ECSO Speed Enforcement On Highway 97 Goes High Tech, Data Driven
October 4, 2025
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is continuing speed enforcement efforts on Highway 97, including the return of data-collecting speed detection trailers they were forced to quit using.
It’s all part of Sheriff Chip Simmons’ push to use technology and data to solve issues across the county, Chief Deputy Andrew Hobbs said recently.
The trailers display the speed limit and the speed of passing vehicles, complete with small flashing red and blue LED lights to attract driver attention. But there’s much more going on, Hobbs said. The trailers collect data including the speed and direction of passing traffic, allowing the ECSO to concentrate enforcement efforts during the time periods needed.
“We are not just sending deputies out there, we are sending them out there during the time when the traffic violations are occurring and maximizing manpower,” the chief deputy said. “Sometimes drivers are not really speeding, but they are crossing over the centerlines and making other traffic flow violations. We look at what’s going on in an area.”
The ECSO was forced at one time to remove the speed detection trailers from the right-of-ways on state roads, but that issue has been solved and the ECSO trailers have returned to state roads. Hobbs credited new Century Town Administrator Dave Murzin, for making contact with FDOT to facilitate action on the issue.
“We are once again partnering with FDOT on these trailers we were unable to use before, and we are able to do as much as we can with the resources we have,” he said.
In addition to deputies that work in the local precincts, the chief deputy said the ECSO Traffic Unit is periodically patrolling Highway 97 from Highway 29 in Molino to the Alabama state line in Davisville.
Highway 97 has been the site of numerous serious traffic crashes and fatalities. A fatality occurred just before 7 a.m. on September 12 on Highway 97, and a two-vehicle crash about an hour later, and about 3.5 miles south on Highway 97, injured two people. There was also a five-vehicle wreck with multiple injuries that occurred in August on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pine Meadow Elementary Fall Carnival Is Today
October 4, 2025
The annual Pine Meadow Elementary School Fall Carnival is taking place today, October 4, at the Hadji Shrine Temple on West Nine Mile Road from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The family-friendly event will feature carnival games and prizes, food trucks, inflatables and fun, local vendors, a fall-themed photo opportunity and more.
The carnival is the biggest Pine Meadow PTA event of the year.
Admission is $10 at the gate for everyone.
Partly Sunny Saturday And Low 80s; Chance Of Rain By Sunday
October 4, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81. East wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind around 10 mph.
Sunday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. East wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. East wind around 10 mph.
Monday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm, then a slight chance of showers between 7pm and 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Grand Opening Held For New We Care Thrift Store In Atmore (With Gallery)
October 4, 2025
The ribbon was cut on Friday morning for a new We Care Thrift Store in Atmore, which benefits prison ministry programs across the area.
We Care’s three thrift stores fund the We Care Program in-prison ministries in Alabama, Florida and Ohio, including Holman and Fountain correctional facilities in Atmore, and the Century and Santa Rosa correctional institutions in Century and East Milton.
The Atmore We Care Thrift Store is located on Highway 21 at Northgate Drive, across from Hendrix Tractor and just over two miles north of the former store location in downtown Atmore. The brand-new 21,000-square-foot building includes a dedicated donation and sorting area and 10,000 square feet of retail space.
The thrift store offers a variety of merchandise, including a wide selection of clothing, household items, electronics, and furniture. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The former downtown Atmore We Care location, which opened in 1989, closed on September 27. We Care’s other stores have been located in Monroeville since 2002 and Flomaton since 2008.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Slip To Baker 22-19 (With Photo Gallery)
October 4, 2025
The undefeated Baker Gators got past the Northview Chiefs 22-19 Friday night in Baker.
Tyson Phifer, Easten Odom, and Nate Duffy each had touchdowns for the Chiefs. Northview also had big interceptions from Caleb Levins and Phifer (pictured above).
With the loss, the Chiefs fell to 1-5. Baker improved to 7-0, a feat the Gators had not accomplished since they won the 1A state championship in 2020.
For a photo gallery, click here.
