Tate High School Names 2026 Valedictorian, Salutatorian And Top 10% Graduates
May 23, 2026
Tate High School has named its Class of 2026 valedictorian, salutatorian, and Top 10% graduates.
They are valedictorian Willow Beachner and salutatorian Lawson Killingsworth.
The 485 members of the Tate High School Class of 2026 will graduate on Wednesday, May 27 at 9 a.m. at the Pensacola Bay Center.
The Top 10% graduates, in order of rank, are:
- Willow Beachner
- Lawson Killingsworth
- Lauren Armstrong
- James Treick
- Lena Litton
- Kaylie Mitchell
- Carson Hindsman
- Nicholas Kontek
- Carter Hayden
- Caidyn Medeiros
- Emily Dunlap
- Rieslin Colvin
- Nathan Nichols
- Rubing Wu
- Sara Shannon
- Ava Jacobi
- Conner Bignell
- Alyssa Hullett
- Tre Wells
- Sean Cassidy
- Elijah Agcaoili
- Emma Kendrick
- Brylin Bussey
- Collin Scott
- Walker Culver
- Jane Ruggerio
- Carly Gray
- Taylor Anderson
- Jasmine Dillard
- Linh Tran
- Peyton Elliott
- Amber Coleman
- Christian Price
- Rhiannon Harpe
- Aubree Gorum
- Luke Estes
- Soraya Calkins
- Jasmyne Hicks
- Claire Kersey
- Maegan Coleman
- Alysen Garske
- Dakota Vann
- Stephen Schubert
- Claire Keene
- Brooklyn Iversen
- Garrett Groff
- Tristan Crumm
- Tatianna Yahle
Two People Displaced By Velor Road Residential Fire
May 23, 2026
Two people were displaced by a residential structure fire Friday evening near McDavid.
The fire was reported about 6:30 p.m. in the 2800 block of Velor Road, about a mile south of Lambert Bridge Road.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the fire, and no injuries reported.
An adult male and adult female were provided temporary assistance by the American Red Cross.
The McDavid, Walnut Hill, Molino, and Cantonment stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded, along with the Atmore Fire Department.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Downtown Pensacola’s Palafox Street Reopens After $10 Million Overhaul
May 23, 2026
Downtown Pensacola’s Palafox Street is officially back open to pedestrians following a five-month, nearly $10 million infrastructure overhaul.
Dubbed the “New Palafox” project, the massive undertaking wrapped up early and under budget, making it the largest and quickest street project in the city’s history. Over the course of 139 days, crews transformed five city blocks to feature brand-new, ADA-accessible sidewalks and major upgrades to the downtown stormwater infrastructure. Because the city beat its completion deadline, the project qualifies for a 10% bonus incentive.
Mayor D.C. Reeves celebrated the milestone Friday afternoon alongside local small business owners at a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.
While pedestrians and cyclists have already begun flooding the expanded sidewalks, vehicular traffic will not be permitted back on Palafox Street until June 1. Meanwhile, the next phase of downtown construction is set to shift to nearby side streets, including Romana, Intendencia, and Zaragoza.
Photos for Northscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go: Molino Park Elementary Holds Senior Walk
May 23, 2026
Molino Park Elementary School held its annual Senior Walk on Friday for former Eagles.
Several seniors also enjoyed storytime in the library with “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wet Remainder Of The Holiday Weekend Ahead
May 23, 2026
A persistent, moisture-rich weather pattern is setting up to bring high rain chances to the area nearly every single day for the upcoming week. The holiday weekend will feature numerous rounds of showers and thunderstorms, with Memorial Day seeing the highest probability of rain at 90 percent. High temperatures will generally hover in the lower to middle 80s, while overnight lows remain muggy in the around 70 range. Keep the rain gear handy, as localized heavy downpours are possible, especially during afternoon thunderstorms.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 7pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7pm and 10pm, then a slight chance of showers after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 1pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Memorial Day: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 82. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a chance of showers between 10pm and 1am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 1pm. High near 81. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 84. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 82. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Kingsfield Elementary School Holds First Senior Walk
May 23, 2026
Kingsfield Elementary School held its first-ever Senior Walk, inviting back former Cubs to walk the halls one more time.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Beulah Regional Park Splash Pad Closed May 26 And 27 For Maintenance
May 23, 2026
The splash pad at Beulah Regional Park will be closed Tuesday, May 26 and Wednesday, May 27, for routine maintenance. The splash pad will reopen with normal hours Thursday, May 28.
