Register Now: Free 4-Month Food Distribution Program For Veterans Begins Thursday
August 26, 2026
A new initiative aimed at easing financial burdens for local military families will launch Thursday evening in Escambia County.
The Veteran Food Assistance Program, hosted by Be The Miracle in partnership with Feeding the Gulf Coast and Rep. Michelle Salzman, begins Thursday, August 27, at 5 p.m. at Jubilee Church, located at 5910 North W Street in Pensacola.
Through a grant supporting the initiative, Feeding the Gulf Coast is donating all food for the program at no charge to participating households. The program will provide 60 veteran families with enough food to feed their household for two weeks, with distributions taking place every other Thursday over a four-month period running through December 17. A new group of 60 families will cycle into the program every four months.
Organizers designed the program to provide supplemental assistance during times of financial strain, allowing families to redirect critical funds toward medical appointments, utility bills, and other household necessities.
“Supporting our veterans means supporting the families who stood beside them,” said Representative Michelle Salzman. “No veteran should have to choose between putting food on the table and paying a bill or making an important medical appointment. This program provides meaningful assistance while giving veterans and their families a little breathing room to get caught up and move forward. I am grateful to Be The Miracle and Feeding the Gulf Coast for partnering with us to serve those who have given so much to our country.”
“It is a sacred duty and the ultimate honor for us to care for the veterans right here in our area,” said Tim Chandler, chaplain and founder of Be The Miracle. “These brave men and women gave so much for our country, and it breaks our hearts to know some face food insecurity. By opening this pantry, we hope to serve them with the same dignity, respect, and dedication they showed while serving us.”
Veterans and their immediate family members can apply online or call (850) 207-5024 for more information.
Flomaton Fire Destroys Home, Displaces Family Of Nine
August 26, 2026
A family of nine people was displaced after a fire destroyed their Flomaton home early Wednesday morning.
The mother, father and their seven children were able to escape without injury.
The fire was reported just after 2:30 a.m. in the 20000 block of Highway 31, just a few feet west of the Flomaton town limits. Firefighters were called back to the scene for a reflash shortly before 7 a.m.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Multiple fire departments responded, including the Flomaton Fire Department and the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Rule The Vikings; Northview Fall To PHS is Hard-Fought Match
August 26, 2026
Tate Aggies Rule The Vikings
The Tate Aggies lived up to the night’s royal theme Tuesday, delivering a commanding 3-0 sweep over the Fort Walton Beach Vikings in varsity volleyball action.
With the student section and home crowd dressed in gold and royal attire to “Rule the Vikings,” the Aggies quickly turned their home gym into a kingdom of their own. Tate set the tone early with a dominan win in the opening set.
The Aggies maintained firm control through the second set, claiming a 25-13 victory to build a commanding lead.
Fort Walton Beach rallied to mount a strong challenge in the third set, but Tate held off the push to seal the match with a 25-23 win.
Northview Chiefs Fall To Pensacola High In Hard-Fought Volleyball Match
The Northview Chiefs showed plenty of fight on the road Tuesday evening, pushing the Pensacola High Tigers to the limit before falling 3-0 in varsity volleyball action.
Pensacola High took early control with a 25-6 win in the opening set and maintained momentum to take the second set 25-17.
The Chiefs refused to go quietly, battling point-for-point in an intense, extended third set. Northview repeatedly answered the Tigers’ attack and pushed past regulation before Pensacola High finally closed out the match with a 29-27 win.
Individual stats for the match were not available.
Dolly Parton’s Legacy Included Bringing Books To Children In North Escambia
August 26, 2026
Country music icon Dolly Parton passed away on Tuesday at age 80, leaving behind not only a legendary music catalog that spanned decades, but also a legacy of philanthropy that touched millions, including children in the North Escambia area through her Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
The program provides free books monthly to children ages 0-5 in 36 counties’ as her genertoisy spread far beyond the spotlight.
During the summer of 2008, the first books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library arrived in the mailboxes of about 300 children in Escambia County, with about half of those in the Century area in cooperation with local partner the Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County, which administered the program locally.
