FPL Customers To Share $80 Million Refund Of Hurricane Storm Charges
July 8, 2026
Florida Power & Light customers will receive about $80 million in refunds stemming from charges imposed for storm restoration work from the 2024 hurricane season, state regulators determined Tuesday.
The Public Service Commission approved the refund, which will result in a one-month reduction in base rates to reflect any “revenue over-recovery” charges from FPL, which serves more than 12 million Floridians across 43 counties.
“Maintaining a reliable and resilient electric grid requires continued investment, and the commission’s review helps ensure customers pay only the reasonable and necessary costs of restoring service while supporting a reliable electric system for all Floridians,” PSC Chairwoman Gabriella Passidomo Smith said in a released statement.
The state utility regulators approved the initial $1.2 billion repair charge in December 2024, which added about $12 to the average monthly bill during 2025.
The recovery package aimed to cover power restoration costs for Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. The money also helped replenish a $150 million storm reserve fund.
Much of the projected costs — about $811.1 million — stemmed from restoring power after Hurricane Milton, which made landfall Oct. 9, 2024 as a Category 3 storm in Sarasota County before crossing the state.
FPL put its costs for Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm that hit the Big Bend region in early August 2024, at $113.5 million. Hurricane Helene, a Category 3 storm that ran up the west coast before making landfall Sept. 26, 2024 in Taylor County, cost $157.8 million.
The approved package was deemed “interim,” as the commission noted in a release at the time that the charges were subject to a refund, with interest, pending further review once the total actual recovery costs were known.
In an agreement reached between FPL and the state Office of Public Counsel, the restoration work for Milton was later calculated at $774.4 million. The work for Helene came in at $167.6 million and the cost for Debby was $88.3 million.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
File photo.
New ‘I Voted’ Stickers, New Ballot Tracking, Polling Changes, For 2026
July 8, 2026
With a critical primary election next month, Escambia County is rolling out voter-experience and tech upgrades designed to boost turnout and secure the vote. Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender unveiled a suite of new initiatives on Tuesday, putting a spotlight on a major overhaul to vote-by-mail transparency and a highly anticipated, patriotic redesign of the iconic “I Voted” sticker.
The sweeping changes come at a vital time. Bender emphasized that during the last primary, a staggering 75% of registered voters stayed home. He is pushing hard to reverse that trend for the August 18, 2026 primary, noting that critical, final decisions will be made that day—including a countywide referendum on whether the school superintendent should be elected or appointed, key school board races, and the City of Pensacola mayor’s race, which could be decided outright.
Knowing Where Your Ballot Is: Next-Level Vote-by-Mail Tracking
In a major victory for voter peace of mind, Escambia County has spent the last 15 months completely revamping its vote-by-mail system. The county has officially become only the fourth in Florida to implement intelligent mail barcode tracking for both outbound and inbound ballots.
Unlike previous cycles where the office could only verify if a ballot was mailed, this new system allows staff and voters to track the exact location of the envelope through the USPS network. To maximize the impact of this tech, every vote-by-mail voter will now be automatically enrolled in Ballot Track, a text and email notification service that gives real-time delivery updates.
Visually, the ballots are getting a makeover, too. A bright yellow coating has been added to the back of the vote-by-mail envelope to contrast with its green front. This ensures the ballot stands out in a pile of mail and draws immediate attention to the critical voter signature area.
The office already has more than 22,000 vote-by-mail requests on file—roughly half of the total requests from the historic 2024 general election. Voters are reminded that requests must be renewed every cycle, though anyone who submitted a request for the 2025 special elections is already covered through November 2026. Bender strictly clarified that the barcode only tracks the paper envelope to secure its journey, not the vote itself.
The America 250 “I Voted” Sticker
To celebrate the upcoming national milestone, the elections office is tying its 2026 branding to the America 250 celebration.
A newly redesigned “I Voted” sticker for 2026 features a historic tall ship representing 1776 alongside a sleek, modern sailboat representing 2026, set against a backdrop of celebratory fireworks. In an exciting shift from past protocols, these limited-edition stickers won’t just be handed out at physical polling places; they will also be packed directly into every single vote-by-mail packet so that every voter can wear their pride. The office plans to use this exclusive design through the November election before returning to its standard sticker in 2028.
