Escambia Westgate’s Very Special Mardi Gras Parade (With Photo Gallery)
February 21, 2026
Let the good times roll!
The 33rd annual Mardi Gras parade was held Friday morning at Escambia Westgate School — a very special parade for the school’s special needs students.
With plenty of beads, trinkets, smiles, and Mardi Gras krewes, the parade rolled through the school parking lot for students with sensory issues that might not otherwise be able to attend a regular Mardi Gras parade.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle School Horse Judging Team Places At State Finals
February 21, 2026
The Ernest Ward Middle School Horse Judging team competed in the state finals at the Florida State Fair.
The team placed 15th overall, and Harleigh Grace Parsons earned the highest individual score on the team with a 10th-place win.
The team is coached by sisters Courtney and Stephanie Solari.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Chance Of Rain Tonight, Turning Windy And Colder
February 21, 2026
A shift in weather is on the way as a breezy Saturday night brings showers and potentially a thunderstorm before clearing. Sunday and Monday will be sunny but notably cooler and windy, with overnight lows dipping into the mid-20s. A warming trend begins Tuesday, with temperatures climbing back into the 70s by mid-week as rain chances return for Thursday and Friday.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers between 9pm and midnight. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 42. Breezy, with a southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 31. Wind chill values between 25 and 30. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 48. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 25. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
Thursday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Saturday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Tate Bats Explode in Double-Digit Win Over North Bay Haven (With Gallery)
February 21, 2026
The Tate Aggies beat North Bay Haven Academy of Panama City 11-2 on Friday night in Cantonment.
Starting pitcher Nathan Connors earned the win for the Aggies, allowing two hits and two unearned runs in four and two-thirds innings, walking a half dozen and striking out eight. In relief, Hunter Clayton pitched one-third of an inning of scoreless, runless ball, striking out one.
Evan Taylor went 3-3 with three RBIs, including a two-run home run to center field in the fifth inning. Cal Foxworth was 3-3 with one RBI, while Griffin Cook went 2-3.
Up next, the Tate Aggies will look to continue the momentum at Gulf Breeze on Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blood Drive Today At The Molino Library
February 21, 2026
The Big Red Bus will be at the Molino Library today, February 21 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. for a OneBlood blood drive.
Donors will receive a $20 eGift card and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Donors will also receive a wellness checkup including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, iron count and cholesterol screening. An ID is required.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
‘Amazing, Incredible’: Tate Theatre’s ‘Shrek’ Draws Rave Reviews
February 21, 2026
Amazing,” “Just incredible,” “Amazingly talented group of kids” — those are just a few of the ways our readers described the first two Tate Theatre performances of Shrek the Musical.
There are four more chances to see Shrek the Musical — Saturday, February 21, and February 26–28, at 7 p.m. nightly in the Tate High School Cafetorium.
Tickets are $10 and will be sold at the door (cash only).
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Early Northview Chiefs Lead Evaporates In One-Run Loss To The Escambia Gators (Gallery)
February 21, 2026
After leading 5-1 at the end of three innings, the Northview Chiefs dropped a Friday night home game 6-5 to the Escambia Gators.
Jackson Bridges opened on the mound for the Chiefs, giving up five hits and five runs (three earned) in four and one-third innings, recording eight strikeouts and three walks. Jase Portwood went two and two-thirds innings, giving up one run and two hits, walking four and striking out three.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Luke Chavers, Taylor Curtis, Kobi Fiorenti, Dane King, Bryant Mason, and Grayden Sheffield each had one hit for Northview. Mason had two RBIs, and Portwood added one.
Next up, the Chiefs will travel to Chipley on Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bigalow Nets Hat Trick For Aggies Against Navarre (With Gallery)
February 21, 2026
The Navarre Raiders brought a powerful offensive attack to Cantonment on Friday night, defeating the Tate Aggies 22-3
Kira Bigalow led the Aggies’ scoring, accounting for all three of the team’s goals. Tori Sappington contributed on both ends of the field, recording an assist and leading the team with 8 draw assists.
Carly Helmig was active in the net, facing a relentless barrage of 32 shots on goal and finishing the night with 17 saves
The Tate Aggies (2-2) will host West Florida (1-2) on Monday at 6 p.m. in Pete Gindle Stadium.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Convicted Of Manslaughter For Fatally Shooting Teen At 2024 Cottage Hill Party
February 20, 2026
A Cantonment man has been convicted of manslaughter for the April 2024 fatal shooting of a 16-year-old at a party at a Cottage Hill home. He was also convicted of evidence tampering as a two-day trial concluded on Friday.
Ethan Alexander O’Brien, 21, will be sentenced on April 16.
The investigation determined that during a large gathering at the residence, O’Brien, then 19, was showing off his firearm, at which time it discharged, hitting 16-year-old Bryson Allen (pictured below).
The incident happened about 11:30 p.m. Friday, April 12, 2024, at a home in the 600 block of Wishbone Road.
The victim grabbed his side after being shot and said, “You just shot me bro” before falling to the ground, a witness told law enforcement. He said O’Brien had an “AR style” rifle and he was playing with it before the shooting.
Allen was pronounced deceased at the scene, and investigators said O’Brien fled the scene. The weapon was never found.
Pictured top: The scene on Wishbone Road in Cottage Hill late Friday night, April 12, 2024, after a teen was shot and killed. Pictured below: Crime scene tape still surrounded the home the following morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Arson For Torching His Own Jeep
February 20, 2026
A Cantonment man has been charged with arson after allegedly torching his vehicle last Sunday morning.
As we previously reported, a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo was discovered burning with no one around alongside Neal Road near Pine Top Lane shortly before 9:30 a.m.
Now, Jerry Kent Calvert, 24, has been charged with felony arson in connection with the fire that destroyed his vehicle.
After the fire, deputies attempted to contact Calvert and his relatives, noting that he would not answer his phone for anyone. His parents later located him walking near the Escambia County Road Department’s Camp 5, and deputies responded.
He stated that the vehicle ran out of gas and he parked on the side of the Road at Pine Top Lane and Neal Road, an arrest report states.
His exact statement to deputies was redacted from the report, but the report states it was “because he was tired of his grandmother yelling at he and his uncle and kicking them out of the house.”
A Florida State Fire Marshal detective told deputies that burn patterns indicated that the fire was not accidental.
NorthEscambia photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
