Firefighters Extinguish Grass Fire At FPL Solar Farm In Molino
March 5, 2026
Firefighters battled a brush and grass fire midday Thursday at the Florida Power & Light Sparkleberry Solar Energy Center on Pilgrim Trail in Molino.
According to Joe Zwierzchowski from the Florida Forest Service, the fire was in 4-5 inch grass around rows of solar panels. Forestry allowed the fire to burn towards a road and used a “small amount” of water to extinguish it.
Multiple units of Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded.
There was no damage to any equipment, and the solar center continued to function normally, Sarah Gatewood, an FPL spokesperson, said. The cause of the fire fire remains under investigation.
Pictured: Solar panels at the FPL First City Solar Energy Center in McDavid, similar to those at Sparkleberry in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injuries In Fiery Cantonment Wreck (With Gallery)
March 5, 2026
There were no serious injuries reported in a fiery crash on Wednesday night in Cantonment.
The driver of a Hyundai Elantra apparently rear-ended a Dodge Ram pickup truck on Highway 95A at Neal Road. Following the collision, the Hyundai burst into flames, but everyone was able to escape the fire.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. Escambia County EMS and Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Northview NJROTC Cadets Undergo Annual Inspection (With Gallery)
March 5, 2026
Northview High School’s NJROTC Annual Inspection was held Wednesday morning at the school, with cadets undergoing face-to-face scrutiny with a Navy commander.
The inspection was conducted by Navy Commander Jonathan Shaw, NJROTC Area 10 manager. Shaw went face to face with the cadets, asking them questions about their NJROTC experience.
Click here for a photo gallery.
The day’s events included a command brief, drill, and personnel inspections, exhibition teams, and a pass in review. Several cadets were also promoted.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Schools Will ‘Unplug’ On Friday
March 5, 2026
Escambia County Public Schools will observe ‘National Day of Unplugging’ across all campuses on Friday.
ECPS said in order to draw attention to the serious mental and social harm addiction to technology causes for our youth in the United States, the will take a day to ‘unplug’ and focus on intentional personal interaction. Schools are encouraged to promote activities which bring students together, without technology.
“It’s a small step, but an important one,” said ECPS Superintendent of Schools Keith Leonard. “Actually, this idea came from our Student Advisory Council, who collectively saw reliance on technology as a real problem at their schools. We are proud they recognized this and wanted to do something about it.”
Highs Push Into The 80s
March 5, 2026
Warmer weather has settled into the North Escambia area this week, bringing high temperatures into the low 80s alongside persistent humidity. While most of the period remains partly sunny, a daily chance of showers and thunderstorms will linger, particularly during the afternoon hours.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Areas of fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 81. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Areas of dense fog after midnight. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 64. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Friday Night: Patchy fog after 9pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Nights Are Lego Nights At The Century And Molino Libraries
March 5, 2026
Thursday nights are Lego Nights at the Century and Molino libraries.
The event is from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. at both libraries. Accept building challenges from library staff or freely build your own unique creation. Lego Night is suggested for youth and their families. Duplo blocks will be available for younger builders.
The Century Branch Library is located at 7991 North Century Boulevard, and the Molino Library is located at 6450-A Highway 95A in the Molino Community Center.
Century Correctional Inmate Assaulted Multiple Officers, FDC Says
March 5, 2026
A Century Correctional Institution inmate assaulted multiple correctional officers recently, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Maurice Davis, 47, assaulted multiple correctional officers by striking them in the face, causing injuries, according to the FDC.
Since 2014, Davis is serving a 30-year sentence out of Leon County for assault with a deadly weapon.
UWF Awarded $2 Million National Science Foundation Grant To Support STEM Students
March 5, 2026
The University of West Florida has received a $2 million, six-year S-STEM Track 2: Implementation grant to support academically talented, financially disadvantaged students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The award will provide scholarships to 38 Pell-eligible STEM students while embedding expanded mental health resources within the existing STEM Living Learning Community.