Honoring Veteran Poll Workers
Bender noted the county expects to deploy more than 600 election workers to keep things running smoothly. In partnership with the Vet the Vote initiative, the office surveyed its workforce and discovered that roughly 45% of its poll workers identify as veterans or come from military families.
To honor this dedication, these specific workers will be given a special commemorative pin featuring the Vet the Vote 250th anniversary logo and the office’s 2026 motto: “Honoring service through service.”
Polling Place Location Changes
While the infrastructure is gearing up for high efficiency, voters should also prepare for minor polling place shifts. The elections office confirmed that 10 polling locations are changing across the county this cycle due to a mix of construction, permanent realignments, and temporary relocations.
Permanent Changes
Voters in the following precincts will be mailed a notice of Permanent Polling Location Change and a new Voter Information Card for the following locations:
- Precinct 5 (Former Location – Wilde Lake Church): New Location – Klondike Church of Pensacola, 7201 Klondike Road, Pensacola
- Precinct 49 (Former Location – Grace Lutheran/CareerSource Escarosa): New Location – Asbury Place, 5725 North 9th Avenue, Pensacola
- Precinct 77 (Former Location – Pensacola State College, Warrington): New Location – Lexington Terrace Community Center, 700 South Old Corry Field Road, Pensacola
- Precinct 98 (Former Location – St. John Divine Baptist Church): New Location – Bethel AME Church, 511 Woodland Drive, Pensacola
- Precinct 101 (Former Location – Plainview Baptist Church): New Location – Hadji Temple, 800 Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
- Precinct 106 (Former Location – Grace Lutheran/CareerSource Escarosa): New Location – Holy Cross Episcopal Church, 7979 North 9th Avenue, Pensacola
Temporary Changes for 2026
Voters will be mailed a notice of Temporary Polling Location Change at least 14 days before each election for the following locations:
- Precinct 14 (Permanent Location – Fricker Resource Center): Temporary Location – Main Library, 239 North Spring Street, Pensacola
- Precinct 70 (Permanent Location – Burgess Road Baptist Church): Temporary Location – Pensacola Christian College, 115 St. John, Pensacola
Changes from 2025 Special Election
A reminder that the following precincts were permanently changed during the 2025 Special Election:
- Precinct 22 (Former Location – Century Town Hall): New Location – Billy G. Ward Century Courthouse, 7500 N Century Blvd., Century
- Precinct 24 (Former Location – Warrington Church): New Location – St. John’s Episcopal Church, 401 Live Oak Ave., Pensacola
Returning to Precinct
After being at the Main Library for the 2024 and 2025 Elections, Precinct 31 is returning to its permanent location at Christ Church.
- Precinct 31: Christ Church Pensacola, 18 W. Wright St., Pensacola
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hot, Humid, Scattered Afternoon Storms
July 8, 2026
Isolated to scattered showers and storms continue each afternoon. Locally heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and frequent lightning can be expected with storms. Heat indices will range from 100 to 107 each afternoon.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 89. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Former Inmate Arrested After Allegedly Flying Contraband Drone Toward Holman Prison
July 8, 2026
A former inmate is back behind bars after allegedly attempting to fly a contraband-laden drone into Holman Correctional Facility last weekend.
On Saturday, June 27, 2026, at approximately 6:00 p.m., the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) Southern K-9 unit received a tip regarding an individual operating a drone from Interstate 65 toward the prison.
ADOC K-9 units, with assistance from the Atmore Police Department, responded to the area and apprehended the suspect, identified as former inmate Edward Knight. Knight, 42, was taken into custody without incident.
According to officials, the drone was carrying an attached package. Authorities were able to land the drone safely and confiscate the unauthorized cargo. Following an interview with ADOC agents, Knight was arrested and charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and two counts of illegal drone operation.
The investigation quickly expanded beyond South Alabama. Agents discovered that Knight allegedly housed additional contraband at his residence on Springville Road in Birmingham. ADOC’s Law Enforcement Services Division, Narcotics unit, and K-9 officers subsequently executed a search warrant at the Birmingham apartment, gathering further evidence tied to the drone operation.
