Beulah Middle FFA Chapter Places At District Competition
January 25, 2026
The Beulah Middle School FFA chapter placed in several competitions at the recent district competition.
- 1st Place — Parliamentary Procedure
- 2nd Place — Extemporaneous Public Speaking
- 1st Place — Prepared Public Speaking
- 2nd Place — Creed Public Speaking
- 2nd Place — Opening & Closing Ceremony
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
It Is Literacy Week At Molino Park Elementary With Family Night, Book Fair
January 25, 2026
Next week is Literacy Week at Molino Park Elementary School with a book fair, family literacy night and more.
The Scholastic Book Fair continues through January 30. Each student will receive a $6 voucher from the Molino Park Elementary School PTA.
Family Literacy Night will be Thursday, January 29, from 5:30 until 7 p.m. An RSVP is being sent home with students this week and should be returned by Monday, January 26 so that the PTA knows how much pizza to order.
Book Fair proceeds are used to help fund AR celebrations.
File photo.
Grant Awarded For $1 Million Traffic Light At Walmart In Atmore
January 25, 2026
A state grant has been awarded for a traffic signal on Highway 21 at Walmart in Atmore.
The ATRIP-II grant for $914,000 will require a $113,400 local match for a project total of $1,027,400 for the light at 911 North Main Street, which is state Highway 21.
“Since 2019, Alabama generated more than $2 billion, paving the way for 500 vital road and bridge projects in all 67 counties. None of these projects would have happened without the passage of Rebuild Alabama,” said Gov. Kay Ivey during her State of the State address.
The funding is made available through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II), a program created by the Rebuild Alabama Act. The Rebuild Alabama Act requires ATRIP-II to be an annual program setting aside a minimum of $30 million off the top of ALDOT’s share of new gas tax revenue for projects of local interest on the state highway system.
The Walmart traffic signal was the only project awarded in January, in Escambia County. In total, ALDOT announced grant funding for 25 projects totaling just over $40 million.
“Rebuild Alabama continues making generational transportation improvements a reality. I am proud to award funds towards these 25 projects. Our success with Rebuild Alabama will only continue,” said Ivey.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Escambia Man Pleads Guilty To Threatening To Kill Police Detective
January 25, 2026
An Escambia County man has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a police detective.
Tamal W. Jenkins, 19, pleaded guilty in federal court for interstate threatening communication with intent to extort.
Court documents state that in July 2025 the Pensacola Police Department arrested suspects in a homicide investigation. Within days of the arrest, one of the Pensacola Police Detectives involved in the investigation received an electronic message making threats against her life for taking a suspect into custody. Law enforcement traced the threatening messages back to a device belonging to Jenkins.
Jenkins faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment upon sentencing, which is scheduled for April 14
Escambia County Value Adjustment Board Seeks Volunteers
January 25, 2026
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for an at-large appointment to the Escambia County Board of Adjustment.
Members serve a two-year term of office and meet at 8:30 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Travel is not required. Financial disclosure is required.
Escambia County residents interested in being considered for a possible appointment to the Escambia County Board of Adjustment to begin serving in February 2026 are asked to submit a resume indicating their desire to serve by close of business on Monday, January 26.
Resumes should be submitted to Rachel Whitmire, 3363 West Park Place, Pensacola, FL 32505; or emailed to rwhitmire@myescambia.com.
Martha Angelia Clark
January 25, 2026
Martha Angelia Clark, 78, originally of Atmore, AL, passed away on Saturday, January 24th, 2026, in Georgia. She was born on October 15th, 1947, in Brewton, AL to the late Huba Moore Clark and Ethel Kirkland Clark.
Angelia lived a life rooted in faith, devoted to Christ, and guided by the teachings of the Holy Bible. She was especially comforted by Psalm 91 all her life. She always had an infectious smile, a warm hug and a kind word for everyone. She was deeply loved by her children and her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Erma Robertson and Farrell Clark.
She is survived by her children Robert (Tina) Joseph Johns III of McDavid, FL; Holly (Erwin) Risher of Holly Springs, GA; Amy (Chad) Hammonds of Fairhope, AL; Rebecca Lundy of Crestview, FL; her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, and numerous extended family, as well as her dear lifelong friend Polly Olson.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 31st, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Johnson Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Don Sanks officiating. Interment will follow in Cedar Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Castleberry, AL.
Active pallbearers will be Robert Joseph Johns III, Erwin Risher, Kyle Allen, and Peter Fitzgibbons.
Private Family Visitation for Mrs. Clark will be held at 8:30 a.m., followed by a public Visitation at 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2026, until service time at 10:00 a.m. at Johnson Quimby Funeral Home.
Memorial donations can be made to Atmore Food Pantry to help those in need.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Tom Sidler
January 25, 2026
Tom Sidler, 63, of Pensacola, Florida, passed away on January 19, 2026, in Black Hawk County, Iowa.
Born on April 4, 1962, in Newport News, Virginia, to Edward Sidler and Barbara Crowe Sidler, Tom was raised in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he graduated from Cedar Falls High School. He later earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University and built a long and respected career in the transportation, construction, and aggregates industries. For more than four decades, he held leadership and management roles while residing in Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida, overseeing operations in concrete paving, safety management, and aggregate supply. He spent the last 30 years of his life near Pensacola, Florida, where he met his wife, built his family, and continued to live out the values of integrity and service that defined his life.