The project, led by Dr. Karen Molek, professor of chemistry and associate vice president of Computational Intelligence and Student Scholars Programs, builds on UWF’s 14-year history of successful STEM Scholars programming and lessons learned from a previous NSF S-STEM award. The initiative integrates academic, social and emotional support to strengthen student resilience, persistence and graduation outcomes.
“We are thrilled to receive another six years of NSF funding to expand our support for STEM students,” Molek said. “This funding will create a seamless partnership with Counseling and Psychological Services, adding a layer of professional and peer support to our existing successful STEM Living Learning Community in partnership with Housing and Residence Life and the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. It’s impossible for students to focus on learning if they aren’t sure how they will afford their next meal or aren’t connected to the resources readily available on campus. Deploying resources strategically will help mitigate financial and mental health barriers while strengthening student resilience and persistence through graduation.”
Through the grant, UWF will award scholarships to two cohorts of first-time-in-college Pell-eligible STEM students and provide six years of comprehensive support. The program expands the four-year STEM for Life Seminar Series with a focus on resilience and mental health, implements peer mentoring in the STEM Living Learning Community and embeds a staff member in the residence hall in partnership with UWF Counseling and Psychological Services to provide preventative and just-in-time mental health support. The project will also examine the impact of embedded support and peer mentoring on student well-being and retention.
“This sizable grant is befitting the various efforts led by Dr. Molek and her team in supporting academically talented but financially disadvantaged students,” said Dr. Mohamed Khabou, dean of UWF’s Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. “These efforts have had an impressive effect on students, including outstanding on-time graduation rates and acceptance into prestigious graduate and professional schools.”
As the region’s only four-year university in a county where 74% of students are first-generation college students, UWF plays a critical role in expanding access to high-impact STEM education. By integrating destigmatized mental health resources with structured academic support, the Resilient STEM Students Program aims to strengthen the pipeline of prepared graduates ready to meet growing regional and national workforce demands.
The new knowledge generated from this program will be shared via national conferences and journals in student affairs, housing and residence life, and national counseling to inform the creation of scalable mental health programming that increases the retention and graduation rates of Pell-eligible students in STEM fields.
Student Athletes Honored At FCA Basketball, Soccer Banquets
March 5, 2026
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes recently presented Above the Rim Awards for basketball and the Beyond the Goal Awards for soccer.
The winners were chosen by their teammates based upon their integrity, dedication, character, and FCA values.
BASKETBALL
Northview — Makayla Plato, Bryson Orso
Tate — Zoe Dailey, Keon Whaley
Central — Tambrey Frady, Keaton Henry
East Hill — Addison Wheeler
Escambia — Chloee Roberson
Gulf Breeze — Kaia Seeley
Milton — Madilyn Hall
Pace — Trace Perkins
PHS — Jatina Brown, Catino Mobley
Pensacola Catholic — Krystiana Chatman, Sam Quebedeaux
Pine Forest — Cymone Mckinney, Jacorie Thomas
Washington — Chamiah Francis, Brody Michael Dykes
West Florida — Solise Beeks, Frank Likely
PSC — Shania Beeks
UWF — Amelia Bell, Christian Valarezo
SOCCER
Tate — Ruth Oaks ,Tyler Clarke
Escambia — Sabrina Corleone
Gulf Breeze — Jaida Gelsinon
Milton — Addison Burne, Nicco Grancagnolo
Navarre — Dominique Acosta
Pace — Lillian Espinosa, AJ BonJorno
PHS — Peyton Chester
Pensacola Catholic — Allison Bennet, Atticus King
Pine Forest — Azharia Knight, Job Friere
Washington — Brooke Stubblefield, Brendan Boyer
West Florida Tech — Laney Jackson, Austin Jackson
Pensacola State College — Alexis Parscal
It’s Getting Warmer: When Is Spring Breaking?
March 5, 2026
Warmer days and sunshine have students anticipating Spring Break.
For Escambia County Public Schools students, Spring Break is March 16-20. Students will also be out of school on April 3 (Good Friday), but teachers will have a work day.
Pensacola State College and University of West Florida, will have Spring Break March 16-20.