Elementary Schools Hold Orientation Across Escambia County (With Photo Gallery)
August 8, 2026
Friday was orientation for most elementary schools in Escambia County.
For a look at orientation day at Bratt and Lipscomb elementary schools, click here.
The first day of school for students in Escambia County is Wednesday, August 12.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Residents Encouraged To Participate In Fair Housing Survey
August 8, 2026
Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, the City of Pensacola, and the Emerald Coast Regional Council are seeking valuable input from the public about access to housing by conducting a Fair Housing Survey, which will help identify barriers and improve housing programs throughout the community.
The survey is available online now through Friday, Oct. 16, and all members of the public are encouraged to provide their feedback.
The survey asks about your opinions and experiences renting or purchasing a home, and it should take less than five minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary, and responses will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law. The survey results will help guide fair housing planning and initiatives in Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, and the City of Pensacola.
Paper copies of the survey will be available at the following locations during normal business hours:
- Escambia County and the City of Pensacola
- City of Pensacola Housing Office, 420 W. Chase St., Pensacola
- E.S. Cobb Resource Center: 601 E. Mallory St., Pensacola
- Woodland Heights Resource Center: 111 Berkley Drive, Pensacola
- Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola
- Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- Brownsville Library, 3300 W. De Soto St., Pensacola
- Century Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd., Century
- Molino Library, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
- Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
- Tryon Library, 1200 Langley Ave., Pensacola
- Westside Library, 1301 W. Gregory St., Pensacola
- Santa Rosa County
- Milton Library: 5541 Alabama St., Milton
- Pace Library: 4750 Pace Patriot Blvd., Pace
- Navarre Library: 8484 James M. Harvell Road, Navarre
- Gulf Breeze Library: 1060 Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze
- Jay Library, 5259 Booker Lane, Jay
- Santa Rosa County Housing Department, 6051 Old Bagdad Highway, Suite 201, Milton
File image.
I-10 Eastbound Lanes To Shift North At Highway 29 Next Week
August 8, 2026
Next week, travel lanes on I-10 eastbound will be shifted north near the Highway 29 interchange (Exit 10). This temporary traffic configuration is anticipated to remain in place through late 2026.
Additionally, intermittent inside lane closures may occur on I-10 eastbound, between mile markers 8 and 11, Monday, August. 10 through Thursday, August. 13, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for construction activities.
This work is part of a $236 million construction project designed to improve safety and capacity for the 62,000 drivers who travel the I-10 at U.S. 29 interchange daily. The project is scheduled for completion in 2030.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Warm Weekend, Rain More Likely On Sunday
August 8, 2026
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Calm wind.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely between 1pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 105. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: A chance of thunderstorms before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 74. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Monday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Pictured: Looking WNW from Highway 29 in Molino toward the remnants of an afternoon thundercloud near Barrineau Park on Friday. NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge..
Beshears’ Walk-Off Homer Caps Wild Blue Wahoos Win
August 8, 2026
A three-run walk-off bomb by Jay Beshears put the exclamation point on a 13-11 victory in 10 innings for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos over the Montgomery Biscuits on Friday night.
Down 11-10 in the bottom of the 10th inning, it was Beshears who put the nail in the coffin with his second home run of the game and 10th of the year. It was his first multi-homer game of his professional career and Pensacola’s first walk-off home run since the 2023 season, and Beshears is now the third Blue Wahoo to crank two home runs in a single game in this week’s series against the Biscuits.
The Blue Wahoos (58-48, 22-15) proved that not even an eight-run sixth inning for the Biscuits (54-52, 19-18) was too tall a task to overcome. Down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth, Cristian Hernández snapped a daunting hitless streak and breathed new life into the offense with a 411-foot home run to dead center field, tying the game at 10-10.
Brandon Compton, known for his tendency to hit balls out of the park, didn’t need to power one over the fence to score some runs this time. In the third inning, he’d bury a two-RBI triple into the corner of right field and hustled home on an overthrow to third to complete the three-run play.
The win evens the series at 2-2, though Montgomery still holds a 10-9 edge in games this season. The Biscuits stole 10 bases in the loss, tying a Southern League record set on July 21, 1972 between the Savannah Braves and Jacksonville Suns and managed once more in 1992 between the Orlando SunRays and Carolina Mudcats.
A gritty matchup from the start, the Biscuits earned an early pair of runs on some well-struck balls in the second. An RBI triple from Ryan Spikes was lost in the sun, followed immediately by a hard-hit RBI double into the left field corner from Kamren James.
Pensacola found their footing just as easily in the bottom of the frame. A Connor Caskenette double to the warning track did just the job, scoring Compton and O’Donnell to knot it at 2-2. Compton would circle the bases on his little league homer to extend the edge to 5-2 in the third, and Beshears powered his ninth home run in the fourth to bring it to 6-2.
Six unanswered runs would prove no feat for Montgomery to overcome as the visiting side went on to score eight runs in the top of the sixth. Seven hits – including a three-run homer by Xavier Isaac – coupled with two walks proved devastating for Pensacola relievers Christian Macleod and Colby Martin, as a four-run lead quickly turned into a four-run deficit, 10-6.
The Blue Wahoos got one back in the bottom of the inning as Caskenette singled and worked his way around the basepaths, scoring on a wild pitch by Montgomery’s Andrew Lindsey. The comeback kept rolling as Pensacola added two more with an Adrian Santana single in the eighth.
Hernández proved the hero, homering in the ninth to tie the game at 10-10 before Beshears took Montgomery’s Tommy McCollum (L, 3-9) deep over the left field wall in the 10th inning.
