$14 Million Highway 97 Resurfacing Project Is Now Officially Underway
March 22, 2026
The Florida Department of Transportation said a project is officially underway to resurface Highway 97 from Highway 29 in Molino to the Alabama state line at Atmore.
FDOT said the first day of the project’s 567 day time period, plus any weather delayes, started on March 13, with completion set for 2027.
Drivers may not see actual construction equipment and lane closures for some time; FDOT said the first few days of project often include sign placement and other planning before equipment is mobilized.
The 22-mile project will include milling and resurfacing the roadway, updated signs and pavement markings, and drainage improvements. Many of the stormwater drainage improvements will be made at the Highway 29 intersection to alleviate historic flooding by installing an additional box culvert across the southern leg of the intersection and two additional cross drains on the northern leg of the intersection.
Drivers may experience intermittent lane closures and restrictions between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com graphics.
Volunteer Florida Offers Free Grant Writing Training For Nonprofits
March 22, 2026
Volunteer Florida is offering a virtual Grant Writing Certification Program for Florida’s nonprofit organizations April 6 through May 15, 2026. This no-cost, six-week training is open to all nonprofit organizations in Florida and recommended for grant seekers, program directors, as well as executive and board directors. The deadline to register for this training is Monday, March 30 at 4 p.m.
To register for this training, click here.
The deadline to register is Monday, March 30, 2026, at 4 p.m.
Volunteer Florida is offering the Grant Writing Certification Program to better prepare Florida nonprofit organizations for the grant application process and increase their likelihood of selection for grant funding. Participants will engage in weekly informational and workshop sessions that will cover topics ranging from understanding grant criteria to learning best practices from previously successful grant applicants.
“Volunteer Florida is proud to once again offer this no-cost grant writing program to strengthen the capacity of nonprofits across our state,” said Josie Tamayo, CEO of Volunteer Florida. “By equipping organizations with the tools and knowledge to successfully compete for funding, we are investing in their long-term sustainability and helping them expand their impact in communities throughout Florida.”
Participants who attend and complete all sessions of the training are eligible to receive a certificate of completion, which includes written feedback on a sample grant application. Additionally, Volunteer Florida will award preferential points on an upcoming grant application for any organization that completes the 11-course training. Registration is limited to 75 entities for the series; however, more than one individual from each entity is welcome to register and participate in the sessions.
Grant Writing Certification Program Schedule
All Sessions 1:00PM – 2:30PM EST
Week 1 – Grant Preparation; Monday, April 6 and Friday, April 10
Topics will include researching available grants and assembling a grant writing team.
Week 2 – Logic Models; Monday, April 13 and Friday, April 17
Topics will include logic models and creating an evaluation plan.
Week 3 – Writing Proposals; Monday, April 20 and Friday, April 24
Topics will include understanding grant criteria and compiling proposals.
Week 4 – Budgets; Monday, April 27 and Friday, May 1
Topics will include budget terminology and grant application platforms, such as eGrants.
Week 5 – Best Practices Panel; Monday, May 4
Expert panelists will share best practices for successful grant applications.
Week 6 – Grant Year Overview; Monday, May 11 and Friday, May 15
Topics will include reporting and grant year deliverables.
Presenting the training is Marie Gress, CEO of Kovir, LLC, which provides grant strategy services to increase the capacity of smaller nonprofits with limited resources.
Sunny And Warm Week Ahead; Highs In The 80s
March 22, 2026
Warm and sunny conditions will dominate the region through the upcoming week as high pressure remains in control. Temperatures will steadily climb from the low 80s into the mid-80s by Friday, with overnight lows remaining comfortably in the upper 50s. While a few clouds may drift in Tuesday night and Wednesday, no significant rainfall is expected, making for an excellent stretch of outdoor weather.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 84. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 85.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
Feel A Boom? Here’s What We Found About A Possible Source
March 21, 2026
NorthEscambia.com readers across a portion of northern Escambia County in Florida and southern Escambia County in Alabama reported a boom or rumble they heard and felt on Saturday night around 8:35.
Escambia County Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Florida responded to a reported explosion which was located a bonfire off Nokomis Road near Highway 97 in Davisville.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the fire was started with too much fuel, exploded, and was the probable source of the boom.
No injuries were reported.
Map location is approximate and for illustrative purposes only.
Man With A Walker Hit By Car On North Century Boulevard
March 21, 2026
A man crossing North Century Boulevard with the assistance of a walker was struck by a car on Friday night.
The man was crossing the four-lane roadway at the Century Food Mart, just south of Ranch Road and the Century Library, when he was struck by a Buick sedan. The sedan was pulled into the convenience store parking lot following the crash. There is no crosswalk next the incident location.
The adult male pedestrian was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released further details.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded, along with the Century and McDavid stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Next Town of Century Bulk Waste Collection Set for April 7
March 21, 2026
The Town of Century’s next bulk waste pick-up will be April 7 as pictured above and listed below.
