Florida’s Month-Long Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Now Underway
August 1, 2025
Florida’s month-long back to school Sales Tax Holiday begins today and will continue through Sunday, August 31, giving families a full month of savings on essential school supplies and more.
Below you can find a short snapshot list of included items, followed by a more complete detailed list.
The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday includes exemptions for:
School supplies selling for $50 or less
- Binders
- Notebooks
- Pens and pencils
- Lunch boxes
Clothing, footwear, and apparel priced at $100 or less
- Backpacks
- Pants
- Shoes
- Shirts
- Sweaters
Learning aids selling for $30 or less
- Interactive Books
- Puzzles
- Flashcards
Personal computers and accessories priced at $1,500 or less (for noncommercial home or personal use)
- Laptops
- Flash drives
- Printers
- Headphones
COMPLETE LIST
- Personal computers or personal computer-related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use having a sales price of $1,500 or less
- Personal computers* include:
- Calculators
- Desktops
- Electronic book readers
- Handhelds
- Laptops
- Tablets
- Tower computers
*The term does not include cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data.
- Personal computer-related accessories*+ include:
- Keyboards
- Mice
- Modems
- Monitors
- Nonrecreational software
- Other peripheral devices
- Personal digital assistants
- Routers
*The listed accessories are tax-exempt regardless of whether they are used in association with a personal computer base unit.
+ The term does not include furniture or systems, devices, software, monitors with a television tuner, or peripherals that are designed or intended primarily for recreational use.
- Wallets and bags* having a sales price of $100 or less per item, including:
- Backpacks
- Diaper bags
- Fanny packs
- Handbags
*Briefcases, suitcases, and other garment bags are excluded.
- School supplies having a sales price of $50 or less per item, including:
- Binders
- Cellophane tape
- Compasses
- Composition books
- Computer disks
- Construction paper
- Crayons
- Erasers
- Folders
- Glue or paste
- Legal pads
- Lunch boxes
- Markers
- Notebooks
- Notebook filler paper
- Pencils
- Pens
- Poster board
- Poster paper
- Protractors
- Rulers
- Scissors
- Staplers and staples used to secure paper products
- Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles having a sales price of $30 or less:
- Flashcards or other learning cards
- Interactive or electronic books and toys intended to teach reading or math skills
- Matching or other memory games
- Puzzle books and search-and-find books
- Stacking or nesting blocks or sets
- Clothing, footwear, and accessories having a sales price of $100 or less per item, including:
- Shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, shorts, and other apparel
- Shoes, boots, sandals, and other footwear
- Accessories such as belts, hats, gloves, and scarves
The sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of any of the qualifying items. Additionally, the sales tax holiday does not apply to sales in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment or airport.
Conviction Overturned In Football Standout Ladarius Clardy Murder Case
August 1, 2025
An appeals court has overturned the conviction of one of the men convicted of the murder of Ladarius Clardy in 2021.
Da’Quavion Snowden, 25, claimed that the court made a mistake by denying motions to suppress his interviews with investigators following his arrest because his request for an attorney was ignored. The First District Court of Appeal agreed, reversing Snowden’s conviction and life sentence. He will now get a new trial; the date has not been set.
Snowden was found guilty in July 2023 of first-degree premeditated murder and attempted first-degree premeditated murder for the death of Clardy and injuring 19-year-old Eric Young.
Clardy, a former standout Pine Forest High School quarterback, was found shot dead in a vehicle crash about 1 a.m. on July 1, 2021. His vehicle was found with over 50 bullet holes after it crashed in a ravine. Authorities say the murder was a case of mistaken identity. Young was also shot in the incident and survived.
Da’Quavion Snowden’s brother, Amos Dehontiquan Snowden, was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and received a mandatory life sentence.
A/C Failure Forces Relocation Of Upcoming Century Council Meeting
August 1, 2025
The Town of Century is moving their next council meeting to a new location due to an air conditioning unit that failed at town hall, according to the town clerk.
The Tuesday, August 5 meeting will now be held at the Century Community Center (Ag Building) on West Highway 4 with a bill list review beginning at 6:15 p.m., followed by the council meeting at 6:30 p.m.
The HVAC unit that serves the council chamber at town hall failed and repairs are forthcoming. During two previous meetings on July 22, temperatures in the room climbed into the 80s despite a fan blowing cooler air from the building’s lobby. The offices and the remainder of the building still have working air conditioning.
Pictured: A box fan blows air from the cooler lobby into town council chambers on July 22 in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
The Big List: Back To School Bashes, Giveaways And More This Weekend
August 1, 2025
Back to school events will be taking place across North Escambia this weekend (Aug. 1-2), with one event scheduled for next weekend. Many of the events provide free school supplies and more.
Next Level of Faith – Century — Friday night, August 1
Next Level of Faith Ministries at 7041 North Century Boulevard will hold a Back to School Friday Night Future event on Friday, August 1, beginning at 5 p.m. Free school supplies and more.
Quintette Community Center
Quintette Community Center at 2490 Quintette Lane will hold a Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 2, beginning at noon while supplies last. There will be a backpack giveaway (children must be present), line dancing, a bounce house, water slide, softball game, cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn, and more.