Gabe Bierman (W, 4-2) earned the win, retiring the potent bats of the Biscuits in order in the ninth and holding them to a single run in the 10th inning before the Blue Wahoos offense finished the job.
Pensacola scored their 13 runs on 12 hits, drawing five walks. Caskenette led the offense with a 4-for-5 outing at the plate, his first four-hit game of his professional career. Brendan Jones and Beshears each went 2-for-5.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Montgomery Biscuits on Saturday.
written by Maddy Branning
Robert ‘Bobby’ Alton Cawthon, Jr.
August 8, 2026
Robert “Bobby” Alton Cawthon, Jr., 68, passed away on August 2, 2026. He was born on February 8, 1958 to Robert Alton Cawthon Sr. and Cecilia Martin Morris.
Bobby worked in the oil industry as an Instrumental & Electrical Technician. He enjoyed fishing, camping and his work at Black Jack Creek Company in Jay, FL.
He is survived by a daughter, Miranda Cawthon (James Malicoat) of Milton, FL; a sister, Marie (Dale) Levins of Byrneville, FL; and two grandchildren, Valerie and Gabriel. Bobby is also survived by friends, family, many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.
No services are scheduled at this time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rescinded: Boil Water Notice Continues For Neighborhood West Of Chemstrand Road
August 7, 2026
Update: This could water notice was lifted on Sunday morning, August 9.
A boil water notice is in effect for residents in the area that includes portions of the area around Orby and Ronda streets west of Chemstrand Road.
Specifically, the boil water notice includes:
- 401-501 Ronda St.
- 11500-11509 Lou St.
- 303-387 Nowlin St.
- 300, 400, 414 and 415 Orby St.
- 11100-11133 Daniel St.
The boil water notice follows an water outage due to broken 6-inch water main on Friday.
Residents located in the specified PBWN area are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use 8 drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water (let sit for 30 minutes), for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes. Bacteriological sampling has been initiated, and the advisory will be lifted as soon as possible. This process routinely takes 48 hours.
ECUA crews completed the repair work and have flushed out the lines. Residents within the PBWN area and nearby are advised that there is a possibility of discolored water as a result of the utility work, and to flush their home’s plumbing by running their taps for a few minutes. If problems persist, customers are asked to contact ECUA Customer Service at 850-476-0480 for assistance.
This story will be updated when the boil water notice is lifted.
Escambia Commission Approves Ordinance Banning Data Centers, Starting Process For Moratorium
August 7, 2026
The Escambia County Commission is making it abundantly clear — data centers are not welcome or allowed in the county.
On Thursday night, the commission approved an ordinance banning large-scale data centers in the unincorporated areas of Escambia County outside the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century. And, the commissioners started the legal process to also implement a moratorium.
The actions came on the heels of a resolution approved in late July that officially memorializes the county’s position that data center facilities are not permitted under the County’s Land Development Code and are not an appropriate form of development within the unincorporated area of Escambia County.
William Nelson, county attorney designate, said the ordinance was acceptable, but not required, to clearly ban data centers.
“In my opinion, the cleanest thing to do is to continue to use the Land Development Code because it prohibits these activities because they are not specifically included in the code,” he said.
‘It’s just not permitted, and I think the problem is if we start trying to define this ourselves, then we are going to have problems,” Commissioner Steve Stroberger said.
“I think that is correct,” Nelson responded. “When we get into some of these definitions, the very technical aspects of this are unclear.”
Commissioner Mike Kohler called for approval of the ordinance and a moratorium on data centers, with other commissioners concurring.
“If that is what is going to take to ensure an additional blanket level for our community, I don’t have an issue with that,” District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said.
“It’s banned, clearly, because the Land Development Code does not allow for it,” Commissioner Lumon May, who cast the lone vote against the resolution, said. “It’s banned. So when we say we are going to do a moratorium, well you’ve lessened the ban. Just be consistent with what we have already been doing.”
Nelson said a moratorium would require two noticed public hearings before a vote, and was not an available option for Thursday night’s action.
At a future meeting, the commission will vote on advertising the two public hearings in order to vote on a data center moratorium.
Server rooms or small data centers would be allowed “where they are an accessory use like at a Navy federal, or UWF, or a hospital. Those are already going to be allowed because they are accessory uses. The county has a server room.”
Free Movie Night Tonight At Carver Park In Cantonment
August 7, 2026
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will host a movie night tonight, Friday, August 7, at Carver Park, 208 Webb Street.
The evening begins at 7:30 p.m., and the movie “Zootopia 2″ starts at 8 p.m. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
Children must be accompanied by an adult, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets or chairs.
Image courtesy Walt Disney Studios.
Back To School Events On Saturday
August 7, 2026
Back to school events will be taking place in North Escambia on Saturday.
Quintette Community Center
The Quintette Community Center will host a Back-to-School Giveaway on Saturday, August 8 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Backpack and supplies giveaway while supplies last. The child must be present. Fun activities, food, and drinks, and games at the Quintette Community Center, 2490 Quintette Lane in Cantonment.
First Baptist Church of Cottage Hill
The First Baptist Church of Cottage Hill will host a Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 8 from 10 a.m. until noon. Waterslides, backpack giveaways, refreshments, and more. The church is located at 230 Williams Ditch Road in Cottage Hill.
Beulah Chapel Back-to-School Community Fun Day – Byrneville
Beulah Chapel Assembly of God will host a Back-to-School Community Fun Day on Saturday, August 8 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at 2311 Highway 4A in Century. The day of fun, food, and community features a waterslide, kickball, a cookout, and back-to-school grab bags for kids.