ADOC officials stated that the investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be pending against Knight.
Quick Action Limits Damage After Lightning Strikes Century Mobile Home — ADD PICS
July 8, 2026
Lightning sparked a small fire at a Century mobile home on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire was reported shortly after 2 p.m. in the 100 block of East Cottage Street, just off Ivey Street. Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighters arrived to find light smoke showing from the singlewide mobile home. Quick work prevented the fire from spreading.
Firefighters determined that lightning had struck a pipe chase on the structure, igniting the insulation and debris under the mobile home. ECFR said the home is still habitable.
The Century and Molino stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Flomaton Fire Department, and Escambia County EMS responded.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Trimble’s Walk-Off Elevates Wahoos To Victory
July 8, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos topped the Montgomery Biscuits by a final score of 6-5 in a 10-inning contest on Tuesday night
Some shaky defense behind Wahoos starter Jacob Miller allowed the Biscuits to jump out to an early lead, when a two-out error committed by Dylan Jasso in the second inning came around to score on an Austin Overn single to shortstop. An inning later, Jadher Arienamo cranked a homer to left, his second off of Miller this season, and Xavier Isaac ripped an RBI single to give Montgomery a 3-0 lead.
Through the first 4.0 innings, Montgomery’s starter Garrett Edwards kept Pensacola off the board. He had allowed just five baserunners on four singles and a walk. But that changed in the 5th, when Payton Green smashed his 6th home run of the year to get the Blue Wahoos in the run column. Two more basehits to follow would see the end of Edwards day before Chris Clark came in and stranded the Wahoo runners.
The Biscuits would keep applying pressure in the 6th when a throwing error from Ryan Ignoffo allowed Émilien Pitre to score from 3rd and make it a 4-1 game. But a solo bomb from Brandon Compton, his fourth homer in seven games, cut the lead in half. A scoreless 7th from Nigel Belgrave brought the Wahoos to the plate with a 4-2 deficit. With one out, Dylan Jasso sent his second single of the night into center field to make Cam Cannarella the tying-run. Well, Cannarella took that role to heart and sent his 9th home run of the year out to right field to tie things up at four.
Two batters later, Juan Matheus replicated Cannarella’s success with a solo shot to right-center field to give the Wahoos their first lead of the game at 5-4. Blegrave pitched a 1-2-3 8th inning to give Jack Sellinger (BS, 4) a chance to close it out and earn the save in the 9th. But Sellinger faltered. After a leadoff walk and an infield single, Sellinger induced two popouts to bring Pensacola one out away from victory. What followed was Sellinger’s 2nd and 3rd walks of the inning to walk in a run and tie the game at 5-5. Manager Nelson Prada went to Colby Martin (W, 3-4) to work out of the bases loaded jam with a huge strikeout.
Martin got through the 10th inning, thanks in part to Juan Matheus gunning down Rays top prospect Theo Gillen at home to keep the score tied. Then, in the bottom of the 10th with one down and Cristian Hernández on second, Fenwick Trimble ripped a game-winning walk-off single into left-center to give the Wahoos a 6-5 victory and their second walk-off of the year.
Hayden Snelsire (L, 3-3), who surrendered the game-winning run in the 10th, took his third loss of the year. The Wahoos moved up to 43-49 and 7-6 in the second half while the Biscuits fell to 39-44 and 4-9 in the second half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biscuits on Wednesday.
witten by Charlie Hobert
Terry Wayne Day
July 8, 2026
Terry Wayne Day, 71, of Atmore, AL, passed away on July 4, 2026. He was born on March 5, 1955, in Birmingham, AL, to William G. and Nell Hall Day.
He was a sales manager with South Alabama Vending. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, cutting grass, watching football and spending time with his family, whom he loved very much.