Cantonment Improvement Committee — Carver Park
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will hold a Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 2, beginning at 1 p.m. at Carver Park on Webb Street. Free backpacks while supplies last and much more.
Highland Baptist – Molino
On Saturday, August 2 from 9 a.m. until noon, Highland Baptist Church will launch Highland Hope Packs, a new backpack and school supply ministry dedicated to equipping students in grades K–12 for a successful school year. Backpacks filled with essential school supplies will be distributed during the event. Register in advance by clicking here. Children entering grades K-12 must be present and bring proof of enrollment (last report card or registration for the new school year).
Calvary Apostolic Temple — Molino
Calvary Apostolic Temple at 5591 Highway 29 North in Molino will hold their annual Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Free school supplies (while supplies last), food trucks, $1 hot dogs, a bounce house, water slide, pony rides, face painting, ice cream, and more.
Jubilee Church — Pensacola Fairgrounds
Jubilee Church will hold a Back to School Event at the Pensacola Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 2 from 9 a.m. until noon (or while supplies last). The church and community partners will distribute backpacks filled with school supplies, provide haircuts for kids, and give away a generous box of food/produce. Everything is free. Community partners will also provide valuable information, and there will be entertainment for the entire family.
Flomaton
Newman’s Ambulance will host a Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Dewey J. Bondurant, Jr. Park at 20700 Highway 31 in Flomaton (across from Flomaton High School). There will be inflatables, a balloon artist, a food truck, snow cones, a blood pressure clinic, and more.
Dogwood Park Baptist — Saturday, August 9
Dogwood Park Baptist Church at 3301 Highway 97 will hold a Back to School Bash on Saturday, August 9, from 2 until 5 p.m. There will be a school supply giveaway, games, food, water slides, and an uplifting gospel message.
Wahoos Score Early, Beat Biloxi 9-3
August 1, 2025
written by Willie Phaler
In a potential preview of the Southern League South Divisional playoff series, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their second in a row over the Biloxi Shuckers in a 9-3 rout Thursday night.
Centerfielder Fenwick Trimble led the way for the Blue Wahoos, picking up his first three-hit night in Double-A along with two RBI and two runs scored.
“Everyone swung it well tonight, and the pitchers pitched great,” Trimble said. “[They have] a good team out there, trying to nudge back at the end. We locked it down, so that was a lot of fun. These guys are a lot of fun.”
The Blue Wahoos jumped out in front early, putting up a six-spot in the second inning while taking advantage of some Shuckers miscues.
Tony Bullard got the scoring started, launching a solo home run for his fifth of the year. After a throwing error on a pickoff attempt by starter Tate Kuehner (L, 7-5) moved Johnny Olmstead from first to third, the Pensacola shortstop came around to score on a fielder’s choice by Connor Caskenette that was booted by Shuckers shortstop Cooper Pratt.
Trimble drove in the next two runs in the second inning after Shuckers first baseman Eric Martinez misplayed an infield fly, falling for a single to allow Caskenette and Shane Sasaki to score.
“[I] was trying to handle the zone and get good counts to hit,” Trimble said. “That’s really all it comes down to.”
Kemp Alderman picked up an RBI single after a 107 mph ground ball deflected off of Pratt into center, scoring Jared Serna. Trimble made it a half dozen in the second inning after coming home on a passed ball.
The Wahoos added runs number seven and eight in the third, both coming in on bases-loaded walks to Michael Snyder and Serna. Kuehner’s night ended after walking Snyder, and the lefty was charged for eight runs (three earned) over 2.1 innings while walking four Blue Wahoos batters.
Luis Lara put the Shuckers on the board in the fifth inning after an RBI groundout to short. This was the only run tagged onto the line of Blue Wahoos starter Dax Fulton (W, 5-7). With seven strikeouts across 5.0 innings, the six-foot-seven southpaw lowered his ERA to 4.88 on the season.
Pensacola tacked on an additional run in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of a Cody Morissette sacrifice fly to center to bring Trimble home for the second time.
The Shuckers picked up a pair of runs in the final innings. Mike Boeve came around to score on a wild pitch in the eighth, while Jheremy Vargas picked up an RBI single in the ninth.
Pensacola’s bullpen, a strength all season, protected the lead once again. Right-hander Jesse Bergin twirled two no-hit innings, while Ike Buxton and Josh Ekness were tagged for a run each.
With their second straight win over Biloxi and their 52nd win of the season overall, the Wahoos now lead the Montgomery Biscuits by 4.5 games for the second-half title.
“We are looking to just continue to have fun and keep playing hard,” Trimble said. “They’re a good team, but we will continue to stick to it and do what we do well.”
Pensacola and Biloxi will face off in game four of the series on Friday night, as Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (5-5, 4.08 ERA) makes his 15th start of the year for the Blue Wahoos.
GAME NOTABLES
— The Blue Wahoos welcomed a quartet of mascots at Thursday’s game. In addition to Kazoo, there was a mascot for social media influencer “Beach Billy,” and the Blue Wahoos’ own Mullet Man.
