ECFR: Clothes Dryer Sparked Friday Night Cantonment Apartment Laundry Room Fire
August 4, 2026
The fire that damaged the laundry room at a Cantonment apartment complex on Friday night was sparked by a clothes dryer, according to Escambia County Fire Rescue.
ECFR said their investigation determined the fire was started by an electrical malfunction inside the dryer.
The fire was reported shortly after 9 p.m. at the Wild Oak Farm Apartments at 850 North Highway 29. Firefighters arrived to find heavy black smoke inside the laundry room. The fire was extinguished in about 20 minutes, and damage was confined to the laundry room.
There were no injuries reported.
The responding Escambia County Fire Rescue stations included Cantonment, Molino, Ensley and Osceola.
Pictured below: Multiple Escambia County Fire Rescue stations responded in heavy rainfall on Friday night at the Wild Oak Farm Apartments in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge. Picturd above: An electrical malfunction with this dryer was blamed for the fire. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Chamber Reaffirms Support For Appointed School Superintendent
August 4, 2026
The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has formally reaffirmed its support for maintaining an appointed Superintendent of Schools in Escambia County.
The Chamber first adopted its stance in 2018 when voters approved the measure. The Board of Directors remains united in that commitment as the measure returns to the ballot on the August 18 primary election.
“The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce has held a clear and consistent position on this issue since 2018, and our board of directors is united in reaffirming that stance today,” said Chamber Board Chair Ildi Hosman on Monday. “We believe that an appointed superintendent model best serves the students, families, and employers of Escambia County, and we encourage the business community and all eligible voters to consider the long-term implications of this decision for our region’s future.”
The upcoming August 18th primary election ballot will allow all eligible registered voters in Escambia County to vote on whether the Escambia County School Superintendent should remain an appointed position or return to an elected one.
In November 2018, Escambia County citizens voted to move from an elected to an appointed superintendent.
Here is how the referendum will appear on the primary ballot:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
Shall the Superintendent of Schools of Escambia County, Florida, be elected by the majority of the qualified electors of Escambia County, Florida? YES or NO
Tate Aggies Name Volleyball Teams
August 4, 2026
Tate High School volleyball has named teams for the upcoming season.
The 2026 season beings with a varsity preseason tournament on August 11 and August 13. The JV and varsity will be in action at Escambia August 18.
Team members are:
VARSITY
- Torrie Garrett
- Bailie Merritt
- Ella Merritt
- Jayla Templeman
- Laila Whitley
- Jacey Stuart
- Ansleigh Crutchfield
- Bentley Wartman
- Brelynn Morris
- Harper Leopard
- Lexie Hardy
- Myla Manoso
- Grace Gaulden
JUNIOR VARSITY
- McKenna Jones
- Emma Dubuc
- Jordan Suarez
- Callie Fetcher
- Kaylee Payne
- Ryleigh Goolsby
- Clara Stinnett
- Kalyn Helms
- Ayslie Bouie
- Reese Ray
- Jada Archer
- Lily McGatha
- Leighton Ratchford
FRESHMAN
- Kenadi Pyron
- Ghia Foster
- Annabelle Hayes
- Sophia Pollard
- Reagan Merritt
- Scarlet Harris
- Mariah Walsh
- Charliegh Bouie
- Sienna Wilkerson
- Natalie Lambert
- Paige Welsh
- Abigail Secchiari
Dirt Portion Of North Barth Road Has Reopened
August 3, 2026
The dirt portion of North Barth Road, on the east side of the railroad tracks, has reopened after being closed earlier on Monday.
Escambia County Public Works replaced a drainage pipe that crosses under the roadway in less than a day.
File photo.
One Injured In Monday Crash At Highway 29 And Neal Road
August 3, 2026
One person was injured in a crash on Monday at Highway 29 and Neal Road in Cantonment.
The crash, which involved a Honda Civic, Nissan Pathfinder, and a Ford F-150, shut down northbound Highway 29 for a short period of time.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released more information.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing On I-10
August 3, 2026
A small plane made an emergency landing on I-10 near 9th Avenue on Monday morning.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the pilot and a flight student reported mechanical issues that forced the emergency landing on the interstate.