Terry is preceded in death by his parents; grandparents, William Owen Day and Bertie Marie Day; and his brother-in-law, Larry Johnson.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Vickie Downey Day; his daughters, Amy Day and Megan Day both of McCullough, AL; his brother, William “Buddy” (Joyce) Day, of Greensboro, AL; his sister, Terrece Johnson of Nokomis, FL, three grandchildren, Tristen (Tarrance) Boothe, Tyler (Caitlyn) Jackson, Tanner (Aliyah) Jackson; special niece, Ashley Venegas; and his beloved dog “Red”. He is also survived by nine great-grandchildren, and many other nieces, nephews, friends and family.
Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Don Davis officiating. Interment will follow at McCullough Cemetery, in McCullough, AL.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Tyler Jackson, Tanner Jackson, James Wall, Brandon Johnson, Dylan Baggett, Riley Baggett and Nathan Dortch.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ronnie Johnson, “PeeWee” Bowen, Richard Stuckey, Chet Helton, Ricky Fore, Ted Malone, Shawn Linam, and employees of South Alabama Vending.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Jimmie Lee Denham
July 8, 2026
Jimmie Lee Denham, 90, was welcomed into the arms of God on June 28, 2026. He was born in Molino, Florida on June 9, 1936, the 8th of 9 children to Charles and Nora Denham.
Born and raised in Molino, Jimmie attended Molino School and was a 1954 graduate of Tate High School. Shortly thereafter Jimmie realized he wanted more from life than to be a farmer. That being said, in July of 1954 he joined the United States Air Force. Jimmie proudly served his country, rising to the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. Over the course of his 21 year career he was stationed and had many tours of duty including Texas, California, Alaska, Thailand, Florida, and Maine. While stationed in Maine in 1961, Jimmie met and married Lillian Dawn Nichols and together they had, in 1964, a daughter Delena and in 1966, a son, Jim. After their marriage he went on tours of duty in England, Germany, Illinois, and Korea before retiring in August 1975.
After retiring from the Air Force, Jimmie took a job with Escambia County Facilities Management as a cabinet maker. With his attention to detail and pride in his work he rose through the ranks and retired after 23 years as the Chief of Facility Management. During this period of his life, he met and, in 1982, married Barbara and they were married 32 years until her passing in 2014.
Jimmie was an avid fisherman and could often be found fishing with his cousin Willie Ward in a creek, or slough, or anywhere they could launch the boat. His love for the water was often recounted in his fishing stories. He could tell you every bend and good fishing hole on most of the rivers in Northwest Florida and South Alabama. Probably one his favorite and most memorable trips was when Jim took him on a fishing trip to Alaska.
Jimmie also was a gifted player of the guitar. Many Sundays, church revivals, family gatherings, or pretty much anytime anyone wanted to play and sing, you could find Jimmie with guitar in hand singing the old country songs or old hymns that meant so much to him. He had a gift for storytelling, many times making himself laugh telling of times of old, growing up, and the mischief he and his siblings would get into. What memories he could sit and recount as those around him eagerly listened to every word.
Preceding Jimmie in death were his parents, all of his siblings, (Bill, Gail, Marguerite, Marie, Baby, Betty, June), except his baby sister Mary Ann Patrick, his former wife Barbara, and son-in-law Van Deese. His survivors include his wife, Dawn Denham, children, Delena Deese, Jim Denham and his wife Darla, stepdaughter, Betty Millican, his grandchildren, Emily Sison (Beau), Andrew Dobrenchuk, Shane Vose-Mora, Jonathan Creek, great grandchild, Eva Grace, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
If there were one thing that Jimmie would want you to remember about him, it would be that Jesus saved him and cleansed him from his sin, His blood washed him white as snow, His grace covered him and he was a child of God. He longed to be with his Savior, and we know that he is resting safely in the arms of his Lord, safe from any pain or sickness and fully whole forevermore.
Pallbearers are Jim Denham, Archie Weaver, Michael Patrick, Shane Vose-Mora, Josh Pope, and Garry Hendrix.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 8th from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment. We will celebrate Jimmie’s life on Thursday, July 9th at Noon at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Bro. Josh Pope officiating. Jimmie will be laid to rest at Barrancas National Cemetery following the funeral.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Carlis William Goodale
July 8, 2026
Carlis William Goodale passed away at the age of 81 on June 28th, 2026 in his home surrounded by his son Daniel; 2 grandkids Ashlee and Haleigh; Ashlee’s fiancé Chris; and his 4 great-grandkids.
Carlis was born on June 20th, 1945 in Enon Florida to George and Margie Goodale.
His first job was working at the Piggly Wiggly, where he met his beloved wife of 52 years, Nellie Marie. He then began his career with the Escambia County Road Department, where he later retired from after 30 years of dedicated service.
Carlis was actively involved in any sports his sons and grandkids were a part of. From coaching his sons ball games, to never missing any of his grandchildren’s ball games and go-cart races, and being both of his sons biggest support in the years of them racing cars at the dirt tracks.
Carlis’s favorite thing to do was be outdoors spending time with his family. Any chance he got, him and his honey Nellie were at their hunting camp in Andalusia Alabama, or their river camp on the Tensaw River in Stockton Alabama. Carlis was an avid hunter and fisherman, but his favorite part of hunting was hog hunting with their dogs back in the day with his son Daniel, his buddy Lewis, and Lewis’s dad “Mr. Skeet”.
He helped teach his sons, and his grandkids how to hunt, fish, and drive his four-wheeler and golf cart. He even helped teach his great-grandkids any chance he got, too.
Carlis is preceded in death by his wife, Nellie Goodale; father, George Goodale; mother, Margie Goodale-Boutwell; son, Darryl Goodale; brothers, Raymond Goodale and Howard Goodale; nieces, Beth Goodale and Sonia Allen; brother-in-laws, James “Brownie” Bell, Leon “Doug” Bell, and Clint Bell; sister-in-law, Ritter Kilcrease.
Carlis is survived by his son Daniel Goodale (Cherie); brother, Edward Goodale; sisters, Carol Askren (Willard) and Janice Allen (Robert); grandkids, Ashlee Goodale (Chris), Haleigh Goodale, Daulton Goodale, and Kylie Goodale; great-grandkids, Kyleigh, Tre’von Jr, Coda, and Emersyn; brother-in-law, Jewel Bell; his beloved dog, Lucy; and many other family.
Carlis was loved by all his family and friends, and will be missed dearly.
Alyce Pearl Silcox Emmons
July 8, 2026
Alyce Pearl Silcox Emmons, of Pensacola, FL, died Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, at her home. She was born on July 30, 1937, in Alabama to the late Henry D. and Annie Givens Silcox. She attended Beulah Elementary and J.M. Tate High School and met her future husband, Edward O. Emmons, while working at the Sky Chief Theater in Brownsville. They married on April 13, 1954, and were married for 57 years until Ed’s death in 2011.
Alyce worked at the commissary on base in San Antonio while Ed was stationed there in the Army and when they returned home, she worked for the Pensacola News Journal, Mitchell Motors, and Gulf Power before helping Ed to start Ed Emmons Steel Erectors, Inc. in 1977.
Alyce was a charter member of Shimron Temple #133, was a former member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), where she enjoyed spending time with friends. She thoroughly enjoyed trips to Las Vegas and Biloxi where she was extremely lucky!
She is survived by daughter Elissa E. Hall, son David Emmons (Leigh), daughter Suzanne Hollingsworth (Russell), and her grandchildren Stephanie Walker (Taylor), Jacob Hall, Jonathan and Lindsay Emmons, Morgan Wingo, and Caitlyn and Hannah Hollingsworth. She is also survived by one sister, Margaret McLarin, brother-in-law Larry Emmons, Sr., and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 8th, 2026, from 11:30 am until 1:30 pm with the funeral service to immediately follow at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, Cantonment, FL. Burial with be at First Baptist Church of Beulah cemetery. Pallbearers are Randy Blake, Alan Sparr, Bruce Stewart, Manfred Laner, Joe Laner, and Joey Sharaway.
The family wishes to thank Peoples Hospice and Palliative care for their excellent and compassionate care of Alyce during the past month. Memorials may be made to Hadji Shrine Transportation Fund or Peoples Hospice.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 South, Cantonment, FL is in charge of arrangements.