In Century, a local celebration was held at the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center; the program’s outreach to Century was funded by the Teaspoon Foundation and Century Pharmacy.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Pictured above: Four-year-old Jared Bevan enjoys reading one of the books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at Campfire USA in Century on June 28, 2008. Pictured below: Some of the books from the program. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Town Of Century Pays Tribute To Late Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr.
August 26, 2026
The Town of Century on Tuesday night honored the life and service of former Century mayor and councilman Luis Gomez, Jr., who passed away recently. He was 64.
Gomez was appointed interim mayor in August 2023 after the resignation of then-mayor Ben Boutwell. He was later elected to the position with no opposition in 2023 in a special election to finish Boutwell’s term and again with no opposition in 2024 for another four-year term that just started on January 1, 2025, just days before his resignation became effective. He was first elected to the town council in 2017.
“Mr. Gomez’s accomplishments and stature are not just measured by his professional accomplishments, but are also reflected in his personal and spiritual life,” Boutwell read from a proclamation in his honor, which continued to extend condolences to the family, friends, and the town “on the passing of this giant.” The entire proclamation is below.
Council President Dynette Lewis said she was “witness to his passion for the Town of Century.”
“I, personally, would like to say thank you for all of the work he put into the Town of Century,” she continued.
Council member John Bass said he would talk to Gomez as he was feeling poorly, but he would always turn the conversation to the town.
“Before we’d get off the phone, all he’d want to know is what is going on with the town,” Bass said. “But as soon as I get an opportunity to tell him about what’s going on in the town, the progress that we are making, his spirits would lift up and he would seem like he is feeling better. That dedication right there is what actually drives me to be here.”
Pictured top: Century Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. reads his letter of resignation on January 7, 2025. Pictured inset; Council President Dynette Lews remembers Lewis on Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Scattered Showers Wednesday; Likely Rain Thursday And Friday
August 26, 2026
Shower and thunderstorm chances will steadily increase in coverage each afternoon through Friday, when the rain chance reaches 90%. Storms will be capable of producing strong to locally damaging wind gusts, heavy rain, and frequent lightning.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind.
Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. High near 90. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Thursday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 10pm, then showers likely between 10pm and 1am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Cantonment Felon Pleads Guilty To Federal Gun Charges
August 26, 2026
A Cantonment felon has pleaded guilty in federal court to federal weapons charges.
Jesse Allen Hudson, 43, entered the guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
Hudson faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced in November before U.S. District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.
The charges stem from an incident in January 2026, when the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance on Winston Street in Cantonment. A victim reported that a rifle and pistol had been removed from the residence.
According to an arrest report, deputies discovered a loaded AR-style magazine and an empty magazine on the ground near the back door, next to a pile of Hudson’s clothing. A subsequent search of the property turned up a loaded AR-style rifle with a round chambered, hidden inside a white laundry basket in a black trailer parked near the garage. Deputies also recovered a third loaded magazine from a laundry basket in the living room.
Hudson was previously convicted in Florida of felony battery in 2012.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.
Bryon Donalds Picks Bryan Avila As Running Mate
August 26, 2026
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for governor, tapped state Sen. Bryan Avila of Miami as his running mate, who would become lieutenant governor if they win the general election in November.
Avila, 42, was elected to the House in 2014 and served eight years there before moving to the Senate in 2022. He was born in Hialeah and went to the University of Miami and later received masters degrees in criminal justice and public administration from Florida International University.
Donalds highlighted Avila’s background as the son of immigrants from Cuba who fled the communist government, and compared it with his Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, who will share a ticket with U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Angie Nixon a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Jolly picked former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham as his running mate, and both have rejected the “socialist” label but Donalds and Republicans are connecting them to Nixon and the broader push from socialists around the country that has seen DSA-backed candidates win Democratic primaries in Michigan and New York.
“David Jolly and Gwen Graham answer to the Democratic Socialists of America; we answer to the people of Florida,” Donalds said at an event in the Freedom Tower in Miami, a building honored by Cuban immigrants for its role in processing refugees. “In this critical fight I wanted a proven warrior to fight beside me.”