*Look for cheerleader, band and fan photos by Tuesday.
While they fell short of the win, Northview head coach Doug Vickery said he was proud of the performance from the Chiefs.
“I”m proud of these guys; the effort was really, really good,” Vickery said. “They just haven’t given up all year and just continue to play hard –the resiliency is there. I hate it for them, I wish we could have pulled one out, and it’s been several close ones, a play here, a play there. We’ve just got to learn how to finish it.”
Next week, the Northview Chiefs will host the Jay Royals in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt. Coming off a 47-7 win over Central on Friday night, Jay is 2-4 on the season.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Register By Monday For 2025 Escambia County Agriculture Tour
October 4, 2025
The 2025 Escambia County Agriculture Tour is coming up next week, and the deadline to buy tickets is Monday, October 6.
Participants in the Friday, October 10 tour will explore farms, area agricultural processing facilities, meet local farmers, and discover the positive impact of agriculture in Escambia County. From farm animals to fresh produce, this tour has something for everyone.
Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. at the Escambia County 4-H Property on Highway 99 in Molino. The tour bus will depart at 8:30 a.m.
For more information and to register, click here.
Tate Aggies Sweep The Jay Royals In Friday Afternoon Showdown
October 4, 2025
Tate 3, Jay 0
The Tate Aggies secured a decisive victory over the Jay Royals in straight sets on Friday afternoon.
The Aggies dominated, especially in the first two frames, as they took the match 3-0.
Tate overpowered the Royals with strong sets of 25-9 and 25-7 to jump out to a commanding two-set lead. Jay High showed improved effort and resolve in the third set, pushing the Aggies more closely before Tate closed out the match with a 25-17 finish.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
High School Football Scoreboard
October 4, 2025
Here are Friday night high school football scores from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Baker 22, Northview 19 [Story, photos...]
- Jay 47, Central 7
- West Florida 35, Gulf Breeze 6
- Crestview 33, Pine Forest 8
- Escambia 29, Navarre 19
- Pensacola Catholic 45, Destin 0
- Washington 30 Pensacola High 20
- Pace 20, Madison County 18
- Tate – Bye week
- Milton – Bye week
ALABAMA
- Flomaton 40, Monroe County 8
- Orange Beach 29, Escambia County (Atmore) 22
- W.S. Neal 55, Satsuma 19
- Cottage Hill Christian Academy 28, T.R. Miller 14
- Escambia Academy – Bye week
Pictured: Northview’s Caleb Levins gains yardage for the Chiefs Friday night in Baker. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Here’s Where To Watch Today’s College Football
October 4, 2025
Here is this week’s college football schedule and where to watch the games.
All times are Central.
11 a.m. | Kentucky at No. 12 Georgia | ABC
11 a.m. | No. 14 Iowa State at Cincinnati | ESPN2
11 a.m. | Wisconsin at No. 20 Michigan | FOX
11 a.m. | No. 22 Illinois at Purdue | Big Ten Network
11 a.m. | Boston College at Pitt | ACC Network
11 a.m. | Clemson at North Carolina | ESPN
11 a.m. | Kansas State at Baylor | ESPN+
11 a.m. | Air Force at Navy | CBS/Paramount+
11 a.m. | Army at UAB | ESPNU
11 a.m. | Ohio at Ball State | CBSSN
12 p.m. | Wake Forest at Virginia Tech | The CW Network
12 p.m. | UTSA at Temple | ESPN+
1 p.m. | Campbell at NC State | ESPN+/ACC Extra
1:30 p.m. | Western Michigan at UMass | ESPN+
2 p.m. | Oklahoma State at Arizona | TNT/truTV/HBO Max
2:30 p.m. | No. 7 Penn State at UCLA | CBS
2:30 p.m. | No. 9 Texas at Florida | ESPN
2:30 p.m. | No. 16 Vanderbilt at No. 10 Alabama | ABC
2:30 p.m. | Boise State at No. 21 Notre Dame | NBC/Peacock
