Sunny, Upper 80s To Start The Week
April 27, 2026
The week ahead for the North Escambia area features a warm, sunny start that gradually gives way to increasing rain chances by midweek. Temperatures will hover in the upper 80s through Wednesday before a series of disturbances brings a more consistent chance for showers and thunderstorms starting Wednesday night. By next weekend, a cooling trend will take hold, bringing daytime highs back down into the low 70s.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 87. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1:00 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1:00 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1:00 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1:00 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Escambia County EMS Passes State Inspection
April 27, 2026
Escambia County Emergency Medical Services has passed its state inspection from the Florida Department of Health, with FDOH inspectors finding EMS vehicles and service records to be “outstanding.”
The site visit and inspection, which noted no deficiencies or discrepancies with Escambia County EMS, was conducted by the FDOH Bureau of Emergency Medical Oversight earlier this month at Escambia County Public Safety.
Escambia County EMS met all inspection criteria, with the inspection covering numerous categories including:
- Employee training records and certifications
- Vehicle records and registrations
- Compliance with controlled substance medication storage, how medications are distributed for use by EMS and tracking of medication administration by EMS
- How EMS orders, stocks, distributes, and replaces medical equipment and supplies
- Random ambulances were selected for complete inventory inspection in compliance with state requirements
- Patient care records and storage of records
- Quality assurance and quality improvement measures with patient care and patient care reports
- Training and in-service records for all EMS employees
- Compliance with state requirements for medical direction
The representative from FDOH gave EMS glowing reviews following the inspection, noting that it was “truly a joy to see more of Escambia County EMS and speak with your team members” and that they are “proud to have you serving the local community.”
“This successful inspection is a testament to our dedicated team at all levels of Escambia County EMS, who work diligently every day to ensure we are providing top-tier care and service to every patient we serve,” Escambia County EMS Chief Chris Watts said. “I’m very proud of our employees and leadership team for their hard work and dedication, and we look forward to continuing to accomplish great things at Escambia County EMS.”
I’m incredibly proud of our EMS team for continuing to serve the citizens of Escambia County with professionalism every day,” Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore said. “Their dedication helps us maintain the highest level of service to our community, setting the gold standard for excellence in EMS service.”
File photo.
AAA: Florida Gas Prices Decline Slightly As Market Pressures Linger
April 27, 2026
Despite a small 3-cent uptick, Florida gas prices declined most of last week. Sunday’s state average of $3.95 per gallon is seven cents lower than a week ago, seven cents higher than last month, and 88 cents lower than last year, according to AAA.
“Florida gas prices have seesawed week to week, after peaking earlier this month,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “They may move higher again soon, following increases in both oil and wholesale gasoline prices.”
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $3.69, which is down seven cents from last week, up three cents from a month ago, and 78 cents higher than a year ago.
Sunday night, a low of $3.62 was available in North Escambia at stations on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
File photo.
Grand Slam Sinks Wahoos In 6-0 Loss To Biscuits
April 27, 2026
One big swing cost the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in a bid to win their weeklong series against the Montgomery Biscuits on Sunday afternoon, as an Austin Overn grand slam lifted the Biscuits to a 6-0 final.
Luis Palacios was stellar in his first start of the season for the Blue Wahoos, scattering just a single and a walk in 4.0 scoreless innings. Along the way, he passed Daniel Wright to become the franchise’s all-time innings pitched leader and moved into second place on the club’s strikeout leaderboard.
The Blue Wahoos had early opportunities against Montgomery’s Michael Forret, but left a man in scoring position in three of their first four innings. TJ Fondtain (W, 1-0) picked up the game in the fifth inning for the Biscuits, and worked 2.0 effective innings of relief in his season debut.
The debut of Blue Wahoos reliever Luis Moreno (L, 0-1) didn’t go as well, as the righty allowed a double and a pair of two-out walks in the fifth inning before Overn launched his grand slam over the right field wall to break a scoreless tie. Overn added on in the seventh, lacing a two-out RBI triple to center field to extend the lead to 5-0.
Xavier Isaac capped a strong week at the plate with a solo homer, his fourth of the series, in the eighth inning to put Montgomery ahead 6-0. Owen Wild worked around a pair of two-out baserunners in the ninth to close out the game for the Biscuits.