Avila is also a captain in the Florida National Guard and serves as dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Doral College, a private school that opened in 2012. As of the fall of 2024 it had 559 students.
“My parents fled communist Cuba and left behind their home and their business because they knew what happens when government takes over, when freedom despairs and when socialism turns an opportunity into misery,” Avila said.
Donalds and Avila also emphasized his record in the Legislature, including sponsoring a bill this year (SB 484) to put some restrictions on large data centers.
The new law, pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, requires technology companies building the behemoths that use more energy than typical centers and are central to the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry to pay for their share of the energy consumption rather than spreading it out among ratepayers.
During the GOP primary, Donalds was hit by his opponents for taking money from tech companies and largely favoring the construction of data centers.
Avila stressed the importance of driving down prices and especially the cost of owning a home for young Floridians, whom he addressed directly in his speech.
“I know you’re concerned about when you’ll be able to purchase your first home,” Avila said. “We hear you and we will fight for you.”
Concerns about the cost of living have heightened, though, among voters, as the Iran war drags on, gas prices remain high, inflation still elevates grocery prices and housing and insurance costs remain exorbitant in Florida.
In reaction, Jolly hinted he’ll highlight Donalds’ connection with President Donald Trump during the next 70 days before the general election Nov. 3.
“I congratulate former State Sen. Bryan Avila on his selection as the Republican Lieutenant Governor nominee. I wish him well,” Jolly posted on X. “But, let’s be honest: this race won’t come down to Byron Donalds’ relationship with Avila, it will come down to Byron’s relationship with Donald Trump.”
by Gray Rohrer, The News Service of Florida
Deputies Search For Fleeing Domestic Disturbance Suspect In Cantonment
August 26, 2026
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shots-fired domestic disturbance shortly after 8:15 p.m. Tuesday in Cantonment. ECSO deputies responded to Green Tree Circle, off Jacks Branch Road near Muscogee Road.
Deputies said the suspect fled on foot as deputies were giving commands. A search followed, involving numerous deputies, K-9 units and a drone. As of just before 10 p.m., deputies said the search was still ongoing.
Deputies were not able to confirm that a gun was involved in the incident.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Operation Statewide Shield Recovers Eight Missing Children In Escambia County, 163 Statewide
August 26, 2026
Eight missing children have been safely located and recovered in Escambia County as part of Operation Statewide Shield, a massive multi-agency effort that rescued a total of 163 children across Florida and beyond.
The five-day operation, announced by Attorney General James Uthmeier and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass, marks the first state-led statewide child recovery initiative and stands as one of the largest child-recovery operations in American history.
The multi-disciplinary task force focused on identifying, locating, and recovering missing youth under the age of 18 using real-time intelligence and coordinated field operations. The recovered children ranged in age from just 2 months old to 17 years old, with many having experienced various levels of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or exposure to criminal activity.
“Many of these kids have been victimized by those who prey on the most vulnerable,” Attorney General Uthmeier said. “Thanks to the outstanding work of FDLE, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, and our state and local partners, these children are now safe and receiving the care they deserve. Florida will continue leading the recovery of missing children, hunting down every predator, and prosecuting abusers to the fullest extent of the law.”
In addition to the eight recoveries in Escambia County, the task force located 46 children in the Tampa Bay region, 41 in Miami, 32 in Jacksonville, 21 in Orlando, 12 in Fort Myers, and three in the Tallahassee area. Coordinated leads also extended far beyond Florida’s borders, resulting in locations and recoveries across six states, one U.S. territory, and 12 countries.
“Operation Statewide Shield demonstrates the power of collaboration and the unwavering commitment shared by all participating agencies and organizations to achieve a singular mission: find our kids and bring them home,” FDLE Commissioner Glass said.
Following recovery, local law enforcement safely transported children requiring assistance to designated hubs. There, child welfare professionals, medical providers, victim advocates, and social services delivered immediate care before the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) managed custody transfers.
All case details were logged into the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) to ensure formal case closures. The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office provided legal counsel throughout the initiative and are taking on three felony cases generated during the sweep.