Tom was known for his selflessness, loyalty, and unwavering dependability. A true doer, he believed deeply in hard work and personal responsibility, approaching everything in his life with intention and commitment. He did not cut corners, and he taught his children the value of showing up, following through, and doing things the right way.
He had a passion for motorcycles, fellowship, and service, and was a member of two motorcycle ministries, including Bikers for Christ (Birmingham, Alabama) and Hell Fighters (Pensacola, Florida). He was also a member of the Shriners and the Masons, continuing a proud family tradition alongside his father. Beyond his community service, he lived out his faith in everyday moments, often carrying small metal crosses to share as a simple reminder of God’s love.
Tom enjoyed boating, home-cooked meals, playing card games, and singing songs, but he especially cherished spending time at home with family and friends. Though a big man with a strong presence, Tom was a gentle giant at heart – tough when he needed to be, but endlessly loving and supportive. He found his greatest joy in caring for those around him, encouraging their passions, and helping them grow.
Above all, he was a devoted husband and father. Of all his accomplishments, he was most proud of his wife and three children.
He was preceded in death by his father, Edward Sidler; his stepfather, Jack Scott; his father-in-law, Bobby Johnson; and his brother-in-law, Dave Rasmusson.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 18 years, Angel; his daughter, Raegan Sidler; and his sons, Landon and Gregory Williamson. He is also survived by his mother, Barbara Scott of Cedar Falls, Iowa; his sisters, Lori Rasmusson of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Lisa Bown (Mike) of West Bend, Wisconsin, and Samantha Buckingham of Ankeny, Iowa; and his brother, John Sidler (Jesica) of Boone, Iowa. He is further survived by a large extended family, including his father- and mother-in-law, Billy and Joyce Campbell of Molino, Florida; his sisters-in-law, Kathi Johnson (Brian) and Trudy Campbell, both of Pensacola, Florida; his brother-in-law, Kevin Johnson (Becky) of Jay, Florida; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends whom he loved dearly.
Pallbearers will be John Sidler, Dan Rasmusson, Chuck Taylor, Mark Jackson, Forrest Gibbs Sr., Rich Boykin, Hammond Hearn, and Daryl Powell.
Honorary pallbearers will be Nick Hearn, Victor Wallace, and Eli Miller.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at Faith Chapel North in Cantonment, Florida, with Pastor Lonny Hughes officiating.
● Family Visitation: 10:00 a.m.
● Public Visitation: 11:00 a.m.
● Service: 12:00 p.m.
Burial will follow at McCurdy Cemetery, located at 800 Fannie Rd in Century, Florida. All friends and family are invited to a dinner reception afterwards at Beams of Light Church, located at 3825 North Highway 29 in Molino, Florida.
Flowers are welcome and appreciated. For those who feel led to do so, memorial donations may be made to the House of Righteousness Ministries (H.O.R.M.) P.O. Box 3171, Pensacola, FL 32516
Library Winter Book Sale Is Saturday And Sunday
January 24, 2026
The Friends of the West Florida Public Library 2026 Winter Big Book Sale is going on Saturday and Sunday at the Downtown Library.
The big book sale is for readers of all ages with books, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs. Selections cover a wide variety of genres including plenty of family-friendly options.
Sale Highlights:
Saturday, Jan. 24, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – $7 for a bag of books (bag provided)
Location: Downtown Library, 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola. Admission is free.
Items for Sale: Hardback and softback books (fiction, nonfiction, mysteries, biographies, young adult, children’s), paperbacks, religious, foreign language, travel, crafts, holidays and cooking. Multimedia includes CDs, DVDs, vinyl and audiobooks.
Cash or Credit Cards accepted.
Century Utility Bills Are Running Late; Here’s What To Know.
January 24, 2026
Town of Century utility January bills were delayed this month, but customers will still have time to pay without penalties or service disconnects.
Town officials said the delays were due to a meter changeout project by a contractor, in addition to the holidays. The bills were mailed from a service provider in Pensacola on Tuesday and are now arriving in customer mailboxes.
While the current January bills have a due date of January 25, residents will have until February 25 to pay the bills before facing disconnects and penalties. Officials noted that December bills not paid by Monday, January 26 will be subject to disconnect.
Residents who have not received their January bill may call the town at (850) 256-3208 to find their amount due or request that a copy of their bill be emailed. Alternatively, they can stop by the office to pick up a copy of their bill or make a payment.
Pictured: A sample Town of Century utility bill. Image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FloridaCommerce Reports Decrease In Escambia County Unemployment
January 24, 2026
The Escambia County area unemployment rate decreased, according to data released Friday by FloridaCommerce.
The area’s unemployment rate was 5.2% in December 2025, a 0.4% decrease from the November 2025 rate of 5.6%. A year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County was 3.4%.
That represented 7,637 people unemployed out of a labor force of 147,631.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3% in December 2025, up 0.1 percentage point from the November 2025 rate, and up 0.9 percentage point from a year ago.