New Escambia Sheriff’s Office Badge Honors 250 Years Of America
January 15, 2026
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has unveiled a new badge commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
Every element of the badge tells a story. It features the 13-star flag alongside today’s 50-star American flag, the Sheriff’s star, and the years 1776–2026, united by the image of a Minuteman, a symbol of the courage, resolve, and vigilance that have defined our country since its founding.
The meaningful tribute was made possible through a partnership between the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff Foundation, whose support helped bring the commemorative badge to life.
“As we reflect on 250 years of liberty, we reaffirm our commitment to the values that built this nation: service, integrity, and dedication to the communities we protect,” the ECSO said
Cold Day With High In The 40s, Low In The 20s; Maybe A Few Snowflakes Saturday Night
January 15, 2026
A frigid Thursday will give way to a brief warm-up on Friday before another cold front sweeps through the North Escambia area. Residents should prepare for widespread frost and sub-freezing temperatures tonight and Thursday night, with a slight chance of a rain-snow mix entering the picture late Saturday. Early next week looks clear and cool as we honor M.L. King Day.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 46. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. North wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tonight: Widespread frost after 10pm. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Widespread frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 64. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. South wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: A slight chance of rain showers before midnight, then a chance of rain and snow showers between midnight and 3am, then a chance of snow showers after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 44. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 24. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 53. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57.
Nurse Practitioners Would Gain Recognition With Salzman Bill On Doctor Titles
January 15, 2026
Legislation filed by State Rep. Michelle Salzman (R-Pensacola) passed the House Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee today, its first stop in the 2026 legislative session. HB 237 would allow Nurse Practitioners (NPs) who have earned doctoral degrees to use the “Doctor” title in clinical practice, aligning Florida with national standards and recognizing the advanced training of these essential healthcare professionals.
The bill permits doctoral-prepared NPs – those with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or Ph.D.- to use the title when clearly identifying their professional role. Salzman’s legislation requires that NPs using “Dr.” also state their professional designation to maintain transparency for patients.
“If you’ve earned a doctorate in the medical field, you deserve to say so, just like in any other profession,” Salzman said. “This bill ensures patients understand the training behind their care while offering fairness and recognition to our Nurse Practitioners.”
Other states allow doctoral-level professionals, including pharmacists, physical therapists, audiologists, and psychologists, to use the “Doctor” title in clinical practice when properly identified. HB 237 brings Florida in line with that practice.
The bill promotes patient trust, recognizes rigorous education, and helps recruit and retain highly trained NPs, a growing part of Florida’s healthcare workforce amid physician shortages.
File image.
Renew Your Vehicle Registration Or Driver’s License, Pay Taxes, And More In Century Today
January 15, 2026
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO) will be in Century on January 15 and February 19 from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse.
MILO offers a convenient way for residents to access essential tax collector services, including:
- Driver License Services: Renewals, replacements, out-of-state license conversions/reciprocations, and address/name changes.
- Identification Cards: First-time issuance and renewals.
- Vehicle Services: Registration renewals and replacements, title transfers, and parking placards.
- Tax Payments: Property tax payments.
- Business Tax Receipts: Applications and renewals.
- Certified Driver Transcripts
Written and driving tests are not available at the MILO unit.
This initiative aims to bring services to areas of Escambia County that may have limited access to traditional tax collector offices, particularly during disaster recovery or for residents in assisted living facilities, community centers, and correctional facilities.
Florida drivers may renew their vehicle registrations for a period of one or two years and may renew up to three months in advance of the registration expiration. Vehicle registrations expire at midnight on the first owner’s birth date unless the owner is a business.
Pictured: The Escambia County Tax Collector’s MILO at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Suspect Now Charged In Scooter, E-bike Thefts On UWF Campus
January 15, 2026
A suspect has now been charged in connection with stealing e-bikes and scooters over a two-month period from the University of West Florida campus.
Blaine Earl Cunningham, 42, was charged with dealing and trafficking in stolen property. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond on the felony charge.
UWF Police said the case was solved with the help of surveillance video that showed a vehicle being used to transport the stolen e-bikes. Investigators tracked down the vehicle at a home, and that’s where they found the stolen property on Tuesday morning.
Police said over 20 e-bikes and scooters were recovered.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the University of West Florida Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fake Cop Reportedly Pulls Over Woman In Century, Searches Her Vehicle
January 15, 2026
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report of a man impersonating a law enforcement officer and pulling over a woman in Century.
The incident occurred around 5 a.m. on January 5 in the 7400 block of North Century Boulevard — very near the ECSO Century Precinct.
A woman reported that a man in a dark-colored vehicle used two small blue lights in the center of his dash to pull her over. He approached the vehicle, displayed a badge**,** and asked for her driver’s license before asking for permission to search her vehicle. He then asked if she had any narcotics. She was unharmed and reported that nothing was missing from her vehicle after the 15-minute search.