2:30 p.m. | No. 24 Virginia at Louisville | ESPN2
2:30 p.m. | Washington at Maryland | Big Ten Network
2:30 p.m. | UL Monroe at Northwestern | Big Ten Network
2:30 p.m. | Oregon State at Appalachian State | ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Syracuse at SMU | ACC Network
2:30 p.m. | Florida International at UConn | CBSSN
2:30 p.m. | James Madison at Georgia State | ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Central Michigan at Akron | ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Eastern Michigan at Buffalo | ESPN+
2:30 p.m. | Miami (Ohio) at Northern Illinois | ESPN+
3 p.m. | Kent State at No. 5 Oklahoma | SEC Network
3 p.m. | Michigan State at Nebraska | FS1
3 p.m. | Texas State at Arkansas State | ESPNU
5 p.m. | Coastal Carolina at Old Dominion | ESPN+
6 p.m. | No. 11 Texas Tech at Houston | ESPN
6 p.m. | UNLV at Wyoming | CBSSN
6 p.m. | South Alabama at Troy | ESPN+
6 p.m. | Florida Atlantic at Rice | ESPN+
6:30 p.m. | Minnesota at No. 1 Ohio State | NBC/Peacock
6:30 p.m. | No. 3 Miami (Fla.) at No. 18 Florida State | ABC
6:30 p.m. | Mississippi State at No. 6 Texas A&M | SEC Network
6:30 p.m. | Colorado at TCU | FOX
6:30 p.m. | Kansas at UCF | ESPN2
7 p.m. | Tulsa at Memphis | ESPNU
9:30 p.m. | Duke at Cal | ESPN
9:30 p.m. | Nevada at Fresno State | CBSSN
Saturday, October 4
Tammy C Hodge
October 4, 2025
Tammy Hodge, born in Atmore, Alabama, and a long-time resident of North Escambia County, Florida, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on October 2, 2025, surrounded by her family. She lived her life with a steadfast faith in God and a deep love for her family. Tammy’s gentle spirit, compassion for others, and devotion to Christ touched all who knew her.
A devout church volunteer, Tammy dedicated countless hours to serving her church and community. Her heart for helping others was recognized in 1987 when she was honored as a Florida School Volunteer of the Year Finalist—a testament to her servant’s heart and commitment to making a difference in the lives of children and families.
Tammy was first married to Gerald Bell, with whom she shared the blessing of children. She later married Aaron Hodge, who preceded her in death, and with whom she shared many years of love and companionship.
She is survived by her mother Nancy Neal, her children: Christal Bell-Rivera (Ronnie), Naomi Conner (Tim), and Jeremiah Hodge (Katie), and her grandchildren: Angel Mitchell, Mallory Bell-Rivera, Taylor Smith (Charlie), Lucas Hodge, Hannah Conner, Avery Hodge, Mylo Hodge, and Micah Hodge.
She was preceded in death by her father Wallace Reid, stepmother Mattie Reid, her beloved son Christopher Bell, and her brother Ricky Pritchett.
Tammy also leaves behind her brothers Joe Reid (Myra), Steve Reid (Melissa), Glen Reid (Tammy), and Lonnie Purvis; and her sisters Claudia Turberville (Richard “PeeWee”), Margaret Jackson, Elanie Purvis, Regina Purvis, Robin Salter, Joy Simpson (Darrel), and Amanda Merritt (James).
Tammy’s life was a reflection of Proverbs 31:28— “Her children arise up and call her blessed.” Her faith, kindness, and love will continue to live on in the hearts of those she touched.
Serving as pallbearers will be BJ Reid, Johnathan Holland, Travis Holland, Al Capitell, Kevin Smith, and Jamie Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandsons Mylo Hodge and Micah Hodge.
Funeral Services
A Homegoing Celebration for Tammy will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at Flomaton Funeral Home, with Brother Eric Johnson officiating. Family visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m., followed by public visitation from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The funeral service will begin at 12:00 p.m., with burial to follow at Beulah Chapel Assembly of God.