High School Football Regular Season Begins Tonight
August 20, 2026
The Florida high school football season has arrived, with the first games on the schedule coming up tonight at Northview and Catholic.
FLORIDA
Thursday, August 20
- Rocky Bayou Christian at Northview, 7 p.m.
- Milton at Pensacola Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 21
- Marianna at Tate, 7 p.m.
- Jay at Baker, 7 p.m.
- West Florida at Walton, 7 p.m.
- Gulf Breeze at South Walton, 7 p.m.
- Booker T. Washington at Pine Forest, 7 p.m.
- Pensacola at Fort Walton Beach, 7 p.m.
- Graceville at Central, 7 p.m.
- Fairhope at Pace, 7:30 p.m
- Navarre at Florida High, 6 p.m.
ALABAMA
- Flomaton at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
- Escambia Academy @ Evangel Christian (Alabaster, AL), 7 p.m.
- Escambia County (Atmore) at Elberta, 7 p.m.
- Orange Beach a T.R. Miller, 7 p.m.
- Bullock County at W.S. Neal, 7 p.m.
Wahoos, Smokies Washed Out Again On Wednesday
August 20, 2026
Wednesday’s scheduled contests between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Knoxville Smokies were postponed due to rain.
Tuesday’s game, suspended in the top of the second inning with the Smokies leading 9-0, will be picked up on Thursday at 3:05 p.m. CT. Thursday’s regularly scheduled game will follow approximately 30 minutes after its conclusion. In accordance with MLB’s rules and regulations, the second game will be shortened to seven innings. The unplayed game scheduled for Wednesday will be rescheduled at a later date if deemed necessary by Major League Baseball.
Fans with tickets to Thursday’s game will have admittance to both games in the seat listed on their ticket. Fans with tickets to Tuesday’s suspended game or Wednesday’s postponed game can exchange them for any remaining regular season game, subject to availability. Each ticket must be exchanged at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Ticket Office for a ticket of equal or lesser value. Exchanges must be made in person and cannot be processed via telephone, e-mail or fax.
Escambia County’s Next School Superintendent Will Be Chosen By Voters
August 19, 2026
Escambia County voters will once again elect a school superintendent.
Voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot referendum on Tuesday:
“Shall the superintendent of schools of Escambia County, Florida, be elected by the majority of the qualified electors of Escambia County, Florida?”
- Yes: 38,244 (71.28%) ✅
- No: 15,411 (28.72%)
Escambia voters will elect a school superintendent during the November 2028 general election.
In November 2018, Escambia County citizens voted by a narrow margin to move from an elected to an appointed superintendent.
The Escambia County School Board voted 3-2 on February 18, 2025, to place a referendum on the general election ballot to send the question back to voters. The referendum was introduced by District 5 member Tom Harrell, with Harrell, Kevin Adams, and Paul Fesko voting in favor. Board members Carissa Bergosh and David Williams were opposed.
“I feel very strongly about this,” Harrell, who campaigned on a return to an elected superintendent, said at a February board meeting. “The county, I think, feels very strongly. There’s never anything wrong with letting the people decide. When you have a democracy, it’s all about people making decisions.”
“Deep down in my heart, having been here in this district for 60 years, that’s what the people of this district want,” Harrell added. “It’s the right time; it’s the right thing to do.”
Pictured: The polling place at the First Baptist Church of Bratt, where 87% voted for an elected school superintendent. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Voters Reelect Three Incumbent Escambia School Board Members
August 19, 2026
Voters reelected three incumbent Escambia County School Board members in Tuesday’s primary election.
School Board District 1
- Kevin Adams 61.18% ✅
- Erin Toler 38.82%
School Board District 2
- Paul Fetsko 66.01% ✅
- Gerald Washington 33.99%
School Board District 3
- David Williams 59.21% ✅
- Isaac Williams 40.79%
Donalds, Jolly Win Governor Primaries, Will Face Off In General Election
August 19, 2026
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds fended off challenges from 10 other Republicans in Tuesday’s primary to carry his party’s nomination for governor into the general election.
He’ll face former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, a former Republican who switched parties and easily defeated five other Democrats.
Donalds called on Republicans to come together and immediately focused on Jolly.
“Now is the time for the Republican Party to unite. By working together, we can make Florida more affordable and defend the Florida Dream for our families, seniors, and young people,” Donalds posted on X. “My Democrat (sic) opponent would raise taxes, make life more expensive, and bring the Democrats’ radical left agenda to the Sunshine State – Florida cannot afford Liberal David Jolly.”
Donalds, 47, faced vocal opposition from Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former House Speaker Paul Renner and conservative activist James Fishback.
As of Tuesday evening, Donalds had 48 percent of the vote, while Collins received 25 percent, Fishback had 10 percent and Renner had 9 percent.
Jolly, 53, brushed aside his opposition, taking 62 percent of the vote. The next-largest vote-getter in the Democratic primary was Dayna Marie Foster, who received 15 percent, and state Rep. Dotie Joseph of North Miami garnered 10 percent.