Items should be placed curbside by the night of April 6. Hazardous waste, electronics, tires, construction or demolition debris, and liquid items are excluded.
- Alger Road
- Annie Street
- B Street
- Baptist Church Road
- Bradley Street
- Briggs Boulevard
- Church Street
- Dogwood Lane
- East Hecker Road
- Elm Street
- Front Street
- Hilltop Road
- Highway 4A
- Jeter Lane
- Jefferson Avenue
- Jefferson Clancy Way
- Jim Lane
- Kelly Field Road
- Lodge Drive
- Maple Street
- Mayo Lane
- Mayo Street
- Pinewood Avenue
- Plum Street
- Ranch Road
- Red Lane
- Wood Lane
Sheriff Says Calm Down After Three Road Rage Incidents
March 21, 2026
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons issued a stern warning to motorists following a surge in road rage violence, including a shooting and an armed confrontation, over a four-day period.
The most severe incident, which occurred eon Tuesday at the intersection of Fairfield Drive and W Street, escalated from a verbal dispute into gunfire. According to investigators and surveillance footage, a truck driver repeatedly jumped into the bed of his vehicle to throw trash at another car before punching and shattering the car’s driver-side window. The driver of the car, who was traveling with a woman and a small child, fired two shots, striking the truck driver.
In two other separate cases:
- Thursday on Pine Forest Road: A driver intentionally veered into another vehicle while traveling side-by-side. Authorities are currently working to identify the suspect.
- Wednesday on North Davis Highway: A woman was arrested and charged after pulling a firearm and pointing it at another motorist.
Sheriff Simmons urged the public to maintain composure behind the wheel to avoid criminal charges or physical harm.
“My advice to everyone is to calm down on our roadways,” Simmons said. “Stay in your car, do not approach the window of a driver’s car, and you’re probably not going to get yourself shot.”
No Injuries In Highway 29, Quintette Road Crash
March 21, 2026
There were no injuries in a two-vehicle crash on Friday afternoon on Highway 29 at Quintette Road.
Around 5 p.m., a passenger car collided with a utility trailer, causing significant damage to the car.
Everyone involved in the crash refused transport by Escambia County EMS.
The Florida Highway Patrol investigated; troopers have not said which driver was at fault.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
NAS Pensacola Now Open To Public Only On Weekends
March 21, 2026
Beginning Monday, March 23, NAS Pensacola will only be open for public visitation on the weekends and closed to the public Monday through Friday.
Only Department of War identification card holders can access the air station Monday through Friday.
Visitors to NAS Pensacola’s areas of public interest, including the National Naval Aviation Museum andd the Pensacola Lighthouse, can access the air station only on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. Any non-affiliated guest of a Department of War identification card holder must be vetted through the Visitor Control Center.
“Naval Air Station Pensacola remains vigilant and will take appropriate actions to ensure the safety and security of our service members, civilians, contractors, and their families,” said NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Chandra Newman. “We constantly assess a variety of factors to determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families.”
The National Naval Aviation Museum and the Pensacola Lighthouse are not closed; Department of War identification card holders can visit these areas during normal operating hours. Access to NAS Pensacola for non-Department of War identification card holders, however, will only occur on weekends until further notice.
Until further notice, all visitors over the age of 18 must be vetted through the NAS Pensacola Visitor Control Center at the south end of Navy Boulevard before being granted access to the installation on Saturdays and Sundays. At the Visitor Control Center (VCC), individuals will be required to present a Real ID or U.S. Passport for screening. Screened individuals must then use the installation’s West Gate at the south end of Blue Angel Parkway to enter the air station.
The NAS Pensacola Visitor Control Center will open for public visitors at 8 a.m.
All individuals 18 years of age and older who do not hold a Department of War ID card and are planning to visit areas of public interest, including the National Naval Aviation Museum and the Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, will need to complete the following steps:
- Visitor Control Center – Before accessing the installation, all visitors must go to the Visitor Control Center located at the main front gate at the south end of Navy Boulevard. Use the left lane when approaching the installation. All visitors 18 and older must present a valid government-issued ID, such as a REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenseor a U.S. passport.
- Background Check and Pass: At the Visitor Control Center, individuals will undergo a background check and be issued a visitor pass.
- Proceed to the West Gate: Once a visitor pass is granted, individuals will then proceed to the West Gate entrance, located at the south end of Blue Angel Parkway, to access areas of public interest onboard the air station.
Visitors should plan extra transit time for the security process.
Weapons, backpacks, coolers, and alcoholic beverages are not permitted. All vehicles and personnel are subject to security searches.
“We understand the inconvenience this may cause the thousands of individuals who visit the air station’s areas of public interest each week,” Newman said. “Our operational requirements, however, are priority, and we are committed to providing support to the commands training the next generation of aviators, aviation maintenance technicians and cyber warriors.”
Low In The Upper 50s Saturday Night
March 21, 2026
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 84. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 85.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 82.