She later became concerned and called the ECSO.
She told deputies that she did not recognize the badge, but stated that it was not a star like an ECSO badge, and she did not believe it was the Florida Highway Patrol. Deputies contacted other law enforcement agencies in the area.
The Sheriff’s Office said it appeared to be an “isolated incident” having received no additional reports.
Anyone with information on the incident or the possible impersonator is asked to call the ECSO (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
The ECSO said if a motorist is unsure if a law enforcement officer trying to pull them over is real, the driver can turn on their hazard lights, slow down, and call 911 or dispatch to verify the traffic stop.
NorthEscambia.com image is for illustrative purposes only and not the actual vehicle.
Beulah Regional Park To Close Next Week For Improvements
January 15, 2026
The Beulah Regional Park will temporarily close on January 20 for upgrades and addition of amenities throughout the park. The park is expected to reopen in mid-March, weather permitting.
Improvements to Beulah Regional Park will include four new pickleball courts, fencing, picnic table pavilions, and more. Several ADA upgrades will be made throughout the park, including the addition of two new ADA-compliant parking spaces, sidewalks to and from the parking lot, and improved connectivity to existing amenities. A splash pad is also planned, according to a county graphic.
Drainage enhancements are also planned throughout the park to minimize areas with standing water and improve overall park aesthetics.
Additional upgrades are also underway for the Beulah Senior Citizen Center, including a new basketball court, playground, and walking track resurfacing. The Beulah Senior Citizen Center will remain open while improvements are completed.
Beulah Regional Park is located at 7820 Mobile Highway, and the Beulah Senior Citizen Center is located at 7425 Woodside Road.
Margaret Eylene Pack
January 15, 2026
Mrs. Margaret Eylene Pack, age 80, passed away on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, in Atmore, Alabama. Four years prior, she made the move from Walnut Hill to Atmore and was an active member of Dry Springs Community Church. A talented seamstress and an author, she cherished her family deeply and dedicated herself to her church community. She enjoyed spending her leisure time playing games and solving puzzles, and often took walks to the nearby creek.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Rudolph and Mary Maholovich Howell; her husband, Clifton Pack, Sr.; her son, Christopher Thomas; her daughter, Vickie Lynn Johnson; as well as four brothers: Norman Kenneth, David Westly, Lawrence Roland, and Ernest Rayford. Additionally, she is survived by four sisters: Lilly Francis, Helen Juanita, Iris Laverne, and Faye Marie.
She is survived by her one son, James William (Teresa) Johnson, of Mississippi, three daughters, Tracy Johnson (Daniel Smith, Sr) of Tallahassee, Florida; Margaret (Ron) Waters, of Cullman, Alabama; Marie Quinn, of Atmore, Alabama; one sister, Faye (Charlie) of Satsuma, Alabama; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.
Funeral service will be held Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Petty Funeral Homes, LLC. with Reverend Joe Gipson and Reverend John C. Spence.
Following the service, she will be laid to rest at Dry Springs Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Sunday, January 18, 2026, from 1:00 PM until the service begins at 2:00 PM at Petty Funeral Homes, LLC.
The pallbearers will be Ray Chavers, Wiley Gipson, Travis Cromwell, Hayden Gipson, Cameron Gipson and Christine Morris.
Arrangements are being managed by Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home, LLC in Atmore, Alabama.
Edna Ruth Johnson
January 15, 2026
Edna Ruth Johnson, 91, of McCullough, AL, passed away on January 10, 2026. Edna was born on November 15, 1934, to Benjamin Jack Norris and Ola Mae Robinson in Castleberry, AL.
Edna was a retired bus driver with the Escambia County Alabama School Board. She was a devout Christian and a member of McCullough Christian Center. She cherished her family and loved spending time with her kids and grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Erbie S. Johnson; two brothers; two sisters; and her granddaughter, Nacole Johnson.
Edna is survived by her sons, Larry Johnson, Ronald Johnson and Mike (Susan) Johnson, all of McCullough, AL; her brother Wayne (Phylis) Norris; her sister, Linda Luthur; her
grandchildren, Janice (Doug) Cook; Megan Johnson; Brad (Lisa) Johnson; and one great-grandchild, William Lemon.
Funeral services were held January 14, 2026, at McCullough Christian Center in McCullough, AL with Bro. C.P. Phillips and Bro. Richard Daniels officiating.
Interment will take place at McCullough Christian Center Cemetery at a later time.
Lipscomb Elementary Fifth Graders Explore Roy Hyatt Science Environmental Center (Gallery)
January 15, 2026
Fifth grade students from Lipscomb Elementary School recently enjoyed a visit to the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center in Cantonment.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