The splash pad will remain open during Memorial Day weekend.
Beulah Regional Park and all other park amenities, will remain open during this time.
Beulah Regional Park is located at 7820 Mobile Highway. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and the splash pad is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
File photo.
Late Lead Slips Away As Blue Wahoos Fall To Columbus Clingstones
May 23, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell to the Columbus Clingstones by a final score of 6-5 on Friday night, allowing four late runs to spoil what had been a dominant pitching performance.
With the loss, the series between the Wahoos (21-22) and Clingstones (21-21) is even at 2-2, following Columbus’ 4-3 win on Thursday night. The Wahoos fell to third place in the South Division standings of the Southern League.
Pensacola scored five runs on 11 hits while drawing five walks, while Columbus plated six runs on five hits and collected eight walks – despite having only one hit through the first seven innings. Notable on the night was Pensacola’s Gage Miller, who went 3-for-3 with a run driven in. Emaarion Boyd, Garret Forrester and Fenwick Trimble contributed two hits each and plated four of the team’s five runs.
In his third start of the year, Luis Palacios offered 3.2 strong innings in his longest outing in May at the Double-A level. He gave up no hits while allowing one earned run and four free bases, collecting five strikeouts. As a whole, the Wahoos pitching staff generated 14 strikeouts against the Clingstones offense.
Boyd got the scoring started in the bottom of the second, ripping a single through the right side to drive in Forrester. The Wahoos kept up the pressure just an inning later, with Trimble and Dillon Lewis getting aboard on back-to-back singles and advancing on an overthrow by the Clingstones’ right fielder. Forrester delivered, pushing a two-out single into right field to extend Pensacola’s lead to 3-0.
Columbus answered back in the top of the fourth with an RBI groundout to Payton Green at shortstop. With two outs and runners on the corners, Forrester prevented any further damage by throwing out the runner at second base.
Yet, the Clingstones stayed persistent. Another groundout by Columbus’ Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. drove in another run in the fifth, cutting the Wahoos’ lead in half at 4-2.
Pensacola’s pitching staff held off Columbus in the following innings, sitting down the batters in order in the sixth and seventh. The Blue Wahoos extended their lead in the bottom of the seventh as Gage Miller powered a single up the middle to score Forrester from second base.
However, it seemed the Clingstones’ bats warmed up at just the wrong time. With the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, reliever Colby Martin let up an Archer Brookman single into right field to score two runners and bring the lead within one, 5-4. Pitcher Owen Hackman (W, 1-1) walked away with the win, giving up a double but inducing two groundouts and a flyout from the Wahoos in the bottom of the eighth.
Columbus would tie the game in the top of the ninth against Nigel Belgrave (L, 1-4) with a Patrick Clohisy RBI double into right, and Lizandro Espinosa followed with a go-ahead RBI single. Pensacola went down in order to Columbus’ Luis Vargas (S, 1) in the following half inning to cement the loss, 6-5.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Saturday.
written Maddy Branning
ECSO: No Charges To Be Filed In Accidental Cantonment Double Shooting
May 22, 2026
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office says no charges will be filed in an accidental double shooting early Friday morning in Cantonment.
The incident occurred around 3:40 a.m. in the 2600 block of Pleasant Valley Drive off Highway 297A.
Deputies said a man was holding a gun when it accidentally went off, hitting him and the woman sitting next to him. Both were transported to the hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Rivers Up Just Inches As Area Remains In A Severe Drought
May 22, 2026
Dry conditions have improved slightly across the area, but all of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties remain in a severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor data released on Thursday.
Portions of northern Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida had been in an extreme drought, and rain that is forecast through Monday will make a difference, but how much remains to be seen.
The Escambia River at Century was at 3.27 feet and falling on Thursday night. That’s up about seven inches from 2.69 feet on April 28. On Thursday night, the Perdido River at Barrineau Park was at 1.47 feet and falling, up about 1.5 inches from 1.34 feet on April 28.
For more photos, click here.
During a 50-to-100-year drought in July 2011, the Escambia and Perdido rivers were at 2.90 and 1.30 feet, respectively.
RELATED: Escambia River Dropping Closer To Historic Low (April 29)
Pictured: The Escambia River at Fischer Landing near Century this week. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
