SOS Mode? No Service? Verizon Reports Major Outage
January 14, 2026
UPDATE: About 9:30 Wednesday night, Version said, “The outage has been resolved. If customers are still having an issue, we encourage them to restart their devices to reconnect to the network.”
Users across the North Escambia area reported that their phones were stuck in “SOS” or similar emergency modes with no service on Wednesday afternoon.
At our office in North Escambia, Verizon service was restored at about 1:40 p.m., and down again by 3 p.m.
Verizon reported a major outage across the nation, including portions of South Alabama and Northwest Florida.
“We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience,” Verizon said about 2 p.m. The company did not give an estimated time for service restoration.
If you still don’t have service, you can get back online or make a call by just connecting to a Wi-Fi network and making sure Wi-Fi calling is turned on. If you can’t connect to Wi-Fi, you can still make an emergency call to 911.
A Growing Century Neighborhood Watch Group Holds Second Meeting
January 14, 2026
Monday evening, the new Century Neighborhood Watch group held its second meeting since its inception in December.
Among the guests were an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant and sergeant assigned to the ECSO Century Precinct. Two additional members of the public also joined the group.
Meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at the Soul Train Club, located at 150 East Pond Street. The next meeting will be held on February 9, and is open to any interested person, not just residents in the Century town limits or the surrounding area.
Pictured: The ECSO demonstrates a vehicle and emergency lighting Monday evening at a meeting of the Century Neighborhood Watch. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UWF Police and Escambia Sheriff’s Office Break Up Two-Month Scooter, E-bike Theft Operation
January 14, 2026
A joint investigation between the University of West Florida Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has shut down a theft ring responsible for two months of e-bike and scooter thefts on campus.
The crackdown culminated Tuesday morning when investigators executed a search warrant to recover stolen property.
UWF Police said the suspects have been identified and will face numerous charges including grand theft, dealing in stolen property, felony narcotics possession, and outstanding warrants. Their names have not yet been released.
“This morning, investigators paid an unexpected visit to recover the stolen property,” UWF Police officials said. “Turns out we weren’t exactly on the invite list, but we did come with a warrant.”
The department credited the success of the operation to a close partnership with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Chip Simmons.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Faces 15 Years After Pleading To Federal Firearm Possession Charge
January 14, 2026
An Escambia County man faces up to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Isaiah Markeis Sims, 23, entered in the plea at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.
According to court documents, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle, and Sims was a passenger in the vehicle. Sims fled on foot from the deputies and when he fell to the ground, deputies located a loaded Glock handgun beside him on the ground. He is a convicted felon.
“I am very proud of the excellent work by Sheriff Chip Simmons and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, to remove this dangerous felon from our streets, and my office will continue to back up their efforts with successful prosecutions,” said John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
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Pensacola Beach Named Best In The U.S. By National Magazine
January 14, 2026
Pensacola Beach was recently named the best beach in the United States in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, earning the top spot on the list among prominent beaches in California, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more.
For the 38th edition of the Readers’ Choice Awards, respondents from across the globe weighed in on all things travel, with 757,109 voters selecting their favorites. Pensacola Beach claimed the top spot for the best beaches in the U.S., with Condé Nast also highlighting local events and other offerings throughout the area:
“Taking the top spot on this list, Pensacola is so much more than its beach,” writes Condé Nast Traveler. “Venture beyond its perpetually summery sands and discover a thriving arts and culture scene well worth its own full itinerary. The so-called ‘Festival City of the South,’ Pensacola has a fully booked dance card of cultural programming to catch, including Mural Fest, the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, and the Pensacola Foo Foo Festival, all of which happen in November and showcase a wide range of regional artistic talent. Add on a revitalized nightlife scene plus a culinary landscape where you can tell the chefs are having fun, and you have the ingredients for a formidable Readers’ Choice Awards winner.”
Pictured top and inset: A sunny winter day on Pensacola Beach. Pictured below: Looking back at Pensacola Beach from the end of the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Home Heavily Damaged By Fire; Century Firefighters Rescue Cat
January 13, 2026
A fire heavily damaged a home near Jay on Monday morning, but firefighters were able to save a cat from the blaze.
The fire was reported around 9:20 a.m. in the 3000 block of Shell Road. The first firefighter to arrive on the scene reported a working fire with smoke and flames visible.
Crewmembers from Escambia County Fire Rescue Engine 519 (Century) rescued a cat while battling the fire inside the home. The cat was successfully resuscitated on-site by first responders.
No human injuries were reported. The Jay, Allentown, and Berrydale stations of Santa Rosa County Fire Rescue responded, along with Escambia Fire Rescue (Century Station), Lifeguard EMS, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Longtime North Escambia Building Inspector James ‘Jimbo’ Horan Passes Away
January 13, 2026
A beloved building inspector who devoted most of his career to serving citizens in North Escambia has passed away.
James “Jimbo” Edward Horan, Sr., of Molino was 64.
Horan retired in November 2023 after a combined 17 years as an inspector in the Escambia County Building Services Department. He was originally hired in May 2005 and re-hired in January 2016, performing structural inspections on residential and commercial projects in Escambia County.
“James has firmly established himself as the technical expert for inspections on the northern end of Escambia County, invaluable to contractors and fellow employees in resolving difficult construction obstacles**,” a** November 2023 Escambia County Board of County Commissioners proclamation stated as Horan was honored upon his retirement.
He was also a baseball coach, home builder, cabinet maker, farmer and mechanic. His hobbies included racing and fishing.
Horan is survived by his wife Lisa, five siblings, two children, three step-children, and numerous other family members.
For the complete obituary, including service details, click here.
McDavid Man Facing Drug Charges After Alabama Traffic Stop
January 13, 2026
A McDavid man was arrested in Alabama after traffic stop led to the alleged discovery of fentanyl and oxycodone.
According to the Atmore Police Department, an officer conducted a traffic stop on Highway 31 at approximately 7:25 p.m. Sunday due to an expired license plate.
The driver was identified as 51-year-old Denis Comalander of McDavid.
During the stop, the officer noted suspicious behavior from Comalander and requested consent to search the vehicle. Upon searching the car, investigators reportedly found a small amount of fentanyl and oxycodone. Additionally, officers recovered a digital scale and other items commonly used to package narcotics.
Comalander was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center.
Tate Defeats Northview 56-20 Monday Night (With Gallery)
January 13, 2026
The Tate Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs 56-20 Monday evening in Tate’s Fryman Gym.
With the win, the Aggies improved to 4-7 on the season, while the Chiefs fell to 1-9.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Up next, Tate will host Pensacola Catholic on Wednesday and the Washington Wildcats on Thursday. Northview will travel to Baker on Thursday before hosting South Baldwin Christian Academy on Friday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Legal Help: Lawyers In The Library Tuesday In Century, Wednesday In Molino
January 11, 2026
“Lawyers in the Library” will be held this week at the libraries in Century and Molino.
Legal Services of Northeast Florida (LSNF) will provide the service as follows:
- Century Library: Tuesday, January 13 from 10 a.m. until noon
- Molino Library: Wednesday, January 14 from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.
LSNF can help with legal information or help eligible clients apply for services on a first-come, first-served basis. Areas of law may include: family law issues, employment law, bankruptcy/collections, custody/child support, property disputes, title clearing/probate, housing law, domestic violence, and sexual violence.
Attendees should bring any document related to their question.
The program is held the second Tuesday of every month at the Century Library and every second Wednesday of the month at the Molino Library. For more information contact LSNF at (850) 432-8222.