Escambia Public Schools Foundation Grant Powers Northview Electrathon Team
April 22, 2026
The Northview High School Electrathon team shifted into high gear following a successful performance at the Emerald Coast Classic.
Led by instructor Michael Amerson, the team recently earned a third-place finish at the Five Flags Speedway race. The project, supported by a Grants for Excellence spotlight from the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, focuses on hands-on learning within the realms of electrical systems and sustainable energy.
The program aims to expand the school’s current fleet from one car to three. Throughout the process, students are responsible for building, testing, and adapting their vehicles to various track conditions. The competition itself challenges students to maximize efficiency by getting the most laps possible out of a limited energy supply.
Beyond the mechanical skills gained, the initiative allows students to earn state-recognized certifications, providing a technical foundation for future careers in innovative industries.
The project was made possible through the support of the Florida Education Foundation and a matching grant from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. Local leaders, including Rep. Michelle Salzman, Rep. Alex Andrade, and Sen. Don Gaetz, were also recognized for their continued advocacy for the program.
The Northview Electrathon team grants was one of 20 totalling over $100,000 presented by the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation in October 2025.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Lady Aggies Celebrate Senior Night With Dominant 13-2 Win Over Escambia
April 22, 2026
The Tate Lady Aggies took care of business on Senior Night with a 13-2 win over the Escambia Gators.
Aubree Gorum had four runs on two hits to lead Tate with a three-run double in the second inning and a one-run single in the first. Kaylie Mitchell had a two-run single in the bottom of the first.
Relstab earned the win for Tate, giving up one hit and one unearned run in three and one-third innings, walking five and striking out four. Middler earned the save for the Aggies in one and two-third innings, allowing one hit and one unearned run while striking out three.
For Senior Night photos, click here.
Before Tuesday’s game, the Aggies honored seniors: Jordyn Banks, Kayleigh Burt, Aubree Gorum, Kaylie Mitchell, Carmen Morris, Madison Smillie, and Peyton Wilson.
The Aggies will close the regular season as they host Choctawhatcheeon Wednesday.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Allie Penton, click to enlarge.
SNAP Benefits Now Exclude Soda, Candy, Energy Drinks, And More
April 22, 2026
A visit to the grocery is now a bit different for millions for Florida SNAP recipients, as some “unhealthy” options are off the list.
A new pilot program allows states, like Florida, to block the purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that are generally considered unhealthy.
What is not allowed?
Candy, soda,energy drinks, and ultra-processed desserts can no longer be purchased with SNAP.
What is considered soda?
“Soda” refers to beverages made with carbonated water that are sweetened with added sugars or artificial sweeteners.
Examples include regular and diet sodas and zero sugars like: Coca-Cola, Sprite, Diet Coke, Mr. Pibb, Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, Pepsi, 7UP, Diet Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and Canada Dry. This also includes store brand varieties of regular, diet, and zero sugar sodas.
SNAP benefits can still be used to purchase sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, plain or naturally flavored sparkling waters such as LaCroix, Waterloo, Polar, and Bubly, or drinks that contain more than 50% juice or have less than 5 grams of added sugar per serving.
What is considered energy drinks?
“Energy drinks” are drinks that contain 65 milligrams or more of caffeine per 8 ounces and are marketed to boost energy or alertness. Examples include Monster™, Red Bull™, Celsius™, 5-Hour Energy, C4 Energy. This also includes store brand varieties of energy drinks.
Coffee, tea, and sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade are not considered energy drinks and can still be purchased with SNAP benefits.
What is considered candy?
“Candy” includes products made from sugar or artificial sweeteners combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts, caramel, gummies, and hard candies or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops, or pieces.
This includes bars like Hershey’s, Snickers, Nestle Crunch, Ferrero Rocher, and Milky Way, gummies like Haribo, Sour Patch Kids, Annie’s Fruit Snacks, and Twizzlers, hard candies like Jolly Ranchers, Lifesavers, and lollipops, candy pieces like M&M’s, Starburst, and Skittles, and items like chocolate-covered nuts, toffee, and mints. This also includes store brand varieties of candy.
Trail mix containing candy, as defined above, is considered candy and is not an allowable purchase.
Granola bars, breakfast toaster strudels, breakfast biscuits like BelVita, and breakfast toaster pastries like Pop-Tarts can still be purchased with SNAP benefits, even when they contain sweeteners or chocolate.