“The Piper Warrior aircraft suffered engine failure during the flight, which caused the need to make the emergency landing,” FHP said in a release.
There were no injuries reported, and the plane has been removed from the travel lanes. FHP said the plane did not collide with any vehicle or object.
According to flight tracking data (pictured below, click to enlarge), the plane departed the airport in Pensacola before flying north into the North Escambia area and looping around Barrineau Park.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gunfire Incident Leads to Aggravated Assault Arrest
August 3, 2026
A Walnut Hill man was arrested following a disturbance involving gunfire off Pineville Road last month.
Ricky Eugene Foster, 56, was taken into custody by Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies and charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
According to an arrest report, deputies responded to a residence following reports of shots fired. Upon arrival, law enforcement encountered Foster, who smelled of alcohol and admitted to firing a handgun during a dispute.
A victim at the scene told deputies that Foster had aggressively ordered them to leave, blocked their vehicle, and pointed a handgun in their direction while making death threats. A witness also reported hearing multiple gunshots during the encounter, the report states. Foster claimed he fired the weapon straight into the air.
Foster was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Century Man Charged Under Florida’s ‘Super Speeder’ Law At 108 MPH On I-110 In A Kia
August 3, 2026
A Century man was arrested under Florida’s “Super Speeder” law after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper clocked him traveling over 100 mph on Interstate 110 in Pensacola.
Austin Lee Clark, 24, of Century, was pulled over in the early morning hours of July 12 after a state trooper conducting stationary speed enforcement spotted his vehicle flying past traffic.
According to an arrest report, the trooper was stationed near mile marker 3 on I-110 northbound in a marked 65 mph zone when they observed a 2016 Kia Sportage moving at an extreme rate of speed. The trooper utilized a laser speed measurement device, which registered the vehicle traveling at 108 mph. The driver was observed rapidly changing lanes and passing multiple vehicles.
The trooper initiated a traffic stop, and Lee pulled over on the off-ramp to Brent Lane. When asked why he was driving so fast, Lee reportedly told the trooper he was trying to keep up with another vehicle that had passed him earlier. He then added that he was likely traveling 110 mph before the trooper clocked him.
The report stated the vehicle was towed because a female in the passenger seat was not able to drive due to alcohol. Lee successfully completed field sobriety exercises and was not suspected of DUI.
Lee was charged with operating a motor vehicle over 100 mph.
Escambia County Man Sentenced to Life In Prison For 2024 Christmas Day Shooting
August 3, 2026
An Escambia County man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for a violent 2025 domestic attack on Christmas morning.
Circuit Court Judge John Miller sentenced 47-year-old Terrence James Franklin to life in state prison. The sentencing follows a May 28, 2026, trial in which an Escambia County jury found Franklin guilty of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and aggravated assault by threat with a deadly weapon.
The charges stem from a shooting on December 25, 2024. According to court records, law enforcement officers were dispatched to Baptist Hospital early Christmas morning after a victim arrived at the emergency room suffering from gunshot wounds.
Investigators quickly learned that the holiday celebration at a local residence had turned into a nightmare. Witnesses reported that Franklin threatened his family with a shotgun before turning the weapon on his wife, shooting her once in the leg and once in the chest.
Franklin fled the residence with the shotgun before deputies could arrive at the scene. Responding deputies later recovered spent shotgun shells inside the family home.
The investigation and subsequent arrest were handled jointly by the Pensacola Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Northview FFA Officer Team Meets With Local Agricultural Stakeholders
August 3, 2026
The Northview High School FFA Chapter 2026–2027 Officer Team recently kicked off their new year by spending a day touring and learning from various agricultural stakeholders throughout the community.
The team began their educational journey at Aliff Acres farm, where officers learned firsthand how the operation raises, processes, and markets its own local products. The tour continued with a visit to Lukers Custom Meats for a closer look at animal processing and facility management systems.
The group also explored local forestry management practices during a meeting with the Florida Forest Service before concluding their day at the local Escambia County Extension office to consult with regional agricultural specialists.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
