CSX Reopens Mystic Springs Railroad Crossing
February 28, 2025
CSX on Thursday completed a two-day project to upgrade their railroad crossing on Mystic Springs Road near McDavid.
The closure blocked the only way in and out for a few residences along Mystic Springs, Gunner and Worley Roads, along with campgrounds and the Mystic Springs Boat Ramp.
Midday Thursday, the McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue assisted by wetting down the hot asphalt so that the crossing could open faster.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Ransom Varsity, Beulah Academy JV Claim County Middle School Volleyball Championships
February 28, 2025
The Ransom Middle School Tigers Beat Workman Middle School. in three set to win the varsity Escambia County Middle School volleyball championship Thursday night at Tate High School.
Beulah Academy of Science defeated the Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles to claim the county JV championship in two sets.
For action photos from both matchups, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Carole Joan (Corley) McGhe
February 28, 2025
Carole Joan (Corley) McGhee, age 82, of Walnut Hill, FL and later Deatsville, AL passed away on February 26, 2025. Carole was born on March 19, 1942 in Atmore, AL to D.B. Corley, Jr. and Hilda Brown Corley. Carole was a graduate of Ernest Ward High School in 1960. After high school, she attended and was a graduate of UAB School of Nursing in Birmingham, AL where she became a Registered Nurse. She loved nursing. She had many accomplishments in her career as a nurse. She was one of four nurses that opened the cardiac unit at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, FL. She worked for the American Red Cross for a time and loved it. She also worked at Greenlawn Hospital in Atmore, AL for a while. She worked most of her career with the State of Florida where she was privileged to wear many caps while working there, from Home Health Nurse and doing home visits with patients to working with pregnant mothers and the Healthy Start Program to eventually becoming the Nursing Supervisor over the rural clinics of Century and Molino, FL. Nursing was Carole’s passion. She simply loved people and loved to help and care for them. She later retired from nursing in 2005, but she always said once a nurse always a nurse. She was a wonderful nurse, friend to many, and a beloved grandmother and Mother to her daughter, Nikki. She will be greatly missed by many.
Carole is preceded in death by her parents, D.B. Corley, Jr. and Hilda Brown Corley, and her husband, Garland “Plugy” McGhee, Jr.
Carole is survived by her daughter, Nikki (Bill) Harris of Deatsville, AL; her brother, Tom (Jackie) Corley of Sarasota, FL; her grandchildren, Jacob (Emma-Ruth) Boatner, Daniel Boatner, Melania Harris, and Micah Harris; her niece Lisa Corley along with a host of family and friends.
Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel in Atmore, AL with Rev. Jacob Boatner. Interment will follow in Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in Walnut Hill, FL.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 4, 2025 from 10:00 am until service time at 11:00 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home in Atmore, AL.
No Injuries In Cantonment Crash
February 27, 2025
There were no injuries in a Cantonment crash that slowed traffic Thursday afternoon.
The three-vehicle crash happened shortly before 2 p.m. at Highway 29 and Well Line Road. All occupants refused transport to the hospital by Escambia County.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released the cause of the crash. The Cantonment Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue.
Reader submitted photo by Melody Johnson, click to enlarge.
Grand Opening Date Set For Nine Mile Aldi Store
February 27, 2025
A ribbon cutting has been set for the new Aldi store at 312 East Nine Mile Road.
Aldi will cut the ribbon on Thursday, March 13 at 9:30 a.m. — 30 minutes before opening time. Customers will be allowed to enter the store immediately following the ceremony. The store will also have giveaways and other grand opening perks.
Aldi will be open for shopping on Wednesday, March 12 for a sneak peak.
In March 2024, the Germany-based Aldi completed the purchase of all Winn Dixie stores, recently selling about 170 Winn-Dixie and Harvey’s locations back to Southeastern Grocers.
The former Nine Mile road Winn-Dixie store closed for renovations in late September.
Aldi said earlier this month that expects to open 225 new stores in the U.S. during 2025, partly by converting some of the Winn-Dixie and Harvey’s locations.
Escambia County Corrections Department Receives State’s Highest Level Of Accreditation
February 27, 2025
The Escambia County Corrections Department has been awarded the Excelsior Status, the most prestigious achievement in Florida accreditation, for the third consecutive time by the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission.
The Escambia County Corrections Department has been an accredited agency for over 20 years, having obtained its initial certification in October 2003. Accreditation is a voluntary independent review process that demonstrates the agency’s commitment to complying with FCAC’s 261 accreditation standards.
Excelsior Status is the FCAC’s highest form of recognition for continued excellence in the field of corrections accreditation. To achieve Excelsior status, a Florida agency must have achieved initial accredited status and then achieve five successful re-accreditation assessments without conditions. Assessments are conducted at three-year intervals; therefore, the Excelsior process takes approximately 15 years for an agency to acquire.