— In the fourth inning, a wedding proposal was shown on the videoboard with another couple becoming engaged during a game at the ballpark.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Biloxi Shuckers vs. Blue Wahoos.
WHEN: Friday Thru Sunday. Gametimes on Friday and Saturday are 6:05 p.m. start time and Sunday’s game will start at 4:05 p.m..
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Cantonment Bicyclist Killed In Thursday Morning Crash
July 31, 2025
A bicyclist was killed in a crash Thursday morning in Cantonment.
The crash happened about 8:30 a.m. on County Road 97 near Nowak Dairy Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 64-year-old Cantonment woman was traveling northbound on County Road 97 when she was struck from the rear by a Honda sedan driven by a Pensacola woman. The bicyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene by Escambia County EMS.
The FHP investigation is continuing.
File photo.
Woman Gets 15 Years For Hit And Run That Killed Man On A Scooter
July 31, 2025
An Escambia County woman has been sentenced for a fatal hit-and-run wreck in January 2024.
Sarah Rachel Nowlin, 40, was sentenced to 15 years in state prison, with four years mandatory minimum, by Circuit Court Judge Amy Broderson.
On January 26, 2024, Nowlin borrowed a car from a friend and struck a man riding an electric scooter in the 400 block of Nine 1/2 Mile Road near Omar Avenue. The victim, 34-year-old Calvin Garlick, was hit from behind and died from blunt force injuries.
Nowlin fled the scene and hid her vehicle in the woods on Cove Avenue.
“This defendant knew what she was doing was wrong. Evidence came out that Ms. Nowlin knew she had hit a person, lied about it to everyone, including her 8-year-old child who was in the car at the time of the crash, tried to hide the vehicle in a wooded area, and continued to cover up the crime in an attempt to evade responsibility. Nowlin had several opportunities to do the right thing, but instead made a calculated decision to choose self-preservation at every turn,” prosecuting attorney Charles Britt said.
Century Hiked Community Center Rates; Now They Are Making Improvements
July 31, 2025
In June, the Century Town Council voted to hike community center rates, and now the town is putting money back into the improvements.
The town rents the Century Community Center (Ag Building) on West Highway 4 and the Century Business Center (Habitat Building) on Pond Street.
The town, using inmate labor and town staff, recently repainted the interior of the community center on West Highway 4. The dirty yellow walls have been painted over, as has what was an incredibly noisy water fountain. Moldy ceiling tiles have been replaced, and improvements were also made in the kitchen, which included a new vent hood and microwave. The floors were also scheduled to be cleaned.
Previously, the daily rental fee was $380, with security provided by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for all events. However, a provision allowed a pastor or officer to sign off, dropping the rental to $200 for churches or non-profits. Both rental rates included a $100 refundable cleaning deposit.
The new rental policy is $500 for everyone, including a $150 refundable cleaning deposit. If the facility is properly cleaned, the cleaning deposit will be returned in 7-10 days. A fee waiver can be approved by the council for any governmental agency using the facilities.
Security, provided by either the sheriff’s office or a Florida-licensed security company, will be required at the renter’s expense for all events with more than 75 attendees. All renters will be required to sign a hold-harmless agreement.
The policy also includes standard terms such as no tobacco, drugs, or alcohol, and a no-admission fee restriction. It also forbids taping anything to the newly painted walls.
Pictured: The new paint inside the Century Community Center on West Highway 4. The bottom photo shows the yellow walls and moldy ceiling tiles in January 2025. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man Wanted On Multiple Counts Of Attempted Murder
July 31, 2025
Authorities are searching for an Atmore man wanted on multiple counts of attempted murder.
The Brewton Police Department said Tylee Ikeem Brown is wanted on three counts of attempted murder and two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling. The charges, according to BPD, are related to two seperate shootings that occured in Brewton in December 2024.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Brewton Police Department at (251) 867-3212 or their local law enforcement agency.
DOJ: Dermatology Providers Agree To Pay Nearly $850,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims
July 31, 2025
Forefront Dermatology S.C. and Henghold Surgery Center LLC, have agreed to pay $847,394 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing the submission of falsely coded claims to Medicare for wound repair procedures, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Forefront owns and operates a dermatology practice in Florida doing business as Henghold Dermatology. Henghold Surgery Center is an ambulatory surgery center that closed in 2023, and is wholly owned by William B. Henghold, M.D. Both the practice and surgery center performed wound repair procedures following Mohs micrographic surgery, a method of skin cancer removal.
The DOJ alleged that Henghold Dermatology and Henghold Surgery Center caused the submission of false claims to Medicare by using inaccurate wound repair billing codes for which Medicare paid more money than it would have paid for the wound repairs that were actually performed — a practice known as “upcoding.” Specifically, Henghold Dermatology and Henghold Surgery Center falsely coded linear repairs as if they were flap repairs and falsely coded smaller flap repairs as if they were larger flap repairs.
“Improperly billing Medicare depletes valuable government resources that provide necessary medical care to millions of Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable health care providers who enrich themselves by defrauding federal healthcare programs.”