthander Nigel Belgrave (BS, 2) then entered and allowed a two-out, two-run single to center fielder Homer Bush Jr. that gave Montgomery a 3-2 lead.
Bush’s go-ahead hit proved to be the difference as Montgomery shut down the Blue Wahoos to close out the series. The Biscuits’ staff retired the final 13 Blue Wahoo batters of the game in order en route to a 3-2 victory.
With the defeat, the Wahoos’ lead over the Biscuits in the Southern League’s South Division stands at 2.5 games with 31 games remaining.
The Blue Wahoos return home on Tuesday, August 12 when they begin a six-game series versus the Birmingham Barons
Man Found Deceased Along The Railroad Tracks In Cantonment
August 10, 2025
A man was found deceased along the railroad tracks in Cantonment Saturday afternoon.
The man was discovered by a CSX crew around 2:25 p.m. near Highway 95A, just south of Tate School Road.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the man may have acturally been struck by a train sometime Friday. A train engineer had reported that an engineer had observed something along the tracks on Friday in the immediate area.
A bicycle was reportedly found near the man.
The incident remains under investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The man’s name has not been released.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com. Click to enlarge.
Back To School Shopping? Here’s The Big List Of What Is Tax Free.
August 10, 2025
The first day of school in Escambia County is Monday, and there’s a chance to save the sales tax on everything in needed.
Florida’s month-long back to school Sales Tax Holiday continues through Sunday, August 31, on essential school supplies and more.
Below you can find a short snapshot list of included items, followed by a more complete detailed list.
The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday includes exemptions for:
School supplies selling for $50 or less
- Binders
- Notebooks
- Pens and pencils
- Lunch boxes
Clothing, footwear, and apparel priced at $100 or less
- Backpacks
- Pants
- Shoes
- Shirts
- Sweaters
Learning aids selling for $30 or less
- Interactive Books
- Puzzles
- Flashcards
Personal computers and accessories priced at $1,500 or less (for noncommercial home or personal use)
- Laptops
- Flash drives
- Printers
- Headphones
COMPLETE LIST
- Personal computers or personal computer-related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use having a sales price of $1,500 or less
- Personal computers* include:
- Calculators
- Desktops
- Electronic book readers
- Handhelds
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Tower computers
*The term does not include cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data.
- Personal computer-related accessories*+ include:
- Keyboards
- Mice
- Modems
- Monitors
- Nonrecreational software
- Other peripheral devices
- Personal digital assistants
- Routers
*The listed accessories are tax-exempt regardless of whether they are used in association with a personal computer base unit.
+ The term does not include furniture or systems, devices, software, monitors with a television tuner, or peripherals that are designed or intended primarily for recreational use.
- Wallets and bags* having a sales price of $100 or less per item, including:
- Backpacks
- Diaper bags
- Fanny packs
- Handbags
*Briefcases, suitcases, and other garment bags are excluded.
- School supplies having a sales price of $50 or less per item, including:
- Binders
- Cellophane tape
- Compasses
- Composition books
- Computer disks
- Construction paper
- Crayons
- Erasers
- Folders
- Glue or paste
- Legal pads
- Lunch boxes
- Markers
- Notebooks
- Notebook filler paper
- Pencils
- Pens
- Poster board
- Poster paper
- Protractors
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Staplers and staples used to secure paper products
- Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles having a sales price of $30 or less:
- Flashcards or other learning cards
- Interactive or electronic books and toys intended to teach reading or math skills
- Matching or other memory games
- Puzzle books and search-and-find books
- Stacking or nesting blocks or sets
- Clothing, footwear, and accessories having a sales price of $100 or less per item, including:
- Shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, shorts, and other apparel
- Shoes, boots, sandals, and other footwear
- Accessories such as belts, hats, gloves, and scarves
The sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of any of the qualifying items. Additionally, the sales tax holiday does not apply to sales in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment or airport.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Pair for Fentanyl, Cocaine Trafficking
August 10, 2025
Two Escambia County men were federally charged with drug trafficking.
Calvin D. Thomas, Jr., 30, and Satori Ashanti Keys, 45, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday. Both men were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of cocaine, and marijuana; one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of cocaine, and marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both will be arraigned next week before a U.S. magistrate in Pensacola.
If convicted, as charged, they face up to life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
A Few Scattered Showers And Storms Sunday
August 10, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Northeast wind around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 92.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Truth For Youth School Supply Giveaway Today In Century, Cantonment, Pensacola, Milton
August 10, 2025
Truth for Youth will present a Back-2-School Supply Giveaway today, August 10, at four locations, including Century and Cantonment.
The outreach will take place from 3:30 p.m. until supplies last, at the following locations:
- Cantonment: Carver Park, 208 Webb Street
- Century: Business Center, 150 East Pond Street
- Pensacola: Belmont Cultural Center, 401 North Reus Street
- Milton: Living God’s Standard Community Outreach, 3731 Old Highway 90