Local Fourth Of July Government Holiday Closures, Openings
July 3, 2026
Here are area planned closures (and openings) for area government offices and services for the Fourth of July holiday:
Escambia County
In observance of the 4th of July, the following Escambia County offices will be closed Friday, July 3:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners (all departments)
- Escambia County Area Transit Administration
- Escambia County Extension Office
- Escambia County Waste Services Administration
- West Florida Public Libraries (all locations)
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Tax Collector
All Escambia County offices will reopen with regular hours Monday, July 6 unless otherwise noted below:
Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare 4th of July Schedule:
- The Department of Animal Welfare and Animal Shelter will be open Friday, July 3 with regular hours.
- The Department of Animal Welfare and Animal Shelter will be closed Saturday, July 4. The shelter will reopen Sunday, July 5 with regular hours.
Perdido Landfill 4th of July Schedule:
- The Perdido Landfill will be open Friday, July 3 with regular hours.
- The landfill will be closed Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5. The landfill will reopen Monday, July 6 with regular hours.
- The transfer station will be open Friday, July 3 with regular hours.
- The transfer station will be closed Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5. The transfer station will reopen with regular hours Monday, July 6.
West Florida Public Libraries 4th of July Schedule:
- All WFPL locations will be closed on July 3 and 4. All libraries will reopen Monday, July 6 with regular hours.
ECAT 4th of July Schedule:
- Friday, July 3:
- ECAT Administrative Offices will be closed.
- ECAT Customer Service will be open.
- ECAT will run regular bus, UWF trolley, and FlexTransit service. All FlexTransit reservations for Monday, July 6 must be scheduled by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 3.
- Pensacola Beach Island Trolleys and the Seasonal Beach Jumper will run regular service.
- Saturday, July 4:
- ECAT Administrative Offices and Customer Service will be closed.
- ECAT will not run regular bus, UWF trolley, or FlexTransit service.
- Pensacola Beach Island Trolleys and the Seasonal Beach Jumper will run regular service.
Normal ECAT operations will resume Monday, July 6
Town of Century
All Town of Century offices will be closed on July 3 and 4. Town offices will reopen on Monday, July 6.
ECUA
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority will close all business offices Friday, July 3, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Residential and commercial sanitation collections will remain unchanged. ECUA offices will reopen Monday, July 6, at 8 a.m.
Escambia County Veterans Services Holds Outreach Event In Molino (Gallery)
July 3, 2026
The Escambia County Veterans Services Office held an outreach event in Molino on Thursday.
Veterans Services Office staff members were able to help veterans with reviewing VA benefits, filing a VA claim, and re-evaluating VA disability.
Other organizations offering assistance to veterans also took part in the outreach event at the Molino Community Center.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge
Tournament Fundraiser: NWE 13U Bagging Groceries Today At Piggly Wiggly
July 3, 2026
The NWE 13U Chiefs are bagging groceries today, July 3, for donations at the Piggly Wiggly on Highway 97 in Davisville.
The fundraiser will support team travel to Monroe, Louisiana, to represent NWE in the Southwest Regional Cal Ripken Tournament.
Pictured: The NWE 13U Chiefs also bagged groceries as a fundraiser on Wednesday, July 1. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Big Inning Downs Wahoos In 16-6 Loss To Rocket City
July 3, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell to the Rocket City Trash Pandas in a marathon game by a final score of 16-6 on Thursday night.
The Wahoos started off hot. Cam Cannarella, Cristian Hernández, and Fenwick Trimble all reached in the first inning to load the bases for new-comer Brandon Compton. And Compton delivered by crushing an opposite field grand slam to give Pensacola a quick 4-0 lead. It was the second grand slam of the season for the Blue Wahoos and the second grand slam of Compton’s career.
After the first inning was played, the game would go into a rain delay that would last one hour and 43 minutes before the game would resume again. Once the field was ready for action, Rocket City grabbed two of those runs back on an RBI single from David Calebrese and a run-scoring single from Nick Rodriguez. That made the score 4-2.