Jolly also was eager to pivot to the general election.
“We’re a state gripped by an affordability crisis and exhausted by culture wars. People want change,” Jolly said in a video posted on X.
Backed by an endorsement from President Donald Trump, Donalds dominated the field and easily outraised his opponents, raking in more than $110 million. Much of the money he spent in the primary was aimed at Jolly, with ads bashing him for supporting transgender issues, such as allowing transgender women in women’s bathrooms and to play in female sports.
But Donalds bore the brunt of attacks from Collins and Renner, who accused him of being weak on crime, favoring data center construction and slammed him for refusing to debate them.
At one point Collins sued to kick Fishback off the ballot, alleging his voting record in Washington D.C. in 2020 and the purchase of a primary residence there in 2021 showed he didn’t live for seven consecutive years in Florida as required by the state constitution. A Leon County judge, though, rejected the suit saying there wasn’t enough evidence.
Collins campaigned heavily on his military background as a Green Beret who had his leg amputated due to injuries sustained in Iraq, as well as his appointment by DeSantis at lieutenant governor in August 2025. He even tapped DeSantis’ Director of Emergency Management, Kevin Guthrie, to be his running mate on Monday evening.
But DeSantis never formally endorsed Collins or anyone else in the campaign, although he specifically criticized Donalds.
After initially saying Renner’s decision to enter the race in 2025 was misguided, DeSantis this month said he would make a “good governor.”
Renner touted his term as Speaker in 2022-2024 in which much of DeSantis’ conservative agenda was passed, including universal school vouchers, bans on transgender surgery for minors, eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and a bill allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a license.
The efforts of Donalds’ opponents, however, ran into a wall of campaign ads and implicit trust in Trump among the GOP electorate.
In the Democratic primary, Jolly waltzed to victory over Foster and Joseph, who got in the race at the end of qualifying, after Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings dropped out due to a cancer diagnosis.
Joseph wanted to give Democrats an alternative to Jolly, a former Republican who moved away from the GOP as Trump rose to prominence. But she had minimal fundraising and low name recognition throughout the state.
by Gray Rohrer, The News Service of Florida
Pictured: Byron Donalds (left) and David Jolly.
Patronis Wins Primary, Will Face Valimont In November
August 19, 2026
U.S. House District 1 incumbent Jimmy Patronis won the GOP primary on Tuesday to head to the general election.
Patronis received 71.14% of the vote, easily defeating challengers John Frankman (19.51%) and Douglas Chico (9.35%).
Patronis will face Democrat Gay Valimont in November.
Meet The Ernest Ward Middle School ‘A Team’
August 19, 2026
The Ernest Ward Middle School “A Team” gathered for a group photo on Tuesday morning to celebrate the school’s ‘A’ grade.
The teachers and staff wore matching “A School” t-shirts, sponsored by David’s Catfish in Atmore.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Sweep Escambia Tuesday
August 19, 2026
The Tate High School Aggies made quick work of their road trip Tuesday evening, cruising to a decisive 3-0 straight-set victory over the Escambia High School Gators.
Tate set the tone early in the opening set, controlling the net and capitalizing on service runs to build an insurmountable lead, closing out the frame 25-6.
The momentum carried seamlessly into the second set, where the Aggies delivered their most dominant stretch of the night. Strong defense and relentless attacking kept the Gators out of system, resulting in a swift 25-4 set win.
Escambia showed some fight in the third set, putting together a few rallies to reach nine points, but Tate’s offense remained too efficient to slow down. The Aggies sealed the sweep with a 25-9 victory to finish the match.
Next up, the Aggies will travel to Navarre on Thursday.
District 2 Escambia Commissioner Kohler Wins Republican Primary
August 19, 2026
Incumber Escambia County Commissioner Mike Kohler won the Republican primary on Tuesday.
Escambia Commissioner District 2
- Mike Kohler 62.26% ✅
- Glenn Dorsey 37.74%
In November, Kohler will face Democratic challenger Mathious Robinson.
Wahoos, Smokies Suspended by Rain
August 19, 2026
Tuesday’s series opener between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Knoxville Smokies was suspended due to rain with the Smokies leading 9-0 in the top of the second inning.
The Smokies scored nine runs in the top of the first inning, and the game was halted with a runner at first and no outs in the top of the second.
After waiting approximately an hour, the game was suspended. It will be picked up Wednesday at 4:05 p.m, and the regularly scheduled game will follow approximately 30 minutes after its conclusion. In accordance with MLB’s rules and regulations, the second game will be shortened to seven innings.
Fans with tickets to Wednesday’s game will have admittance to both games in the seat listed on their ticket. Fans with tickets to Tuesday’s suspended game can exchange them for any remaining regular season game, subject to availability. Each ticket must be exchanged at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Ticket Office for a ticket of equal or lesser value. Exchanges must be made in person and cannot be processed via telephone, e-mail or fax.