“Maintaining the high standards of accreditation is an accomplishment in itself,” Escambia County Corrections Chief William R. Powell said. “However, the dedication and devotion that staff demonstrate in upholding these high standards are what truly matters. Congratulations to all Escambia County Corrections staff in this achievement. It could not be accomplished without everyone’s commitment to excellence.”
Appeals Court Overturns State Ethics Commission Finding Against Doug Underhill
February 27, 2025
Florida’s First District Court of Appeal on Wednesday overturned Florida Commission on Ethics decisions that former Escambia County District 2 Commissioner Doug Underhill be removed from office after allegations that he misused his office and that he owned $35,000 in penalties for alleged ethics violations.
In 2022, the Ethics Commission found that Underhill misused his position by publicly sharing or publishing confidential transcripts, including minutes from Escambia County Commission shade meetings. A $10,000 fine was imposed for this offense. The Commission also recommended a fine of $6,250 for each of four ethics violations for soliciting donations from a county vendor or lobbyist, and gift disclosure laws involving a GoFundMe page seek donations towards his personal legal expenses.
The appeals court found that the commission “erred” in the interpretation of the law, and “the ordinary meaning of that subsection—set out above—compelled a different result for Underhill.”
“A GoFundMe page is not a mass send out to thousands of recipients or even to one specific recipient. There was no evidence presented that Underhill sent it directly to anyone. In fact, the Commission’s interpretation of ’soliciting’ would have the effect of prohibiting any public officer or employee from posting a passive GoFundMe page. And a public officer or employee who posts a GoFundMe page will likely never know whether a prohibited donor has even visited the site,” the court found.
NorthEscambia Publisher Named One Of Escambia County’s Most Influential People
February 27, 2025
The Pensacola Independent News has released their 2025 Inweekly Power List — their ranking of the most powerful and influential people in Escambia County.
Only one person that works primarily in the North Escambia area was named to the list — NorthEscambia.com publisher William Reynolds for the 13th consecutive year.
Belle Bear, co-founder of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay and champion of numerous nonprofits and causes, tops this year’s list.
To view this year’s Inweekly Power List edition, click here.
Pictured: Belle Bear was at the top of the 2025 Inweekly Power List. Courtesy image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Low In The 40s Tonight
February 27, 2025
Here is the complete North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72. North wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 44. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 65. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 73.
Tuesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 63. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 65.
Local Elementary Schools Shine In Annual Science Olympiad
February 27, 2025
The 7th Annual Elementary Science Olympiad was held Saturday at Washington High School. Teams of students from 20 Escambia County elementary schools competed in 10 different events.
For a photo gallery of North Escambia area winners, click here.
The winners were:
A is for Anatomy:
- 1st: Bratt
- 2nd: Pine Meadow
- 3rd: Kingsfield
- 4th: Hellen Caro and Scenic Heights
- 6th: Montclair
CodeBusters:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Hellen Caro
- 3rd: Scenic Heights
- 4th: Kingsfield
- 5th: Molino Park
- 6th: McArthur
Grasp a Graph:
- 1st: Kingsfield
- 2nd: NB Cook
- 3rd: Pleasant Grove
- 4th: Oakcrest
- 5th: Molino Park
- 6th: Sherwood
Mystery Powders:
- 1st: Hellen Caro
- 2nd: NB Cook
- 3rd: Pleasant Grove
- 4th: Kingsfield
- 5th: Scenic Heights
- 6th: Molino Park
Robotics Task:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Hellen Caro
- 3rd: Bellview
- 4th: Sherwood
- 5th: Scenic Heights
- 6th: Molino Park
Robotics Pathways:
- 1st: Beulah
- 2nd: Bratt
- 3rd: Lipscomb
- 4th: Longleaf
- 5th: Hellen Caro
- 6th: Oakcrest
Rock Hound:
- 1st: Oakcrest
- 2nd: Scenic Heights
- 3rd: Global Learning Academy
- 4th: Beulah
- 5th: Bratt
- 6th: Pine Meadow
Science Bowl:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: McArthur
- 3rd: Jim Allen
- 4th: Hellen Caro
- 5th: Kingsfield
- 6th: Ferry Pass
Tower Challenge:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Molino Park
- 3rd: Warrington
- 4th: Scenic Heights
- 5th: Bratt
- 6th: McArthur
Write It, Do It:
- 1st: Hellen Caro
- 2nd: Molino Park
- 3rd: Pine Meadow
- 4th: Oakcrest
- 5th: Longleaf
- 6th: Beulah and Scenic Heights
Overall:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Scenic Heights
- 3rd: Hellen Caro
Spirit Award:
- NB Cook
Pictured top: Pine Meadow Elementary School took first place overall in the 7th Annual Elementary Science Olympiad. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.