The Wahoos extended their lead in the 4th when Cristian Hernández hammered a 2-run homer, his second straight game with a longball, to bring the lead back to four and the score to 6-2. This would be the last of the Pensacola offense for the night.
The Trash Pandas grabbed a run in the 4th thanks to a sac-fly from Jake Munroe and then proceeded to unload an 8-run inning in the 6th, punctuated by a grand slam from former Blue Wahoo Jake Thompson. This blast made it an 11-6 ballgame at the time, but Rocket City wasn’t done. They would put two more up in the 7th and three more up in the 8th to bring the score to a merciful 16-6. Because of the rain delay, Eliazar Dishmey, Pensacola’s starter, did not return after the first inning, meaning all 16 runs were allowed by the Wahoo bullpen. Colby Martin (L, 2-4, BS, 2) took the loss while Lucas Mahlstedt (W, 2-0) grabbed the win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Trash Pandas on Friday night.
written by Charlie Hobert
Jimmy Phillips
July 3, 2026
Jimmy Phillips, 66, of Uriah, AL, passed away on July 1, 2026. He was born on November 3, 1959 to Charles Andrew “Drew” and Maggie Roberts Phillips.
Jimmy worked as a debarker with Swift Lumber. He also had experience as a tugboat worker and a log truck driver. He enjoyed sitting outside with his animals, and spending time with family, grandkids and great-grandkids.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Carolyn Conway Phillips; his brothers, Charles Wayne, Donald Ray “Duck” Franklin, William Andrew Murray; and two grandchildren, Sarah Grace and James Robert.
Jimmy is survived by his daughters, Crystal (Trevor) Borders of Blythe, GA, Maggie Nichole (James Robert) Turberville of Perdido, AL, Sarah Michelle (William) Sheets of Huxford, AL, his brother, Jerry (Faye) Phillips of Vinemont, AL; his sisters, Ernestine Roberts of Atmore, Judy (Jamie) Peak of Pine Grove, AL, Myrtle Daszczuk of Elberta, AL, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Richard Daniels officiating. Interment will follow at McCullough Cemetery in McCullough, AL.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Pallbearers will be Robbie Turberville, Andrew Turberville, William Sheets, Little Joe Boutwell, Karalynn Turberville, Greg Phillips, and Benton Turberville.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to assist the family with funeral expenses.
Mosquito Control To Spray Tonight East Of Highway 29 From Century To Barth
July 2, 2026
Escambia County’s Mosquito Control Division will conduct fogging mission Thursday evening in portions of Barth, McDavid, and Century that are east of Highway 29.
Fogging will begin at sunset and will continue during the evening as weather conditions allow. The timing helps target mosquitoes when they are active while reducing impacts on other insects.
Click maps to enlarge.
To request mosquito control service, call (850) 937-2198 or email mosquitocontrol@myescambia.com.
Shirley Ann Grunert
July 2, 2026
Shirley Ann Grunert
July 12, 1944 – July 1, 2026
On July 1, 2026, Shirley Ann Grunert, 81, of Atmore, Alabama, ran into the arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ, whom she loved with all her heart.
Shirley was the daughter of the late Sephers and Novella Jackson; loving wife of her adoring husband, Horst-Werner “Mike” Grunert; and sweet mama to her children Angela Colley (Keith), Karen McRae (Mark), the late Boyd Johnson (Tonya), Teri Peterson (Mike), and Kacie Campbell (Rodney), and her bonus children, Eric Grunert (Mary), Heidi Grunert, and Chris Grabarkwitz.
She adored her grandchildren Jared, Christina, Malcolm, Mackenzie, Jordan, Joshua, Kela, Michael, Janae, Thrice, Gwyn, Cally, Mecoa, Ellie, and Bailey, as well as five great-grandchildren. She was loved deeply by many nieces, nephews, and bonus grandchildren from this big, beautiful, blended family.