After an off day Monday, the Blue Wahoos begin a six-game home series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Tuesday.
written by Erik Bremer
Highway 29 To Be Temporarily Reduced To One Lane In Each Direction At Highway 97
April 26, 2026
Northbound and southbound traffic on Highway 29 is set to be shifted to a single lane in each direction at Highway 97 on Sunday evening.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) said that the temporary shift is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on Sunday. During this time, both northbound and southbound lanes on Highway 29 will be reduced to a single lane at the intersection to accommodate necessary drainage improvements.
The work is a key component of a larger $14 million resurfacing and improvement project. The initiative covers approximately 22 miles of Highway 97, stretching from the Highway 29 intersection all the way to the Alabama state line at Atmore, Alabama.
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.
This overall project is scheduled for completion in Spring 2027.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Escambia Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Obscenity Charge
April 26, 2026
An Escambia County registered sex offender has pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of obscene materials involving minors.
Jordan Tyler Quinones, 30, entered the plea in federal court in Pensacola.
According to court documents, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted routine checks on Quinones as a registered sex offender in late 2025.
When suspicious materials were associated with the defendant, law enforcement followed up with an interview of Quinones, which led to obtaining a search warrant of his cellular telephone. Law enforcement located images that depicted obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children and Quinones was maintaining them in an online account.
Prosecutors said the images were cartoon or computer generated files, which depicted sexual abuse, sadomasochistic abuse, and bestiality involving minors. Quinones remains detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
“Thanks to the vigilance of our state law enforcement partners in closely monitoring this sex offender, they were able to detect his continued criminal sexual deviance and help bring him to justice. Keeping our kids safe from sexual predators like this defendant remains one of my office’s top priorities, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases,” said U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin of the Northern District of Florida.
Quinones faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment, and up to 20 years imprisonment when he is sentenced on July 14.
The case was jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.
Northview High, Beulah Middle FFA Programs Named State Agriculture Advocacy Award Finalists
April 26, 2026
The FFA programs at Northview High School and Beulah Middle School are among five in the state to be selected as 2026 Chapter Agriculture Advocacy Award finalists.
Formerly the Food for America program, the program is designed to encourage FFA members to participate in agricultural literacy and awareness projects on the local level. The overall chapter winner will be awarded on stage this June during the 98th Florida FFA State Convention at the Caribe Royale in Orlando.
For a photo gallery from the 2026 Northview event, click here.
NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
EREC Holds 87th Annual Meeting (With Photo Gallery)
April 26, 2026
Escambia River Electric Cooperative members held their 87th annual meeting on Saturday at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill. Dozens of door prizes were awarded, most of them electric, and member Betty Davis won the grand prize of a $500 credit on her electric bill.
Members met in a business session after voting on trustees. Incumbent Brian Davis retained his seat as an Escambia County trustee, defeating challenger Heath Bryan 246-149. An amendment to the cooperative bylaws was approved 292-92.
Guest speaker was Damon Morgan, COO of Powersouth. He is a 1978 graduate of the former Ernest Ward High School in Walnut Hill.
Savannah Hudson from Northview High School and Brea Lyle from Jay High School were recognized as winners of four-year Herman D. Johnson Scholarships; and Tyler Carach from Northview High School and Nicholas Baxley from Jay High School were recognized as recipients of EREC Trade/Votech Scholarships.
EREC was formed in 1939 with 88 members in their first month. The cooperative now serves about 13,409 members in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with 1,823 miles of energized line and has 1,629 water meters in Escambia County.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two 19-Year-Olds Killed In Rural Santa Rosa County Wreck
April 26, 2026
A two-vehicle crash late Friday night in rural Santa Rosa County claimed the life of two 19-year-olds.
The double fatal crash occurred at approximately 11:35 p.m. at the intersection of American Farms Road and Cornfield Way. The Florida Highway Patrol said a pickup truck with six occupants was traveling east on Cornfield Way when it collided with an SUV driven by a 57-year-old Milton woman.
The pickup truck overturned, ejecting a 19-year-old male and a 19-year-old female; both were declared dead at the scene. A 19-year-old female passenger was critically injured, while the 20-year-old male driver and two other passengers, ages 18 and 19, were seriously injured. All were from Milton.
The SUV driver sustained minor injuries.
The FHP Traffic Homicide unit is conducting a comprehensive investigation.
File photo.
Slight Chance Of Scattered Sunday Afternoon Showers
April 26, 2026
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Monday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers between 1am and 4am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78.
Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71.