What is considered ultra-processed desserts?
“Ultra-processed prepared desserts” means a processed, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, pre-packaged sweet food intended for immediate consumption without any further preparation. This would include foods mostly made out of “chemically” modified substances extracted from foods, along with additives to enhance taste, texture, appearance, and durability, with minimal whole foods.
This includes snack cakes like Twinkies, Ho Hos, and Swiss Rolls, packaged sweets like Sno Balls, Oatmeal Creme Pies, Market Pantry Golden Crème Cakes, and Baker’s Treat Cup Cakes. This includes cookies like Chips Ahoy!, Keebler Chips Deluxe, Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies, Market Pantry Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oreos, Benton’s Original Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, and Great Value Twist & Shout Cookies. This also includes store brand varieties of prepared desserts that meet the defined restrictions.
Granola bars, breakfast toaster strudels, breakfast biscuits like Belvita, and breakfast toaster pastries like Pop-Tarts can still be purchased with SNAP benefits, even when they contain sweeteners or chocolate.
Freshly prepared baked goods can still be purchased with SNAP benefits.
Will benefit amounts be impacted?
No, excluding these items from being purchased with SNAP benefits will not change the amount of benefits received.
How will recipients know what can still be purchased?
SNAP recipients will also receive updates through their MyACCESS portal, text messages, and program materials. Additionally, SNAP-authorized retailers will be provided in-store flyers to help identify ineligible items, which will be automatically blocked for purchase with SNAP benefits at checkout.
What about other groceries?
SNAP recipients will still be able to purchase the same healthy, nutrient rich foods they always have, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, dairy, and other staples. Households with low income have access to adequate nutrition and better health, according to the program.
Partly Sunny, Low 80s Today
April 22, 2026
The North Escambia area will see a mix of sun and increasing rain chances as we head into the weekend. While mid-week remains mostly dry with highs in the low 80s and patchy morning fog, a more active pattern develops by Friday afternoon. Saturday carries the highest likelihood of rain and thunderstorms, though temperatures will remain warm, reaching the mid-80s by Sunday.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 1pm and 4pm, then a slight chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 55. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast in the evening.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Randolph Powers Northview Lady Chiefs Over T.R. Miller
April 22, 2026
Randolph had four runs on three hits to lead the Northview Lady Chiefs 16-3 over T.R. Miller. She had a two-run double in the first and a two-run single in the third inning.
Kylee Langham also had three hits for the Lady Chiefs, while Peyton Womack, Riley Brooks, Addysen Bolen, and Aubrey Hadley each had multiple hits.
Womack went six innings in the circle for Northview, giving up six hits and three runs in six innings, walking one and striking out one. Randolph pitched one shutout inning, allowing no hits, striking out one and walking one.
Northview finished the regular season at 16-5 overall, 2-0 in the district.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Outslugged By Biscuits In 3-1 Loss
April 22, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped the opener of their seven-game road series in Montgomery on Tuesday night, falling 3-1 to the Biscuits.
Three of the four runs on the night came in via solo home runs, with Montgomery’s Brayden Taylor opening the score in the second inning with a solo shot off Blue Wahoos starter Jacob Miller (L, 0-2).
Jay Beshears provided the only jolt for Pensacola, briefly evening the score 1-1 in the third inning with a solo homer off Biscuits starter Michael Forret (W, 2-0). That would be all the damage done against Forret, who turned in a quality start with 6.0 innings of three-hit, one-run ball.
Jadher Areinamo put Montgomery back in front in the bottom of the third with a solo homer, and the Biscuits added another in the fourth thanks to a leadoff walk to Xavier Isaac and a two-out wild pitch from Miller.
Handed a 3-1 lead, Forret and the Biscuits bullpen kept the Blue Wahoos at bay. Pensacola was deprived of any opportunities with men in scoring position the entire game as Tommy McColllum and Owen Wild (S, 1) slammed the door in the final three innings.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biscuits on Wednesday
written by Erik Bremer
Libraries Facing Potential $4 Million Hit, Branch Closures If Property Tax Cuts Pass
April 21, 2026
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has pushed for more than a year for a major overhaul of the Florida tax system, including letting voters decide on property taxes. If the proposal should move through the Legislature’s upcoming special session, and if voters choose to cut property taxes, it could have a far-reaching impact on the West Florida Libraries (WFPL) system with cutbacks that could include library branch closures.
State property tax cuts could cost the library system $4 million a year, Library Services Director Christal Bell-Rivera told the West Florida Libraries Board of Governance during a Tuesday afternoon meeting at the Century Branch Library.
“I tried to do a budget with (a cut of) $4 million; it’s not possible,” Bell-Rivera said. She said massive budget cuts would be needed.
“It would first start with a reduction of library operation hours, up to whatever the worst of the worst is,” she said. “My goal and agenda would be to ensure that we keep the most amount of locations open, and the most amount of people employed.”
But she acknowledged that branch cuts, or even closures, could become reality.
“I hope the public will make an educated decision,” she said of a potential property tax vote.
For now, Bell-Rivera said she’s looking at ways to save money now in case there are tax cuts approved, and hold onto as much of $8 million in library reserve funds as possible.
A planned library on Lillian Highway for Myrtle Grove is now on hold, the Library Services director said. It was going to cost $6.5 million of the library system’s $8 million reserve.
Five or six library book vending machines across the county that were being considered at over $100,000 each are also now off the table. Bell-Rivera said the WFPL might consider partnering with schools for much cheaper $7,000 machines, and might consider one of the more expensive vending machines as a stand-alone branch of sorts in a library-underserved community like Cantonment.
As for the pending potential property tax cut, she said it will be a “wait and see,” and begin planning, situation for the WFPL, as well as all county departments.
Pictured above: Library Services Director Christal Bell-Rivera during a WFPL Board of Governance meeting on Monday at the Century Library. Pictured first below: Board members Blaine Wall and Rachel Hendrix. Picture second below: Century Branch Manager Leigh Ann Helton and WFPL board member Joyce Hopson. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Clouds Tonight, Low In The Upper 50s
April 21, 2026
The next few days will feature warm and mostly pleasant conditions across the region before unsettled weather returns for the weekend. Expect temperatures to hover in the low 80s through Friday under a mix of sun and clouds. By Friday afternoon, a slight chance of rain enters the picture, evolving into more scattered showers and thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday with highs climbing toward the mid-80s.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 1pm and 4pm, then a slight chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 55. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast in the evening.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Did You Know Lipscomb Elementary Has Operating Rooms?
April 21, 2026
Did you know Lipscomb Elementary School has an operating room? Actually several operating rooms?
Fifth grade students at Lipscomb traded their pencils for surgical scrubs Monday during a hands-on medical day.
The school’s fifth grade classrooms were converted into a series of operating rooms where students wore surgical scrubs to review the parts of the human body. As part of the immersive science lesson, the young “surgeons” identified vital organs, bones, and body systems.
Activities included analyzing X-rays and ensuring their “patients” were healthy before the end of the lesson.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Home Field Advantage For Tate And Northview In Regional Baseball Playoff Games
April 21, 2026
Brackets were released on Monday for regional games in FHSAA baseball, with both Northview and Tate hosting home games.
Region 1-6A
The Tate Aggies earned an at-large spot in the Region 1-6A tournament.
No. 4 Tate (20-7) will host No. 5 Tocoi Creek of Saint Augustine (14-13) in a regional quarterfinal game, while No. 1 Pace (23-4) will host No. 8 Lake Howell (11-6). First pitch in both games is at 7 p.m. this Friday, April 24.
Last Thursday night, Pace walked off with the 6A District 1 championship 4-2 over Tate, with a dramatic three-run homer. If both Tate and Pace win their quarterfinal games, they will face off again in the Regional Semifinals.
The semifinals will be a best-of-three series on May 1-2. Game one will be on Friday, May 1, with the second game on Saturday, May 2, along with a third game, if necessary.
Rural Division
No. 1 Northview (18-8) will host No. 4 Chipley (15-10) in the Rural Division regional semifinals, while No. 2 Jay (14-7) will host No. 3 Holmes County (12-14). Both will be a best-of-three series beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 1 and continuing on Saturday, May 2.
Last Friday night, Northview beat Jay 2-1 for the Rural District 1 championship. If Northview and Jay both win their regional semis, they will meet in the regional finals on May 8.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs won a district championship last Friday night 2-1 over the Jay Royals. Both teams will host regional semifinal games on May 1-2. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.