Shirley was born on July 12, 1944, in Brewton, Alabama. Her childhood was spent with her sisters Betty, Joyce, Hilda, and Linda, as well as her late brother Billy Jackson (Brenda). Although they didn’t have much, her mother, Novella, passed down a sense of adventure and fun to her children that Shirley lived out to the end of her days.
She met her husband, Mike, in November 1962 while working at S.H. Kress Five and Dime in Pensacola, Florida. She was immediately drawn to his Navy whites and handsome blue eyes. They were married on June 7, 1963. Although they separated for many years, they found their way back to each other and married again on March 24, 1989, while living in Texas. They spent the last 37 years growing more in love and deeper in their relationships with Christ. Shirley deeply treasured their time studying the Word, attending church, and praying and worshipping together.
She could out-fish anyone and had no problems beating her own grandkids at a game of Phase 10 or Words with Friends. She loved good ice in her drink, White Linen perfume, dancing to a good tune, white roses, heading to the beach to watch the waves, a well-done steak, traveling to new places, and studying the Bible. Shirley was independent, fun, creative, loving, had the most amazing green thumb, and enjoyed being a mom to her children more than anything.
A visit out to a restaurant nearly always included Shirley making friends with strangers, telling them about Jesus, and finding out ways she could pray for them. She started a video Bible study on Facebook, walked with others from her church, and always found ways to encourage others. If you ever met Shirley, she absolutely prayed for you, and possibly daily.
Memorial Services will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., at her church home, Atmore First Baptist Church.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., at Atmore First Baptist Church. Please feel free to wear bright, happy colors to honor Shirley.
A private burial will take place at Barrancas National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, it would make Shirley so happy to see donations sent to St. Jude or Shriners Hospitals for Children, whom Mike and Shirley have supported for years, or St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where her granddaughter is currently being treated.
We are forever thankful for the life of our dear wife, mom, grandma, aunt, sister, and friend. A special thank you to Rhonda and the rest of the staff at Southern Care Hospice Services who lovingly cared for our mom in her last days. Thank you for your prayers and love during this time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Making History: Tate High School Earns First-Ever ‘A’ School Grade
July 2, 2026
Tate High School has reached a historic milestone, earning its first-ever “A” school grade from the Florida Department of Education. This achievement marks not only the first “A” in the school’s history, but also the first time a traditional high school in Escambia County Public Schools has earned the state’s highest accountability rating, reflecting years of intentional work, unwavering commitment, and a relentless focus on student achievement.
“An ‘A’ school grade is not the result of one year of work, it is the culmination of a shared vision, a culture of continuous improvement, and the collective efforts of an incredible school community,” said Laura Touchstone, former principal of Tate High School and current director of High School Education for Escambia County Public Schools. “I could not be more proud of our students, teachers, staff, families, and community partners who believed in what Tate could become and worked tirelessly to make that vision a reality.”
After school grades were released on Wednesday, Escambia County Public Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard was celebrating historic gains and A grades across Escambia Schools, including the first overall A grade for the district. There were 19 ECPS schools earning an A.
RELATED: Escambia Schools Earn ‘A’ Grade; Here’s How Your Child’s School Scored
“I am very proud of all of them,” Leonard said. “I am also proud of the students, support staff, administration and everyone at Tate High School for earning an A grade. It is a great accomplishment.”
Under a culture built on collaboration, high expectations, and shared leadership, Tate High School focused on ensuring every student had access to high-quality instruction, meaningful support, and opportunities to succeed. Professional Learning Teams, data-driven decision-making, instructional coaching, and a commitment to continuous improvement became the foundation for sustained academic growth.
While the historic “A” school grade is a significant accomplishment, school leaders emphasize that the true measure of success extends beyond a single letter grade.
“At Tate High School, all students matter,” Touchstone said. “That belief has guided every decision we have made. We celebrate this achievement because it represents thousands of individual success stories. It reflects students overcoming challenges, teachers going above and beyond, families partnering with the school, and a community that believes in its future.”
She said the achievement also reflects the dedication of Tate’s faculty and staff, who have embraced a culture of collaboration and collective responsibility for student learning. Teachers continuously analyzed student data, refined instructional practices, and supported one another to ensure every student had the opportunity to reach high levels of achievement.
“This milestone belongs to everyone who has been part of the Tate family,” Touchstone added. “It belongs to every teacher who stayed late to help a student, every support staff member who created a welcoming environment, every parent who partnered with us, every administrator who led with purpose, and every student who committed themselves to excellence. Together, we made history.”
She said the historic “A” school grade stands as a testament to what is possible when a school community shares a common purpose, believes in every student, and refuses to settle for anything less than excellence.
As Tate High School celebrates this achievement, school leaders remain committed to building upon this success while continuing to provide exceptional opportunities for every student.
Former Century Correctional Warden Is Now Secretary Of The Florida Dept. Of Corrections
July 2, 2026
A former warden of the Century Correctional Institution has been appointed the secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Richard Comerford has dedicated more than four decades of service to the Florida Department of Corrections and has been instrumental in advancing the Department’s mission,” said DeSantis. “His experience, leadership, and commitment to public safety make him well qualified to serve as secretary, and I am confident he will continue to build on the Department’s success.”
Comerford is a veteran corrections professional with more than 40 years of distinguished service, most recently serving as FDC’s deputy secretary. In this role, he provided executive oversight for the nation’s third-largest correctional system. His experience extends beyond Florida, and his leadership has earned national recognition for his expertise in organizational supervision, intelligence, correctional operations, and emergency response.
“I am truly humbled to have the trust and support of Governor Ron DeSantis to be the next secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections,” said Comerford. “Serving the men and women of FDC has been the honor of a lifetime, and I know the experience I gained working alongside former Secretary Ricky Dixon will serve Florida well as we take up the mantle and build upon the successes he delivered. I look forward to working together with our dedicated correctional professionals to uphold public safety and strengthen resources for our staff.”
“The Florida Department of Corrections is in great hands with Richard Comerford serving as secretary. His experience, integrity, and commitment to our profession have earned the trust and respect of staff across our state and the recognition of correctional leaders nationwide,” said former FDC Secretary Ricky Dixon. “As deputy secretary, his fingerprints are on every major success our agency experienced during my tenure. His vision and expertise helped shape Florida into a national leader in corrections, and I am confident he will continue building on that success while supporting the men and women who serve on the front lines.”
Comerford began his career with FDC in 1986 as a correctional officer at Okaloosa Correctional Institution. Over the course of his career, he advanced through a broad range of supervisory, investigative, and command roles, including assistant deputy secretary of institutions and holding multiple warden and assistant warden assignments across the state, including Century CI.
Comerford holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Florida and is an active member of the American Correctional Association, Florida Sheriffs Association, and North American Association of Wardens & Superintendents.
Pictured top: Richard Comerford, the newly named secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections, during an event inside the Century Correctional Institution in April 2025. He was assistant deputy secretary of the department at the time. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Outlaws Motorcycle Club Member Gets Seven Years In Federal Prison For Arson
July 2, 2026
A Pensacola Outlaws Motorcycle Club Member has been sentenced to federal prison.
Gregory E. Simonds Jr., 43, of Escambia County was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for arson by means of an explosive causing personal injury
Court documents reflect that on February 15, 2025, during an altercation with a group of individuals associated with the Pagans Motorcycle Club in the parking lot of Emerald Coast Harley Davidson on Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, Simmons set off an explosive that damaged the adjacent Jimmy John’s restaurant building and injured one of its employees. Although the defendant drove away from the scene, he was quickly identified and arrested by law enforcement. In his car, officers recovered four more explosive devices, two guns, narcotics and drug paraphernalia, and an Outlaws Motorcycle Club vest. During a subsequent search of his residence, federal agents seized additional explosive devices, explosive making material and equipment, and other evidence that the defendant was making and selling explosives.
“This case could certainly have ended much differently. When someone chooses to use an explosive device in a public place, they put innocent lives at risk,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “I’m proud of the outstanding work of our investigators, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and FDLE, in building a case that led to this sentence.”
The sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations.